Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-10-18
board.
Frieaht Rates.

New let's see how the present Re
publican member performed on the
freight rate question.
You remember there was an oil
freight rate hearing held not long
ago in st. Louis. Here is the rec
ord:
March 5, 19O6-In the matter of the
application of the National Refining
Company for a reduction of oil rates
between st. Louis and Kansas City,
it developed that the railroads were
charging IL cents per hundred pounds
in n direction and 22 cents in the
opposite direction.
After hearing the evidence, Com
missioner Knott moved that the rate
be reduced to IA cents to apply in
both directions.
Chairman Rice refused to entertain
the motion. Commissioner Knott APP
pealed to Commissioner Wightman
who sustained the chair"
In the afternoon the matter was
again taken up, when Commissioner
Wightman moved that the rate be
made IL cents in each direction. Com
IN llofSu " pIllhS OuG
II cents and insert 9 cents.
Commissioner Knott made the fol-
lowing statement:
"As between these two propositions
-one by Commissioner Wightman
making the rate II cents and the one
by Commissioner Rice making the
rate 8 cents, i shall vote with Com
missioner Rice, regardless of whether
the latter rate is named for the reason
that it is believed to be too low and
will be resisted by the railroads and
relief to the people will be delayed I'M
til the matter can be determined by
the courts, my opinion is that the lat
ter rate is more equitable than the
former"
The 8 cent rate was adopted. Rice
and Knott voting yes, and Wightman
voting no.
March 19--The matter of the oil
rate was again taken up.
Commissioner Wightman moved to
reconsider the vote by which the rate
or oil between st. Louis and Kansas
City had been reduced to 8 cents per
100 pounds as shown by the minutes
of March 5th.""
The vote resulted: Wightman ard
Rice, yes; Knott, no.
"Mr. Wightman then movd that
the rate of III cents be put into effect
between st. Louis and Kansas City,
both ways without discrimination for
, or against any locality, this being a
reduction of % per cent on west-bouEd
rates."
Commissioner Knott again protect
ed, making the following statement:
81 am opposed to the motion mace
by Commissioner Wightman for the
following reasons:
"First-Because it does not reduce
the rate at all, the % cent rate, west
bound, having always been in open
violation of the statutes of Missouri
it being illegal to charge more for
the same distance over the same rails
going in one direction than another
direction.
"Second-Because the rate propos-
ed by Commissioner Wightman coIl-
pared with the rates voluntarily made
by railroads for hauling the anne pro-
duct, is outrageously unjust to tie
people of this state. I do not be-
lieve it is justice to the people Of
Missouri to compel them to pay IL
cents for hauling oil 2S3 miles, Kansas
City to st. Louis, when precisely tie
same roads transport the same pro-
duct 45S miles, Neodesha, Kansas to
St. Louis, for exactly the same rate,
II cents, the distance being It's miles
greater.
81 do not believe that the people of
Missouri should be compelled to pay
IL cents for hauling oil 1888 miles when
oil is hauled voluntarily
From Findley, Ohio, to Chicago, 80
miles, for IL cents.
From Cleveland, Ohio, to Cincinnati,
230 miles, for 10 cents.
From Findley, Ohio, to East st.
Louis, 41G miles, for IS cents.
From Chicago to New Orleans, 899
miles, % cents.
From any point in Kansas to any
point in Kansas, $50 miles for 10 IL
cents.
These figures show an average
rate for the distance between st.
Louis and Kansas City, 1888 miles, Of
about II cents.
However, in a spirit of comprom-
Use, | offer as a substitute for Mr..
Wightman's motion, that the rate be
made ii cents both ways between
: Kansas City and st. Louis, a rate
am sure that will stand the test of
tn courts and give the people substan-
tial relief"
These figures, presented in evidence,
under oath, had no effect on the Re-
publican member of the board. He
presented his motion for a II cent
rate-no reduction-and won the vic
tory for the railroads, Commissioner
Rice voting with him.
But, you ask, Mr.. Rice being a
Democrat, why didn't he vote with
you?
| answer, you are not concerned
about Mr.. Rice now. He retires from
the board the first of next January.
The question is now, do you want
a man who will continue to vote with
Mr.. Wightman on these important pro-
positions?
You have Mr.. Flentge's record as
an official taken from the records
of the county court Of Cape Girardeau
county. You nov have Mr.. Wight
mans record on oil freight rates. Do
you want these two gentlemen to con-
troll your railroad commission during
the ensuing four years?
1t would consume the entire night
should | attempt to go through the
records.
Passenger. Train Service.
You have Mr.. Wightman's position
on express rates and freight rates.
Let's see how, he has performed in the