Morris tribune., 1907-02-23
THE DEnuRRAdE BILL. AGAIN.

strong aud consistent bill The author w. A
Nolan, was member of that committee itself
and yet he accords with the excellent changes
which the committee made. 1t will be remem-
bered that the railroad committee of the house.
of which l.. c. Spooner is chairman, neglected
and refused, (Mr. Spooner is particularly neg
lecting and refusing) to remedy some of the
glaring defects of the bill. It bill which
particularly required the services of expert
lawyer for the legislation entirely and
the bill as it allowed to go out by the all
road committee, contained several provisions
that were correct in principle, but were cast in
unconstitutional form, while other portions
were correct in policy, but did not safeguard
aginst abuses
The new bill makes some radical changes
from the bill introduced by w. A. Nolan. One
radical change in the bill is that half of the
penalties collected for demurrage shall be paid
to the public school fund of the district where
the shipper is located. Those who objected to
the bill on the ground that it might give
chance for rebates proposed that all the penal
ties be given to some public fund and thus pre-
vent any shipper from collecting rebates in the
form OF demurrage charges. But it was thought
that in this case there would be no nducement
to the shipper to collect the penalties and the
compromise suggested.
The new bill also provides that the shipper
or receiver who has demurrage charges coming
for delay by the railroad company shall be per-
mitted to collect, in addition to the penalty, the
actual damage sustained, if any, from the delay
by the company.
Section Is of the bill, which permitted the
railroad and warehouse commission to suspend
the operation of the law for period of sixty
days or less, has been stricken out as it
considered unconstitutional. In it's place the
committee has inserted a provision that the
commission may suspend the law IN cases
where it is impossible for the company to fun
nish or move cars, either account of acct
dents, snow blockades or any other valid rea-
son.
Section 1, which has been completely re-
drafted provides that if three cars less are
days, if at terminal, three days if at any
other place. If more than three cars are order
ed the company will have extra day for
each additional car ordered. Another provision
is inserted that the company must furnish the
cars in the order in which the orders in
and without any preference.
Demurrage is to be paid only on cars ''orde1-
ed in good faith and not placed time.
The much-disputed section II, which pro-
vides that if shipper loaded unloaded cars
in less than the free time allowed or it the rail
road furnished cars in less than the allotted
time they should be allowed credit of 81 for
each car, to be applied on future shipments, has
been stri cken from the bill entirely.
S
One day this week an one day last week
were set apart as IA special honor to the two
greatest men in American history. And yet
the things of the present day engross orr
attention that none turned aside from their reg
uar duties TO do honor to the birthdays of Lin
coin and Washington. Only the banks and
postoffice were closed, and most of us kicked on
that.
The good people on the iron range seem to
be unduly exercised for fear the state is going
to impose tonnage tax on iron mines and by
taking all of this tax itself leave the local com
munities without means to sustain themselves!
The fear is groundless. The people would like
to see that the Oh that is scooped up and
quate return to the state, but whatever plan is
adopted the local sources of revenue will not
be impaired.
II; acho of ay+ra NICE off