Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-03-13
Railroads Say They Will Cut
Off Rebate on Stock Ship
pers, Tickets
STATE FAIR FINDS a CHAMPION
Representative Wan Houten Comes to
the Support of the Agricultural So
ciety in Its Enlargement Schemes -
Counter Proposal on Taxation Of
Mortsases--ssate Capitol News.

Special to Times-Republican.
+ Des Moines. March IA first direct
result Of the action of the railroad COM
mission last Saturday, in announcing
IA reduction of is to Is per cent in the
livestock rates in the state is threat
from the railroads. For some years IL
has been the custom Of the railroads to
give a rebate TO the farmer who pur-
chases feeders The farmers have
bought feeders largely in Nebraska and
the other states west of Iowa. Ihe
farmer has bought his ticket, paying
full fare II on his trip he bought
feeders and Slipped them to his farm,
on his return The railroad would rebate
him the price Of his ticket both ways.
Now, because Of the ruling Of the rail-
road commission to reduce the rates,
they threaten to cut this rebate off.
The rebate amounts to the same thing
as the giving Of pass to the farmer
who ships a cur of fat cattle to market.
AS it is not possible, however. to tell
for a certainty whether the farmer
would buy the feeders on his trip or
not, instead Of giving a pass the Gus
tom has been to return the price OF the
ticket.
The state fair and the state depart
ment of agriculture found champion
In Representative Van Houten, Of Tay-
lor county. A good many years ago
he was secretary Of the state agrtcul-
tura! society. The society was abol-
ished and the department created.
When the proposition came up the 9TH
err day to reimburse F. II. Hubbell and
others for thu, money they spent for the
seven acres adjoining the state fair.
grounds, which by the way is the only
seven acfes lin creation fit for fair pur-
poses that liz available for the new
swine pavilion and sheds, Van Houteni
Of constitutional majority by but
four votes, and there were twenty-sev-
en- members absent. The bill got sixty
eight, which was a good majority, but
not a two-thirds majority as is neces-i
sary to pass. an appropria ton bill. An
opponent OF the measure moved a re-
considerations thinking to kill the bill
then. Van Houten seconded the mo-
tfor. 1T carried. The house had moved
to reconsider, and before the opponents
of the bill l;new whether they had won
or lost, Van Houten moved to make the
bill special order for Tuesday OF
this week. Having majority, he had
mo trouble In making 1t special order
and yesterday the bill passed by "a
to 6.
An interesting counter proposal as
to the various bills in regard to taxa
ton Of mortgages before the legislature
is that Of having the legislature pro-
vide for a commission to take up the
whole matter Of assessment and taxa
ton laws and report on the same to.
the next general assembly. There is
wide diversity OF opinion as to what
should be done. All the members who
have made any study of the subject
say that there Is manifestly gross in-
justice in the present system and that
it is certain that vast amounts OF
moneys and credits escape taxation en-
tirely. IrI fact a good many of them
take the view that moneys and cred
it's ought not to be taxed at all. In
order that legislature may have at
hand the, information which it ought
to have for action in regard to these
matters 1T Is proposed that a commits
sion be created to which it will be re-
farrad 'Nhia NAV i,a done Ks