Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-01-07
HANGING MY
Be ABOLISHED
Outcome of Busse Case Crystal
ling Sentiment Fayoring
Law Change
10 HANeINes AT ANAMosA
State Prison at That Place Always
Escaped FulfiIlment of Capital Pun.
ishment sentences-Fisht Of Small
creamerie. for Maintenance of
i Freight Rates Important.

Freight Rates Important.
| Special to Times-Republican.
|, Des Moines, Jan. 7.-There has never
4 been a hanging at the Anamosa prison.
Several have been scheduled to take
place there, but no hangings.
There is this much comfort in the
knowledge that Busse is not to be
hanged at Anamosa,' said one
who is much interested in
undermining the penal code
of Iowa, 'that as there has never been
a hanging at Anamosa it will not be
stained with the blood of criminals
when it is changed into a reformatory.
There has always been objection to the
adoption Of the reformatory system at
Anamosa on the ground that inasmuch
as it has been built as a prison it will
always be known as prison. There Is
something in this, but its character as
a prison would be still more empha-
sized if it was to be the scene Of legal
executions"
It is expected, Of course, that the
governor and the judges of the SUI
preme court will receive much bitter
criticism for having given Busse life
Imprisonment in lieu Of hanging. But
the clear statement Of the case by the
governor, in which he made it plain
that the action was not to be taken as
indicating a doubt as to the guilt Of
the murderer, has disarmed his critics
for the time being
For one thing it has been pointed out
that the Busse case furnishes good
argument for abolishing capital pun
ishment in Iowa. 1t is law very hard
to enforce and one which can never be
enforced with impartiality The
Weems case from this city is said to
afford another good reason for repeal
of the law; for Weems was sentenced
to be hanged, and in recent months in
connection with efforts to secure his
parole by the legislature, evidence has
developed which is more important
than anything produced on the trial.
and such that a great many fair mind
ed and unprejudiced persons now be-
| lieve that Weems was not guilty of the
crime for which he came near being
executed.
There is no doubt that il Busse had
| not obtained relief thru the state au-
thorities, his attorneys would have be-
gun one Of the most interesting legal
battles ever known in the state, with
view to compelling the United
States supreme court to pass upon the
case Immediately. And this would have
meant further delay and expense and
probably in the end the same thing as
that which has been accomplished.
The fate Of the little creameries Of
Iowa, the cream supply of which is all
hauled to the creamery in wagons, is
the question at issue between III. r.
Wright, state dairy commissioner, and
the members of the Iowa railroad COM
mission. These small creameries man
ufacture 100000 pounds of butter a
year, which is Is per cent of the entire
product Of the state. The hearing a
few days ago was an informal hearing.
No legal notice Of the hearing was sent
out and consequently on that hearing
the board can take no legal action. To-
day the new member of the commits
sion, Willard L. Eaton, Of Usage,
comes to the board.
There is a certain fixed cost Of trans
portation which makes the freight rate
for the first few miles greater in pro-
portion than for each mile after the
first few. Thus for five miles the rail-
roads now charge 10 cents for hauling
100 pound can Of cream. For thirty
miles It is 20 cents, for fifty miles 81
cents, for sixty miles % cents and for
each five miles after that the Increase
is cent The effort that is being
made by the Beatrice Creamery Com
pany is to get a reduction of the rate
above thirty miles.
Dairy Commissioner Wright con-
tends that to reduce the rate above
thirty miles. will only assist the big
creameries to drive out the little ones
thirty-five of which have already shut
up shop.
If the railroad commission takes any
action in the matter it will probably
be to insist that its freight rates be
adhered to even tho the business is all
carried on passenger trains. The rates
fixed by the commission are the second
class freight rates. These rates are
11.9 cents for 100 pound can of cream
for five miles. The rate increases a
little less than cent for each five
miles above that to ZOO For twenty
five miles the rate is 14.45 cents; for
fifty miles, II cents; for sixty miles,
1853 cents; eighty miles, 1904 cents;
200 miles, 30.2 cents. The position TAX
en- by Mr.. Ketchum is that the rate
having been fixed by the board should
be adhered to by the railroads. The diff
ference between the rate for five miles
is less than cents, the railroads now
charging 10 cents, and the rate fixed by
the board being .119. For 200 mile
haul the difference Is nearly 20 cents,
the railroads now charging so cents
and the rate fixed by the board being
1902
The business now, however, is all
carried on express trains, and pass
enger trains, either as express or bag
gage. There is question whether or
not the commission can enforce a rate
for passenger trains that has been fixed
to apply to freight transportation.
TO CUT NEW CHANNEL.
Contract Price for Work on Nishna.
botna River is $47319 H