The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-04-19

charge of discrimination practiced by
their railroads, they had little to say
about the favoritism they practice, and
why they do it, in selling tickets to
certain class at two cents per mile, in
the free transportation given to men
who are prominent-not us charity,
for they are able to pay full fare-and
then collect from all members of tn,
community three cents per mile; placing
the burden of the discrimination on all
other persons not so favored. We OBJ
ject to this discrimination. And if they
can give passes away and sell two cent
fare tickets, to at least one third of the
travelling public, they can sell tickets
to all at a flat two ceut rate, and in my
Judgment make money in the operation.
Why should the wage earners and farm
ers and all others not so favored-whose
labor produces the freights that make
the railroads of Iowa far more profitable
than the same amount OF money invest
ed in Iowa farms-be compelled to bear
the burden of their discrimination?
AS to the ability of the railroads to
carry passengers at two cents a mile, if
they would take us into their confidence
and tell us how much their property is
worth, and the amount of gross and net
revenue they receive, and the per cent
of profit OH the actual value of their
property, we would know to certainty
what is now shrouded in cloud OF
mystery. But they do not do SO, for
reasons best known to themselves, they
do not and will not tell us how much of
their stock represents water and how
much substance. / have heard the
statement made by responsible men
that taking into consideration the gifts
to the railroads from the people in the
shape of land granted, right of way
given, tax voted and private subscrip-
tion, and the money raised from the
sales of bonds, that they have not
dollar of equity in their railroads eX-
cept what has been given to them, so
far as the trunk lines are concerned.
AS to compelling the railroads to sell
a 1000 mile fare book at two cents per
mile to be good for use among the men,
bers of the family, it is only halfway
measure, differing only in degree from
the present system, it does not prevent
discrimination in passenger rates and it
does not compel them to treat all alike,
it does not insure justice to rich and
poor alike, and it seems to me that it is
put forth as all the halfway measures
in the legislature have been, for the
purpose of seeming to offer solution of
the problem, which the friends of real
reform are forced to oppose. Why not
pass a real reform measure granting
equal rights to all to travel at the same
rate of fare per mile, preventing dis
elimination by the railways as to pas
senger service, a measure that means
what it says and that cannot pc evaded?
We are threatened with poorer train
service in the event of the passage of
of this bill. Now do not believe the
railroads can afford to further antag-
onize the people by attempting to
punish them for demanding an end of
discrimination and to compel them to
treat all persons alike. If they do at
tempt to punish the people for demand
ing plain justice they will furnish fuel
20 the fires of discomfort and arouse
public opinion to action-that will
settle the question whether the creature
is greater than the creator. Their
course in now resisting national legisla-
ton, to control rates by all the power
they possess is we'll known to all giving
the subject attention, and the question
is now plainly before the people of this
country, shall this be government Of
the people for the people by the people,
or shall it be under control of the
railway organizations of this country,
not to promote the public welfare but
to further their schemes of selfish
agrandisement.
Iappeal to you, gentlemen, represen-
tatives Of constituents to do this act Of
plain justice to all the people, unintlu-
enced by any selfish consideration. |
hot if tbic, hill ,o 4
to popular vote it would receive an
overwhelming majority. further be-
lieve the railways would derive as great
or even greater revenue, as more per-
sons would travel at two cent rate
than now, and whenever railways find it
to their interest to handle the pass
be at liberty to take care of their in
terests.
On roll call the vote stood 40 yeas to
81 nays, so the bill was lost. The fol-
lowing is the vote:
The yeas were:
Bailey, Christensen Chassell, Cheney, Chrstianson
Colclo, Crosse, Cummings, Darrah, DeMar, English,
Hume, Jepson, Kendall, Laird, Langan, Lister,
Lowrey, Luhdt Maben, Martin, Matts Meredith, Nor
ris, Nichols otfl, Olson, Powers, Pritchard, Sankey
Teachout, Teter, Weeks, Whting.-40
| The nays we're:
Bixby, Bohnd, Buckingham, Calderwood, Garden,
Casse, CLARK, Clary, Cobb, Coburn, Conn., Dushiell,
Dave, Doran, Dow, Epperson, Freeman, Frudden,
Greeley Greene, Gregory, Hanna, Hart, Hollenbeak,
jacobson JONES' Kennedy King Koontz, Leech
McAllister McClurkn, McCreary. McCulloch, McDole,
McElrath, McNe, Mott Peet, Ritter, Robinson, Say
lor, Shatfer, Skinner, Spaudng, Stanbery, Solten-
berg, Summers, Temple, Van Eaton, Washburn, We'll
den, Wise, Wright Wyland, Mr. speaker-57.
| Absent not voting:
| Bealer, Springer Whtmer-3.
So ended the fight in the 31st general
assembly for two cent fare bill. l be-
lieved then and do now, that if the
! anti-pass, bill had been passed as it
was later and has since become law,
that this cent fare bill would have
passed the house at least. The COVER
nor recommended in his message to the
31st general assembly that the railroads
be required to sell 1000 mile ticket or
book for cents mile, good for use by
the members of the family, but it did
not go far enough. 1t did not prevent
discrimination in rates, it did not give
the people of small means who were un-