Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-06-25
Railroad Commission G Announces
Establishment of Rate OF 80
Per Cent Of Two Locals
DISTANCE TARIFF REMAINS
Where Joint Rate Would Be Less Than
Distance Tariff, Latter Must Be Ao-
cepted-Plan to Be Tried for Six
Months as an Experiment - Roads
File Formal Protest.
;peciai TO Times-Republican.

Speciai TO Times-Republican.
Des Moines. June 25.-Chairman
announced today informally that the
commission will order joint rates at so
per cent of two locals, but never to hG
less than the distance tariff, the rail-
roads to absorb the transfer when in
carload lots. The transfer when by
team will be worked out in detail later.
The order of the commission will be
formally made at such a time as will
put the rate into effect August 1.
The railroads objected to the rate
formally. so as to protect their record
if they decide to fight 1t, except the
Great Western and the Milwaukee,
whose representatives say they would
give 1t fair trial, and in every way
assist the commission. Where ship
ments are less than carload lots 1t is
recommended that the transfer must
vary owing to the distance varying be-
tween the points of different lines. Mr..
Ketchum intimates the rate would be
tried for about six months, and If sat
isfactory would not be discontinued.
Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, June 25.-Shippers of
Iowa are how uniting with the railroad
men in complaining that the distance
tariff rates of Iowa are not satisfactory
and that if there could only be territor-
ial rates it would be much to the ad-
vantage Of the manufacturers and
other interests Of the state and that
it would also be much easier for the
railroad commission to put in joint
admitted that there is some question
whether or not the railroad commission
distance rates for the law requires that
there shall be no discrimination and
there can hardly escape being dis
elimination if the rate is anything else
but distance tariff.
For some time the railroad repre-
sentatives have been arguing that the
Iowa rates are not elastic enough; that
if they had anything else but distance
tariff they could make all sorts OF
rates to please the shipper and the
manufacturer and consumer alike.
Those who defend the distance tariff
claim that the only object OF those op-
posing the distance tariff is that they
want an advantage, a discrimination,
that will help them to get over into
the territory of some other person.
Regardless of the arguments for or
against the distance tariff it is notice.
able that in the difficulties over the
question Of joint rates the question Of
ually to the front. The distance tariff
idea is on the defensive and it is not
but that there may be a.
we'll defined movement sooner or later
to get it abolished and to get the
commission to make the rates on the
territorial idea. The fact is lawyers
and others have already been at work
looking up the law on the question in
the hope of being able to find out some
way by which authority Of law can be
found for the railroad commission to
abolish the distance tariff idea. The
commission, itself, it is believed has
faith in the distance tariff idea and 1t
may be somewhat difficult to convince
the members that the entire system
should be changed even if the author
ity for making the change can be
found.
Following the lead of the railroads
some of the shippers of the state are
getting the idea that the rates should
be made UP as they are by the various
associations of railroads. That they
should follow the lines of trade with
certain basic points such as Chicago
and the Mississippi, in Interstate
rates. In state rates they think GER
tain sections Of the state where certain
articles are shipped should have rates
for those particular articles FOR ship
ments to certain sections and points.
John F. Riggs must sign his name
lO,Uuu llII6S d ySdi Ill dlluIIiOli " lin
number Of times that he must sign it
to letters, checks and the ordinary run
of business. There are about $4,000
teachers certificates issued each year,
which must bear his signature. He
therefore has to sign his name an av-
erage of a fraction over eighty times
for every work day in the year. Pro-
fessor Riggs usually signs his name
John F. Riggs but when he signs
ii to a certificate in order to save time
and the expense of ink and pens to
the state. he writes it j f. Riggs" 1t
IS estimated that the fact that Mr..
Riggs name is d short one has saved
the state d great deal of money In ink
and pens. and it may be that his sue
cessor will be selected on short name
campaign. BY leaving off the three let
tiers in the word John Professor
Riggs makes 3 considerable additional
saving In the way Of ink and pens