Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-11-12
RATE QUESTION
SURE 1O GONE Up
Subject of Lower Freight and
Passenger Rates to Engage
Legislature
The sankey 2-cent Fare Bill and His
Re- election to the LegisIature-Dem
ocrat Platform and What Should Be
Expected From New Democratic
Legislators.
Special to Times Republican.

)eS MONIES, NOV. Is.--'JIle ol tHe lS-
sues of the political campaign just
fought out to a conclusion is wrapped
appeared in the address of Governor
Cummins In opening the campaign
three months ago:
'I believe that in this state the time
has come for a reduction in passenger
fares and also for reduction in the
freight rates upon commodities that
Will give producers and manufacturers
in the state an even chance with their
competitors elsewhere"
1t will also be recalled that In his
opening speech Senator Porter made
strong point against the Iowa rail-
way rates by some comparisons show
ing that from the southern Iowa and
northern Missouri coal fields there
were poina, outside of the state more
favored as to rates to Iowa consumers
than points In the state. 1t was ex-
planned by Colonel Palmer, of the rail-
way commission. that this was due to
the inability of the commission to au-
thorize or establish group rates or
substantially equal rates from large
territory to common points. Some leg
islation Is necessary before this can
be done. But that there has been much
complaint asato the Iowa railway rates
there is no doubt whatever.
The announcement that by discovery
of an error in one precinct 1T appears
that E. j. Sankey. of Decatur county, is
elected to the lower house, serves to
emphasize the Importance of the rate
question. Mr.. s;ankey is one of those
DEMOCRATS who believes in doing ex-
actly what he thinks Is right tho every
other man may be against him. He
does not know what political policy
means-and he doesn't care to know.
In the last session Of the legislature
he introduced 81 2-cent fare bill and
altho he was almost lalone In its sup
port he forced discussion Of 1t and
he compelled the railroads to bring on
from Chicago a distinguished company
of experts to convince the legislators
that Iowa railroads cannot afford to
haul passengers for any less than 3
cents a mile. Mr.. Sankey got no leg
islation but he did stir things up quite
bit
1t has been the complaint of all
those who, were opposing Governor
Cummins this year that he was not at
one, time, many years ago, in favor of
a reduction of passenger rates. They
have pointed out that he ought to have
thar. and fhav
have indicated that there is much more
reason why he should favor a reduction
now. In short, every argument and
every condition makes for a certainty
that reduction of railroad rates will be
one of the big things before the next
legislature.
If one might assume that the party
leader had right to commit his party
and that the Waterloo platform really
meant what 1t said, then 1t could also
be assumed that in the legislature ev-
cry democrat would be in favor of rate
reduction. This may not be the case,
however, as some who have got into
the legislature are under special obli-
cations to the railroads in such way
that they cannot very well afford to
make record favorable to rate re-
duction. But If 80 democratic votes
can be counted on to get some legfs-
lation thru the house favorable to rate
reduction, then it is certain there will
be such legislation. A sufficient num-
ber of republicans could be got to vote
for a 2-cent fare bill and for some
modification of the Iowa law to make
possible reduction of freight rates.
The senate, however, is likely to be
SO constituted that it will be hard to
get thru any legislation Of the kind.
OF the members of the senate COM
mittee on railroads six have been re-
tired and eight remain. Senator Smith,
of Mitchell, was the chairman, but he
will not be the chairman again. Sem
ator Hopkins Is second on the COM
mittee. Of the thirtyfour members Of
the house committee on railroads, only
nine have returned. Wise of Black
hawk, was chairman, and of those who
remain on the committee eligible for
the Craftsmanship. there is Welden,
Weeks, Lowery Conn, Lister, Jones,
Doran and Hambleton. But the house
committees will be built from the
ground up this time, and all precedents
will go by the board.
What will be the influence and the
power of the railroad lobby at the
coming session? Nobody knows. But
it is certain that there is going to be,
enough doing at the state house to
keep the lobby busy all the time.