The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1907-01-17


ifest that the adjustment is hopeless
ly wrong. 1t costs the railway COM
pany just as. much to carry a passen-
ger who has purchased 1000 mile
book, per mile, as it does to carry a
passenger who has bought single
ticket for 100 miles: indeed. | think
the former costs but little more, for
the use of the mileage book entails
more expense in the maintenance of
extensive bureaus for Identification,
auditing and rebating than the sale of
tickets at stations. The only advant-
age derived by the railway company
is the interest upon the payment in
advance. and this does not warrant
any appreciate reduction in the rate.
If the practice of making low rates
for excursions. conventions meetings
of associations and the like. is unpro-
fitable. the railway companies can
easily abolish it. For my partI can
see no justice in the custom which
compels the farmer and his family or
the merchant and his family, as they
go from place to place. either for
pleasure or for business. to Ray part
of the cost of carrying men to conven-
lions or to gatherings of any kind,
and much less can !, perceive the wi s.
dom of making our people pay. as
they move about engaged in their
ordinary affairs. for losses incurred
in making trainload afer trainload of
pleasure seekers to points Of enter
tainment or amusement. or land
seekers. as they journey to distant
states in the hope of finding riches
that they could more easily discover
at home.
These things. however. are entire
ly within the control of the railway
companies. If we give them an OPP
portunity to take two cents per mile
from every one who rides upon their
trains in Iowa and they avail them
selves of the opportunity as they can,
their revenue from the passenger
traffic will not be reduced single
dollar: on the contrary. according to
universal experience, it will be in
creased. If on the other hand. the
railway companies, with the right to
demand two cents per mile from all
who travel. find it advantageous. by
reason OF Interior and extrinsic bene-
fits, to reduce the rates under certain
circumstances below the maximum,
and thus diminish the average rate
actually received. they cannot assert
that the law has done them an in
justice. / stand firmly upon the pro-
position that the travellers who are
now paying three cents per mile are
paying the fares of other travellers
who are abundantly able to, pay their
own: and the burden is laid upon the
people who are least able to hear it.
1t is discrimination which cannot be
defended. and which ought not to>con-
tinue. 1t will not he forgotten.
either, that the prohibition against
passes already in force. and an en-
largement of the prohibition OF which
shall speak presently. and which
hope will shortly be in force, will
add materially to the revenue of the
railway companies and will help
greatly in maintaining the average al
or above its present point.
Freight Rates
What have alreadyi said is suffi.
Gent in so far as the income of the
railway companies is concerned. The
railroad commission has already ad
equate power to fix schedule of maxi.
mum freight rates. The schedules
and classifcations announced in 1885,
have not been changed essentially
during the eighteen years that have
since INTERVIEWED. In the meanwhile
the manufacture and commerce of the
country have been revolutiohized: ans
believe it to be true that the pres.
ent adjustment of rates is grossly un
fair to the manufacturers. farmers,
stock producers and distributors of the
state. They do not have fair ant
even chance in the struggle for bus
mess. 1t may be worth your while
to institute an investigation, which
with your plenary powers. might
develop many things which the rail
road commission cannot discover and
which would greatly aid in the read
justment of rates. AS you know, it
is the almost invariable custom o.
railway companies, in bringing ship.
ments of any kind into the state. tt
make rates to the state line. anl
then add the rate of the Iowa dis
lance tariff to the point of destina
tion. This practice results in great
hardship to our manufacturers ant
distributors in their efforts to com
plete with their rivals situated be
yond the state. To give point to tni
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