Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-12-22
DISCUSSION OF
The 2-CENT FARE
cHAssELL MILEAGE BOOK TO THE
REAR WHILE GOVERNOR
ls islldeo eleaS
s,a,oos lsollo4s!H ete4o
Opponents Gay state Is Not ThickIy
Enough Settled to Warrant Low
Fare-charIes HELEN of Webster
City to Start Des Moines Paper

DSS MOlu0S, D6C. Zl.-ln6 QSuulLS
statement by Governor Cummins that
he will recommend to the legislature
that it pass bill requiring passenger
rates to be put down to two cents per
mile in Iowa, has aroused considerable
interest among politicians and in rail.
road circles.
1t has been supposed that the gov
ernor would stop with the Chassel fam.
lily mileage bill This was passed by
the house in the last assembly. but
Senator Turner, who had charge Of it
In the senate, could not get chance
to ask for its report out Of the sitting
committee. He tried to get the floor
many times to call for the bill, but
failed.
This measure, the governor was in
favor Of. 1t provided that the railroads
must sell 1000 mile mileage book
to all persons who applied for it, at
two cents a mile, the book to be good
for all members of the family. This,
the railroad men said, meant that the
book would be good for anybody, for
the conductor could not stop to exam
Inc marriage certificates and birth GER
tiacates to determine whether the per-
sons riding on any given book were
entitled to do so.
The objection which was raised to
this measure was that it Disseminated
In favor of the man who had $40 to buy
book. 1t was urged tnat If passen-
ger rates were to be reduced they
ought to be put down generally, so
that the man with so cents who want
ed to ride twenty-five miles would have
as good show as the man with $40
who could buy mileage book with 1t.
The railroad men insist that it is
unfair to make two cent fare in this
state because it has not the popula-
tion to warrant It, But they will con-
slider themselves lucky if they are Civ
en- the family mileage bill this year,
instead of the two cent fare bill.
Lower Commodity Rates.
Another statesment by Governor
Cummins which elicits even more con-
cern from the railroads relates to his
intention to recommend an investiga-
tion with regard to certain commidity
rates, such as the rates on coal, hogs
and cattle.
w. 3. Odell Of Des Moines last year
proposed a bill to compel the railroads
to carry live stock to the Iowa pack
ing houses at twenty-five per cent less
rates than they carry 1t to Chicago.
The measure received little attention
then, but the proposal of the governor
revives interest in it.
The information which the governor
has, however, relates to discrimina-
tions as to rates made for the outside
consumer of Iowa products as compar-
ed with the rates for the inside con-
sumer. This affects coal, hogs and cat
tie. If he proposes Recommendation
regarding the matter 1t will be for the
investigation of the situation by the
railroad commissioners, and probably
not for an investigation by a legislat-
i've commission.
Helen's Newspaper.
Charles D. HELEN of Webster City,
has all Of his plans made for the es-
Establishment Of a new evening daily
newspaper in Des Moines in competi-
tion with the Capital and the Evening
News
Mr.. HELEN has sold his Webster
City newspaper and has ordered the
machinery for his Des Moines news
paper. He expects to publish the first
issue on April 1. He will model the
style after the Chicago Tribune.
+ His idea is that the people do not
care so much for sensational news as
most of the newspapers figure they do.
He will minimize crime news. His
theory is that newspaper by print
ing scandals of the .Blydenburgh type
can do town more damage in one is
sue than boosters committee can do
good in four months.
In Sioux City few days ago there
was a case very similar to the Blyden-
burgh case here. The Sioux City news
papers devoted few lines to it and
let it go at that. The result is that
every newspaper in the state is not
discussing how wicked Sioux City is
HELEN will give the people a newspa-
per which will not paint SO much of
that kind of matter.
Leon Brown.