Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-01-21

there are paid unlawful rebates called
freight oycrcharges.' on Transports
tiCn Of stone. coal grain. live stock
ana other agricultural products.
That this condition. vicious. dis
eliminating ard oppressive exists
wholly within The borders OF this stat.
IN that the railroad companies exact
unjust and cxtOrtiOnate rates.
That the small shippers and freight
bureaus in Quincy. Bloomington. De
catur. ami Springfield have pctit!onei
for relief ana have been ignored since
july :. 1902. by the railroad and ware
house commissioners OF the state. 4
legally composed body whose statutory
duty is to prevent discrimination and
adjust exorbitant rates and see that
the offenders are prosecuted
That the commissioners have failed
10 compel the companies to make com
plete reports OF the number of pas
senEsrs travelling over the respective
lines and the number Of tons Of freight
carried. as required by the statute.
That by common repute' the COM
missiOners are disqualified from hold
Ing Office because they own bonds.
stocks and property in railroad com
panics and peculiarly are Interested in
railroad corporations in the state and
IN companies whose lines extend into
fr" state
Wants Committee To Learn Fncts.
With these charges recited. the
house is asked To- appoint committee
"ioT the purpose of making a thorough
and complete investigation of the de
plorablc and unfair condition COM
pa ned of by shippers. merchants. and
manufacturers. and Of the failure on
The part of the railroad and warehouse
commissioners To perform their stat
utoTy duty 10 remedy such conditions.
and az the eligibility Of several mem
bcrs OF the commission To hold Office
The house further Is asked to give
the invest eating committee power 10
summon such witnesses as are neces-
sary 10 carry ont the investigation and
TO- order the production of books ami
papers
"NCCaskrin made his campaign on
a platform including the demand for
such an investigation as nc wishes
started. he is given credit COR SINGER
~ OF purpose. although what he can
do. now that ne has introduced his
resolutions. Is another matter.
small Party Hut Powerful.
Did ne have a caucus o. ii~ PARTY
first asked a member 81 tho -puse
aliuding tn the Ioncsomcn.ss IT the
only independent member.
In spite of the smalines- or biS
party in the house. McCaskrin will
have the support of shippers III the
towns named. who have been com
planning OF the commissions practices
for Two years and more.
one Of the members Of the rail
road and warehouse commission is re
ported as saying that If the laws were
enforced against the railroads all
would be put ont Of business.
Such positions should be elective.
said Representative McCasETin. after
the house had adjourned. That may
come out OF the movement II things
get started. | was pledged to make
the attempt TO correct such evils and
I shall try to do II The shippers have
been complaining and il is time some
investigation il started To ind why.
Comics, for N-Ca~krin'- seat.
The independent member intrOduc-
ing the matter now has contest on
for his scat. and II is for the elections
committee To say whether he stays in
the legislature To push his resolutions
HIS contestant IS George Cooke. q
democrat Of Aledo-'
George Has omee In Springfield
Representative McCaskrin arrived
home this morning from Springfield