The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-04-19
KILLED TWO CENT FARE
Representative Sankey Tells the
Story of the Defeat of his Bill
which should Become a Law.
Leon, Iowa, April 16, 1906.

WnlCn Sn0ul0 become Law.
Leon, Iowa, April 16, 1906.
EDITOR REpoRTER;-B Believing that
brief outline of house file Nc. %, bill
for an act to require all railroads en-
gagged in the transportation of passen-
gers within the state of Iowa, to trans
port all persons over the age of -
and all persons between the age of two
from all points within the state, to any
point within the state, to prevent every
distinction in the passenger rates within
the state and to provide punishment
for violation thereof, introduced said
bill on January II, 1906, shortly after
the legislature convened;it was referred
to the committee on railroad and COM
merce. 1t was my desire to have the
Hughes anti-pass bill disposed of be-
fore this bill should be acted upon by
said committee. The anti-pass bill had
been passed in the senate and was
messaged over to the house and there
referred to the house committee on
railroads and commerce and was allow
ed to rest there to near the close of the
i
committee that wanted action on said
bill and on the Goth of March hearing
was had before said committee, Or
portunity to turn loose on the commit
tee the ablest legal talent they could
obtain. | went before the committee
bill, but the committee was so consti
int hot ba ;nto ctc Of tho nnnn1n
received scant courtesy and on the
22d of March the chairman, Mr.. Wise,
presented a majority report recon-
a minority report signed by four men,
bers of said committee, dissenting from
the action Of the majority and recon-
to substitute the report of the minority
of said committee for the report of the
majority and demanded roll call of the
house. The chairman of said committee
in his zeal to save the railroads, moved
the substituted report of the minority.
the roll call showed 40 votes for and 40
the chairman of said committee was
oCCldTGS loSUy ~ loO HdfllS ICCClfCo d
constitutional majority and the bill was
house and made a special order for
March 23rd. Finally on March 28th
the bill was reached for consideration,
and after the merits of the bill were
argued by Mr.. Cheney, of Clay, and Mr..
Meredith, of Cass, for the bill and
various persons against it, l closed the
n willy hn fo1loxpiru.
Mr.. SPEAKER AND GENTLEMEN OF THE
House OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The object of this bill is to prevent
in the transportation of passengers and
alike. 1t is safe to assume that one
third of all the passenger business is
now done at two cents per mile, in the
books, which they sell to favored par
ties at three cents per mile and then
give rebate of one cent per mile, max
ing the rate practically two cents per
mile to such favored parties. A large
passes and the entire cost of the pas
senger service is charged up to all
others not SO favored. 1t is an act of
JuSClCo " UuC ldTllCIS tLuu "dS =
earners of the state to give them the
rights accorded to the more favored
persons. Why should the producers of
the state who furnish the freights that
make railways profitable be denied the
right to two cent rate when that right
is given to so large a percent Of the
travelling public who happen to be
favorites to say nothing of the free
transportation so generously given to
men who are prominent and able to pay
full fare.
AS to the ability of the railways to
carry passengers at profit at two
cents per mile, the best answer is the
evidence they furnish themselves in the
free passes and two cent fare they now
give to their favorites. We ask that
this discrimination be ended by the
passage of this bill, which will give
every person the same passenger rates
The time was when railways were view
ed as private property in a much stricter
sense than they are now. Gradually
the idea has come to be recognized that
the railways, although owned by private
parties are, in fact, operated under
charters from the public, and with
definite obligations to the public. One
of these obligations is to treat every
body alike, and another is to render
service for reasonable compensation,
based on the cost of the same. Both of
these obligations are violated when the
railways carries some passengers free,
and others at one-third less than the
charges collected from all other men,
bers of the community, and then charge
the entire cost of such service up to all
others, not SO favored. This measure is
just one to people and railroads alike,
and ought to pass. 1t is an outrage
that the poor man who travels but little
must be saddled with part Of the ex-
pense of carrying rich man every time
he buys ticket, and that is just what
takes place now. Railway fares should
be like postage, one rate for all whether
they buy much or little, and absolutely
no favors shown to anybody.
This bill was introduced on January
11th, 1906, and was referred to the com
mittee on railroads and commerce. On
March Doth a hearinp was had before