Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-07-26
GOVERNOR SIGNS
2-CEHT FARE ACT
EXECUTIVE APPROVES MEASURE,
DESPITE PROTESTS FROM ALL
PARTS OF WISCONSIN.
PASSENGERS NOT TO PROFIT.
Railroads Will Start Long War During
Which Time Cheap Mileage Books
Will Be Cut Off.

MADISON, Wis, July 16.-[Speciall
Gov. James o. Davidson signed the
2-cent fare bill this morning.
1t was expected that he would do 50,
although he had been deluged with pro-
tests against approving it from publicists
and politicians and economists from all
parts Of the state.
Slap at Commission.
John Barnes, president of the railroad
rate commission is in milwaukee,.
Neither Mr. Erickson nor Mr. Meyer,
the other members of the commission,
will submit to an interview in regard to
Sac enactment Of the law, but it is known
positively that they feel it as q direct
slap a the commission.
Tie act goes into effect on August II
and viii apply 10 all roads showing a
gross earning Of $500 q mile.
Central Will Fight.
1t has been stated that the Wisconsin
Central road will fight the law in the
courts and if SO will probably block the
enforcement for two or three years. In
TIE meantime the rate fixed by the com
mission Of 212 cents a mile will be in
elect, but the 800 mile family books for
$40 and the Communication rates between
i1r@e centers will undoubtedly be discon-
the average traveller may be in excess of
that enjoyed since the recent ruling of
tie commission.
Two Courses for Roads
Iwo-ccnt fare laws have been enacted
~ all the surrounding states, but the rail
roads have already started legal proceed
lugs to annul them. La Missouri, Illinois
and Iowa they are allowing the 2-cen
iare rate e be enforced for three months
ending with September. During this tim"
u VIII he determined whether the roads
can afford to carry passengers for a fiat
2-cent fare or not. If not then the
old rate Of cents per mile will be re
nStated In Minnesota the companies
have already instituted proceedings 10
aanul the law.
What course the railroads will pursue
as regards Wisconsin is still undeter-
mined and probably will not be definitely
settled tOf some days. If they class
this state with Minnesota they Will IN
doubleday start proceedings at once and
cnjoin the enforcement OF the 2-cent fare
law. If they class it with Iowa and Hi
nulS they will allow the 2-cent rate to 90
into force, for say three months, after
which the courts will determine whether
the amount Of travel warrants the reduc-
ton.
Davidson Defines Position.
Gov. Davidson stated his position in
regard to it most positively to a number
of legislators and newspaper men in his
office late Monday evening. The bill
was sent to the executive office that aft
ernoon at about o'clock, but he did not
read it until the evening when he re
turned to the office after supper 1t was
al Il pile OF less important measures which
he was going over and as he glanced If
over he smiled. ''Ah the 2-cent fare bill,
he said, and laid it on one side When
asked if he would sign it that he replied
q Rnf ittSt hnfn liz.
ing the office that night he engaged i'll
conversation with q number of callers
during which he expressed himself heart
lily in favor of the measure.
No Slap at Commission, He Says.
The railroads." he said. '.hayn
brought this all upon themselves If
they had not acted as they did in regard
TO interstate traffic and rechecking of
baggage at the state line | would not
have signed the bill. But the people are
indignant at the manner in which the
companies have failed to comply with
the spirit Of the order of the rate com
mission and they want this law. Il do
not regard this law as a slap at the rate
commission. No one has higher regard
for the commission than | have
would not do anything to hamper their
work. But new facts and conditions
have come to light recently. | cannot
allow the people of this state who
started all the reform agitation and who
have treated the railroads fairly to be
Disseminated against by the roads.
Neither do take any stock in the
argument that the enforcement of a :
cent fare will increase the freight rates.
/ am confident that the railroads can
carry passengers for . cents mile, yes
even for liz cents or even 1 cent Il mile
and yet not increase their freight rates.
Family Books to Go.
If the years before that time had been
taken into consideration the average
earnings would have been much less and
Increased traffic since that time cannot
have raised the average for six years
sufficient TO warrant a reduction further
than 2l2 cents. In the event the cent
fare fails the rate in Wisconsin will so
back to 2l3 cents as the time for appeal
from the order Of rate commission has
expired. The family books. however,
and the Communication ticket. which were
not ordered by the commission but only
recommended, will undoubtedly be with
drawn.
What Started Agitation.
In regard to the position of the roads
as regards Interstate traffic and recheck-
ing of baggage at the state line it is
claimed that their action was due to
desire to exert precautions against es-
tablishing a precedent which was jeop-
ardizing their rights before the inter
state commerce. oOIlullSSlOD ana not que
to any desire to hamper or harass the
travelling public Within the last few
days they have changed their methods
in this regard, that is they have allowed
interstate traffic ut the aggregate of To-
cal rates in the several states.
This was 4 concession on the part of
roads, but it was this order that started
the Legislature in the last days of its
session and during the heated season and
when the members were all tired out and
incapable of giving calm consideration
to the proposition to enact a 2-rent fare
law which was passed by So as
semblymen and senators of the
1873 total membership of the Legislature
They did it on the claim that inasmuch
as the roads charged 21a cents in Wis
-consin and cents in surrounding states
instead of cents in both for interstate
traffic, Wisconsin was being discrimi-
mated against.
Governor Gives Pens Away.
The 2-cent fare bill was signed at
10:44 O'Clock this morning. In the eN-
ecutive chamber with the governor at
the time were Senator O. G. Munson
his private secretary, and Bank Exam
iner NJ. @. Bergh. The governor used
five pens in signing his name-three of
them new fountain pens These he pre-
scented to Messrs. Bergh and Munson
and TO j. Peterson of Superior. an old
IMbT ApGHN0 W0RI n