Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-01-22

! In my message delivered to the Thir-
| ty-first general assembly had the hon
or to recommend the passage OF law
that would require railroad companies
| 10 sell mileage books good for 1000
miles and upward at a fiat rate of 2
cents per mile, good until used; and
said in that connection. III purchased
! by the head of a family, there is no
reason why it should not be used by
any member of the family; and again,
1.-The man who travels little is at pres
ent at too great a disadvantage as
compared with the man who travels
much.
A bill embodying this recommends
ton passed the house of representa-
tives, but in the committee of the SEN
ate, counsel for the railroads contended
that 1t was unconstitutional, because 1t
authorized Determinations. The argu-
ment seemed to be convincing, and al
tho do not concur in the conclusion.
I feel impelled to lay aside the remedy
then proposed. 1t must be assumed,
therefore. that If those who travel lit
tie are to be relieved of the unjust
burden which they now bear, the relief
must come thru a general reduction OF
all passenger fares. There is much
reason to believe that, in the western
country, at least, passenger traffic at
the present rates is less profitable than
freight traffic at the present rates.
The representatives of the railway
companies during the session insisted
that the average actual rate paid by
passengers in Iowa was not more than
2 cents per MILE some of the roads
showing a fraction higher and some of
the roads a fraction lower than 2 cents.
In making this computation, arbitrary
division Of certain large expenses was
assumed, and as 1 understand 1t, free
transportation was not included
This condition has been brought
about by the railroads themselves thru
mileage books, credentials and other
reduced rates to privileged classes.
When it is remembered that the vast
majority of those who travel a great
deal pay but cents per mile, and that
the travel of all those of our people
who pay 3 cents per mile is necessary
to bring the average up to 2 cents per
mile, the extent of travel which pays
less than cents per mile assumes tre-
mendous proportions. Granting, for
the moment, that 1t would be unfair to
reduce the revenue from passenger SER
vice a single penny, it is still manifest
that the adjustment is hopelessly
wrong. 1t costs the railroad company
just as much to carry passenger who
has purchased a 2,000-mile boola per
mile as it does to carry a passenger
who has bought single ticket for 100
miles; indeed, think the former costs
q 1fff1o 10 nf tho Y1i1n.
age book entails more expense in the
maintenance Of extensive bureaus for
Identification, auditing and rebating
than the sale Of tickets at stations. The
only advantage derived by the railroad
company is the interest on the pay
ment in advance, and this does not
warrant any appreciate reduction in
rates.
If the practice Of making low rates
for excursions, conventions, meetings
of associations and the like, is unprofit-
able the railway companies can easily
abolish it. For my part, can see no
justice in the custom which compels
the farmer and his family, as they go
from place to place, either for pleas
ure Or for business, to pay part OF
the cost Of carrying men to conven-
lions or to gatherings of any kind, and
much less can perceive the wisdom of
making our people pay, as they move
about engaged in their ordinary affairs,
for losses incurred in taking trainload
after trainload of pleasure seekers to
points of entertainment or amusement,
Or land seekers, as they journey to dis
tant states in the hope of finding riches
that they could more easily discover at
home.
These things, however, are entirely
within the control of the railway COM
panies. If we give them an opportun-
ity to take two cents per mile from
every one who rides upon their trains
in Iowa and they avail themselves of
the opportunity as they can, their rev.
enue from the passenger traffic will not
be reduced a single dollar; on the con-
trary, according to universal expert
ence, it will be increased. If On the
other hand, the railway companies,
with the right to demand two cents per
mile from all who travel, find it adj
yantageous, by reason of Interior and
extrinsic benefits, to reduce the rates
under certain circumstances below the
and thus diminish the av-
erage rate actually received, they can
not assert that the law has done them
an injustice. I stand firmly upon the
that the travellers who are
now paying three cents per mile are
paving the fares of other travellers who
are abundantly able to pay their own;
and the burden is laid upon the people
who are least able to bear it. 1t is
a discrimination which cannot be de-
tended and which ought not to contln-
ue 1t will not be forgotten, either,
that the prohibition against passes al
ready in force, and an enlargement of
the prohibition of which I shall speak
presently, and which 1 hope will short
ly be in force, will add materially to the
revenue Of the railway companies and
will help greatly in maintaining the
average at or above Its present point.
What have said has been upon the
hypothesis of a strict division between
the earnings Of the passenger and
freight traffic. do not concede, how
ever that the proposal for 2 cent pas
senger fares is to be tested wholly by
any such criterion. / prefer to look at
the earnings of the railroads in Iowa as
a whole, and if they are found to be
more than they should be, is it not very
material to inquire whether 2-cent
passenger rate will or will not be in
and of itself profitable. The chief bus
mess of railroads in this state is the
TRANSPORTATION of freight, and it clearly