The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-02-13
COLUMBUS LETTER.

Columbus, Feb. 8.-The arena of the
house railroads and telegraph COM
mittee room was cleared for life and
WerItz, of Wayne county, and the
dreaded railroad octopus. Many went
to watch the deadly battle between
the man and the monster. What was
their surprise to see their champion
come smiling into the room, his arms
entwined in friendly embrace with
the tentacles of the octopus.
There isn't going to be any fight"
said Wertz.
He explained that the Ohio ship
pers and the railroad men had been
in pleasant communion and had prac-
tically agreed on bill FOR railroad
commission, which would be submit
ted to the committee. The railroads
will not fight bill for a commits
sion if it appears to treat them fairly,
he said.
This love feast has been held in
the offices Of Theodore Livesay, the
Pennsylvania roads attorney. G. J.
Grammer, vice president and rate
maker of the New York lines, was
one of those present.
The bill will not give the COM
mission the power to origin te rates.
Vice President Grammer, spokes-
man for the railroad men. had been
tossing figures into the air to prove
that Illinois, with a railroad commits
sion, pays higher freight rates than
OhioS when Freiner took hand.
Grammer said something about
men who know nothing about the
subject" shouted "it takes rate
maker to make rates, and the meet
ing ended.
Next Wednesday night public
hearing will be held. A bill agreed
to by the shippers and railroads will
then be considered.
The gentleness manifested by the
railroad men in their willingness to
accept a railroad commission law is
causing uneasiness among legislators.
Too much harmony in a proceeding of
this sort suggests they believe some
thing is being overlooked.
"If the commission bill is good, the
chances are that the railroads are
working to head off the Vanover tax
alton bill. The Vanover bill proposes
to tax public service corporations at
their market value. 1t would mean
$S,000,000 in increase taxes for the
railroads.
No testimony was taken in the
bridge trust custer case of Attorney
General Ellis Thursday. In order to
keep the deposition notice alive pend
ing action by the legislature compell-
ing r. w. Huston. and r. T. Guy,
Columbus bridge men, to answer ques-
tions, a man named Baer, an accident
al caller at the attorney generals
Office and knowing nothing about
bridge pools, was put on the stand
and asked his name Adjournment
was then taken.
Senator Meek tried to. head off Nc
Fadden's anti-cigaret bill in the sem
ate by introducing a substitute Thurs
day to stop the sale or gift of all
kinds of tobacco to minors under lS
or to all under 21, if they are in
school or college.
Minors are prohibited from smok-
ing and if caught may be fined $40.
if they tell where they got the tobac-
co, they shall go free.
The "Corn Stalk Brigade" of the
house say their organization will de-
feat any bill designed to apply the
surgeons knife to the justice court
evil. The judiciary committee will
recommend a bill that will compel
justices to hold their courts in their
own townships, but it will not limit
their jurisdiction.
Manuel Layine, assistant police
prosecutor of Cleveland, argued in fav-
or of restricting jurisdiction. He was
told he was right. but the legislators
could not inconvenience justices in