The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-02-22
ILLINOIS RAILROAD c oMMlTTEE
WILL INTRODUCE BILL BE.
FORE WEEK ENDS.
AMENDS A FORMER LAW
And 10 Different From Other Two
Cent Fare Measures--L aWyers
Fear II viii be Confisc atory
TO Some Roads.


Guy L. Bush OF the house commit ee
on railroads let dowa the bars tais
afternoon aad two-cent pas eneer
fare bill came galoping through. It
still carries the committee bride, but
this will be taken off tomorrow an2
it will then be turned loose in the
mouse with a report favoring its pass
age.
This action, who announced object
was to bring Illinois into li1e with
The overwhelming movement of the
Middle West states for lower passen
ger rates, was taken at a secret NEE +
ing Of Bush's committee, following
a public hearing on the reciprocal
demurrage bill, where the railroads
presented their arguments against
that proposition as remedy for
freight car shortages and fayoritsm.
The Adkins reciprocal demurrage bill
is on the cards to be recommended
our fayorably after another hearing
next Wednesday, when the shippers
and railrods will have final set-to.
Order Bill Prepared
At the executive meeting of the
committee, a subcommittee Of five
was appointed by Chairman Bush 10
consider" all of the six two-cent
bills introduced in the house and
prepare committee bill. This
new bill is to be ready and report d
to the full committee tomorrow,
when the programme is TO vote it out
Immediately with a report fayorins
its passage
A good deal Of this programme Is
mere formality. The bill has already
been prepared and the sub-comm.
tee viii rot hold formal session II
longer than sixteen seconds by the
clock The members Of this sub-com
mittee, as named BY Chairman Bush,
are Representative Oglesby, Hone,
Backus, Browne and Gibbons. The
first three are Republicans, the other
two Democrat.
Amends Former Act.
The proposed legislation takes a
wholly unexpected form. the bill lif-
fering entirely from any of the other
six 2-cent measures that has been in
troduced Instead of stipulating what
shall be the maximum passenger rates
by railroads it proposes 70 amend
the act of 1871 on "eXtortion and I'M
Just discrimination This at p,o-
vides for he punishment Of railroad
corporations that charge more than
fair and reasonable rate for the
transportation Of passengers and
freight" The penalty provided is a
fine Of from $1,000 to $4,000 for the
first oherse. from $1,000 10 $4,000
for the second offense and from 3d.
o5 to 100000 for the third offense.
The proposed amendment 10 this
bill adds t. section l and will read
as follows.
Provided, That a rate Of cents
q mile shall be takel and considered
as fair and reasonable maximum
rate OF toll or compensation for the
transportation of pas engers upon
any such railroad
GdWlNio OAoHiNlNho W fh'
Suspicion was promptly cast upon
this brief but mos important bill. al
though the hotel lobbies are buzz.nz
tonight with rumors that cent legi
laton is to be enacted. The doubt
touching the measure as drawn is
based upon opinions by lawyers that
g. is not constitutional and would be-
bowled over in the courts. This view
is takea be ause II might be proven
coufiscatory in it's requirements as to
certain Illinois railroads whose earn
ing capacity is no. sufficient to make
a 2-cent rate fair and rel enable
In that case the supreme court, 20 is
asserted. would wipe ont the new
statute. fF
In toIays hearing on the reciprocal
demurrage bill the railroads held that
reciprocal demurIage would foster
rebates 20 big shippers, who would
simply order more cars than thay
required or could be furnished and
thea would collect demurrage Of 81
day per car. AMI that car sh0rtaga
could be relieved only by a national
law. The afi-.als insisted the rail-
roads are doing he bet they can.
TcIay's session concluded the puU-
lie bearincs on the local option hi.l
which is on the cards 70 Re voted ont
Of commi toe with a favorable rep Or
next week.