Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-03-14
Total of Forty-three Bills Intro
duced in House and Fifteen in
Senate Affecting Lines
HOUSE HOLDS BEST REcoR
Senate Has Been Slow to Act on Pro-
posed Measures-Few Measures In
PRODUCED Are Unfair to tho Railways
All Seek to Correct Some EviI-some
of the Pending Measures.
Special to Times-Republican

mouse referred u LIE aeiAoe'us, MIN
mittee than to any other. There have
| been forty three bills introduced In the
house that, affect the railroads an6
| fifteen in the senate. Yesterday In
announcing a meeting OF the rail-
| roads committee for this afternoon
Chairman Meredith of the railroads
committee, declared that the hearings
on all the remaining bills, in the com-
mittee's hands would be taken up this
afternoon and that the committee
would attempt to act within few
DAYS on all the remaining measures In
the hands Of the committee and make
the reports OF the house.
This Is a somewhat better record
than has been made in the senate
There fifteen railroad bills have been
referred to the railroads committee
Outside of one little bill introduced
by Gillilland providing that the rail-
road commissioners may order shelters
built opposite depots where there are
double tracks and the two-cent fare
bill the senate committee has acted
on nothing.
The house committee on railroads
has passed out the two-cent fare bill,
the reciprocal denurrage BILL the
anti-pass bill, the Doran speed limit
bill on live stock trains, the bill re-
quiring that accidents be reported, all
Of which have passed the houses, and
one Of which, the two-cent fare
bill, has passed the senate, and the
Marston bill limiting the hours OF
employment, which has also passed
the house.
The committee has furthermore rec
commended to the house for passage
the Holmes bill fixing sleeping car
rates, the Meredith bill requiring
street car companies to allow inter-
urbans to use their tracks and power,
the bill putting express companies un-
der control of the railroad commits
sion, the bill providing that the ma
jority stockholders of a steam road
shall have power to govern the line,
the articles OF Incorporation to the
contrary Notwithstanding, the bin
providing that all railroads shall have
a right to the use of al terminal lines,
the Darrah bill regulating the fencing
Of railroads.
The house committee has recom-
mended for indefinite postponement
the bills by Swan providing for a
commission to examine and license
telegraph operators and making eight
hours a days labor for telegraph oper-
ators
There is still in the hands of the
committee on which it will act in few
days the following: Teter's bill pro-
yiding that railroads. must notify
telephone exchange thirty min
utes ahead as to whether
train is on time or not; bill
recurring railroads to build and main
tain bridges over public highways; re-
curing railroads to report to the ex-
ecutive council the names of all who
rode on passes; reciprocal denlurrage
on other than livestock; giving the
railroad commission power to order the
erection of track scales; requiring rail-
roads to kill the noxious weeds along
their right of-way: the joint rate bill;
requiring railroads to report certain
facts to the executive council; provid-
ing that Iowa freight rates shall be as
low as any adjoining state; defining
the duties of the railroad commission;
reconsignment of freight without extra
cost: ordering a reduction Of 25 per
cent in livestock rates; restricting the
increase of capital stock; authorizing
the railroad commission to order motor
vehicles; authorizing the railroad COM
mission to order competing lines to
make connecting schedules; two bills
by Teter relating to baggage.
"A number of the bills introduced in
the house have been duplicated in the
senate. only one or two minor measures
having been introduced in the senate
that have not been presented to the
house.
The other day, before the house rail-
roads committee, railway attorney
told the story OF country dog that
went to town because he thought the
country was slow. On his return he
said he didn't like the city because,
he said: "If you stand still they bite
you and If you run they bite you. He
claimed the railroads were in the same
condition with reference to the Iowa
legislature this winter.
Those who have been following the
course of the railroad legislation this
winter, however, believe that scarcely
a measure has been introduced that
has not been fair, and it has been the
intention of the author of every bill to
be fair. Every measures seeks to get
at some evil or provide for some con-
yenience that the people have a right
to expect. The Teter bill requiring
railroads to report to telephone ex-
changes thirty minutes before the time
for a train whether or not it is on time
borders more on freak legislation than
any bill introduced in the house. per-
haps, and it only recognized a legiti-
mate right of the public to know when
a train Is to arrive and would make it
easy for the railroad to supply the in
formation Many persons complain
that il they ask as.to a train the Off
Gals always say it is on time, even if
it has been late every day, for a month.
The Hanson bill to require at least one
train. each way to- stop each day if
signaled, at every station was laughed
ait by the railroad men as being silly,
but the people out over the state at the
small stations don't look at II that way