The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1907-02-21
PASSENGER FARES
CUT TO z IL CENTS.
RAILWAY COMMISSION DECIDES
CASES AGAINST NORTH WEST
ERN, MILWAUKEE AND OMA
IA RAILWAY SYSTEMS.

MADISON, Wis, Feb. IS Special,l
The state railway rate commission TO-
day handed down an order requiring the
th-Western. the Milwaukee 81
Paul, and the Omaha railway systems
TO reduce the rate of passenger lareS
from , cents to 2la cents per mile
The rate goes into effect in twenty
days, the interim being given the ran
road companies, so they may make an
appeal.
No decisions were handed down in the
cases of the Burlington and the WIS
Cousin Central.
FOR FAMILY MILEAGE BOOKS.
The commission says: For the pur-
pose of putting the question tH& 10 the
increase of traffic that would result from
a flat 2-cent fare to practical i'SJ' we
would strongly urge Il 5OO-mllt DOCK DC
placed upon the market ard Soid LOT
SO, good for the purchaser and any
member of his family, for, say PERIOD
of one year from the date OF purchase.
The order in the Milwaukee and 81:
Paul case was issued ON complaint OF
former Secretary of State Walter L.
UOuScr and the case of the North W est
crn, on complaint of A. +. Hucll oil sun
Prairie, The decision is a very long one,
covering 40 pages of printed matter II
discusses the law, the powers OF me
commission and the arguments Wh!ch
have induced the decision jul made
REGULATION is LAWFUL.
1t takes up, first, the powers of the
Legislature, and comedies that The Legs
lature has full power to regulate rates.
1t holds, however. that regulation must
allow a fair return on money invested
and regulation cannot be made to eX-
tend over interstate commerce. 1t is held
that the commission must ascertain the
valuation of properties of the roads and
upon this the rate commission and tax
commission have been at work for long
time.
The law provides, it is held, that there
must be separate report on the paSsen-
ger and freight earnings. While divl-
sion cannot be very clearly defined, there
shall be an attempt at practical dlyl-
sion as near as possible The commits
sion holds that each branch, the paSsen-
ger and the freight, should be selt-sup'
porting and must be made so.
The commission says that H. IN addl-
ton to the losses which the railroads
would suffer if a 2-cent fare were decid-
ed upon, the roads should combine to sell
Communication and other tickets at less
than cents a mile, the total loss in rev
cnue would considerably exceed $1,000
900 a year. On the Milwaukee and
Northwestern roads alone the loss
would be SS44,OOO. What the revenue
from increased travel resulting from Il
2-CCnt fare would amount TO IS largely
n matter of speculation.
Other things the decision states, fol
low: ITO be generous to the people of
the state ut the expense of justice to
81 ial
hrigandagc that ought to hold the perpe-
traitors up To the eXecration of all hon
est men,
1t has been the policy Of the commits
sion to reduce rates on freight. These
reductions mean Il saving of vast sums
of money to the people of the state. 1t
believes it is right in concluding that
the passenger business must stand upon
its own bottom and it cannot pervert
its judgment at the bchests Of popular
ClamOr.'
MUST NOT RAISE FREIGHTS.
eve are not concerned about what our
rights might be to reduce the passenger
rates to point whore passengers were
being carried at a loss, and to rccoup
such a loss by a species of piracy prac
tced upon the shippers of freight. From
the standpoint OF equity there is no justi-
ticatiOn for making the passenger CON
tribute toward the carrying cost of
freight. No more is there any iustitica-
ton for compelling the shipper of freight
TO contribute To- the cost of carrying pas
SeugcrS.'
Low freight rates are vastly moro i'm
portant to the people than low passenger
fare. The passenger fare is brought
sharply to our attention because it is
direct tax. The freight rate is, in real
ity, an Indirect tax, When Il carload of