The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1907-03-26
LAW
ON WESTERN LINES
Must Unload and Water Cat,
tie Every 20 Hours
Government Compelling Recognition
and Seven Hundred Cases
Are Ready.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT BUSY

Washington, March &C. The pol
icy recently entered into by Secreta-
~ Wilson of enforcing what lis
known as the % hour law has made
all the western railroads sit up and
take notice. The Jaw requires all
railroads transporting cattle to un-
load to water and feed stock once at
least in every 2S hours. Hitherto
the railroads Notwithstanding the ex
istsnce Of a less drastic statute to the
same general effect. have been doing
pretty much as they pleased about
showing reasonable kindness to the
dumb brutes intrusted to their care
In the journey to the shambles. Arm
ed with a good, strong law. Secreta-
ry Wilson has now called halt and
Is making the railroads revise their
methods OF transporting stock.
Over 700 cases have been worked
up since the law went into effect. In
eacn case the request has been made
to the department OF justice to IN
struct the district attorney where the
onfense was committed to bring suit.
and IN case Of desire to settle to
demand the full penalty of $500.
This policy. If carried out, will bring
to the treasury during the year
large revenue. The cases pending in
volve fines to the amount of $780,
600.
A prominent attorney for one of
the largest western roads. came to
Washington this week to make an
appearance In a case against his road
The car in question had run eight
hours over the time limit. He urged
that as It was a first offense AMI the
overrun was not excessive the de-
partment might well afford to be
lenient He was asked to take a seat
for a few minutes and clerk was
sent to bring in the cases against
the road which the attorney repre-
scented. The clerk came back with
big armfu Of documents There were
sc cases against his road. The
amount involved was $4,000. The
attorney arose at once saying that
he would not waste time on the sin
gle case that had called him to
Washington. but wou,d take the next
train for Chicago and see that direc-
tions were issued to stop further vi
olations Of the law by the employees
Of his road.
The president OF another big west
ern road was here last week before
the interstate commerce commission.
and took the opportunity to register
his objection to the enforcement OF
the % hour law. He said MS road
was hauling stock cars a distance Of
- miles from St. Paul. Cars receiv-
cd from the Northern Pacific had
been found to have gone over tne
punished for what those roads have
done?" ne asked "You people down
here ought to be reasonable in en-
forcing Jaw. have always thought
that officials charged with the en-
forcement Of law that works
hardship should be endowed with
modicum Of common sense"
"You know the law was the an
swer.
"Why do you take a car that has
a penalty against it? You stop do
ing that and you viii have no more
trouble. The law viii be enforced. If
you once or twice refuse a car, the
other roads will see to It that they
stop and feed and water without run
ming over the 2S hours"
1t was pointed out that In the cas-
es that had occurred stock trains
mad been run ten hours past the last
place where the cattle might have
been unloaded. Had the law been
compiled with in that way many
taousands of dollars would have
been saved. The department has
been able without much trouble To
work up cases where the Jaw has
ben violated The inspectors dues-
Ition the stockmen who travel on
lthe cattle trains and get their afii-
davits or statementsl so that they
scan be subpoenaed in case Of prose
lcutlon. and there is little difficulty in
lmaking out a case where the offense