Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-01-14

legislatures and congresses can take
care of the people.
Concluding this general review, l
come to specify things
Passenger Rates.
In my message delivered to the Ihir-
ty-first general assembly had the hon
or to recommend the passage OF law
that would require railroad companies
Lilo sell mileage books good for LOCO
miles and upward at a fiat rate of 2
cents per mile, good until used; and
| said in that connection, IF purchased
by the head of family, there is no
reason why it should not be used by
any member of the family; and again.
"rhe man who travels little is at pres
ent at too great a disadvantage as
compared with the man who travels
much.
A bill embodying this recommends
ton passed the house of representa-
tives. but in the committee of the sem
late. counsel for the railroads contended
that it was unconstitutional, because 1t
authorized determinations. The argu-
ment seemed to be convincing. and all
tho | do not concur in the conclusion,
I feel impelled to lay aside the remedy
then proposed. 1t must be assumed,
therefore, that if those who travel lit
tie are to be relieved of the unjust
burden which they now bear, the rellet
must come thru a general reduction OF
all passenger fares. There is much
reason to believe that, in the western
country. at least, passenger traffic at
the present rates is less profitable than
freight traffic at the present rates
The representatives of the railway
companies during the session insisted
that the average actual rate paid by
passengers in Iowa was not more than
2 cents per mile, some of the roads
showing a fraction higher and some OF
the roads a fraction lower than cents.
In making this computation, arbitrary
division of certain large expenses was
assumed, and as I understand it, free
transportation was not included.
This condition has been brought
about by the railroads themselves thru
mileage books, credentials and other
reduced rates to privileged classes.
When it is remembered that the vast
majority of those who travel a great
deal pay but 2 cents per mile, and that
the travel of all those of our people
who pay cents per mile is necessary
to bring the average up to 2 cents per
mile, the extent Of travel which pays
less than 2 cents per mile assumes ire
mendous proportions. Granting, for
the moment, that it would be unfair to
reduce the revenue from passenger SER
vice a single penny. it is still manifest
that the adjustment is hopelessly
wrong. 1t costs the railroad company
just as much to carry a passenger who
has purchased a 2,000-lnile bool1 per
mile as it does to carry passenger
who has bought a single ticket for 100
miles; indeed, I think the former costs
a little more for the use of the mile
age book entails more expense in the
maintenance of extensive bureaus for
identification, auditing and rebating
than the sale of tickets at stations. The
only advantage derived by the railroad
company is the interest on the pay
ment in advance, and this does no.
warrant any appreciate reduction in
rates.
What have said has been upon the
hypothesis of strict division between
the earnings of the passenger and
freight traffic. do not concede, how
ever that the proposal for cent pas
senger fares is to be tested wholly by
any such criterion. ] prefer to look at
the earnings of the railroads in Iowa as
whole. and if they are found to be
more than they should be, is it not very
material to inquire whether 2-cent
passenger rate will or will not be in
and of itself profitable. The chief bus
mess of railroads in this state is the
transportation of freight, and it clearly
appears from the arguments laid be-
fore you last winter that they regard
passenger traffic as incidental, and do