The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1907-04-20
Two-Cent Railway Passenger
Rate Bill Is Passed by
the House.
GOVERNOR TO SIGN PROMPTLY
Some Provisions Of the New Law
May Be Tested in Court by
the Railroads.
Battle Expected on the Davis Bill FIX
empting Credits from Taxa
tion-R Representative COL
by's Fourth Term.

Lansing. Mich, April 10. - Last
weeks prediction that the two-cent
passenger fare bill. socalled. would
be passed by the house when reached
on the special order proved to be true
with vengeance, the bill receiving
more votes than its most enthusiastic
friends had counted on. Not a single
change was made In the bill as IL was
passed by the senate. The bill viii be
promptly signed by Governor Warner
as soon as It reaches his desk. The
result, therefor, will be that some
time next September. or. 10 be exact.
ninety days after the flnai adjourn
ment OF the present Legislature. which
is expected TO say farewell about June
!, the new schedule OF passenger fares
will go into effect on Michigan rail-
ways.
Provisions OF the Bill
LEST we forget" IL may DO well to
say that the new law provides a fiat
tyo-cent fare on oil roads In the low
er peninsula whose passenger earnings
are 100 or more per mile per an-
mum, and three cents per mile on all
lower peninsula roads whose passen-
ger earnings are less San $1,000 per
mile. In the upper peninsula fiat
three cent fare will be charged. ex'
cept that for distances OF less than
ten miles a charge Of four cents per
mile may be made.
Notwithstandlrg the fact that, as re.
lated last week. the WetInore bill was
made n special or Ter for last Thursday
instead OF being referred 10 the rail.
road committee when II was received
by the house from the senate. the rail-
road committee of the former body
gave the railroaca a hearing early last
week At this hearing the companies
set ul IN entIre'y different plea from
those mgde ~ ,e numeI2qs hearings
before the senate committee. This
timc tLey wanted the bill amended 80
ne Is make Eve tcnts the smallest fare
10 rs charged; aluo "a authorize an al.
ditiunnl charge OF ten cents where fare
b. paid on 4 train. such excess charge
10 he refunded O. The passenger az any
\ ticket office. 10 facilitate business by
making chnrges n even figures. such
rs 20 cents where regular fare figures
- OF . cents. and - cents where II
Il arWes = or - cents.
Substitute Bni Reported.
1..p louise committee reportcl Il sub
sti;utc bill enbudyrg the above feat
ures and also Il rr3giipn making the
fare III cents per mile ca roads whose
passenger earnings arc In excess Of
$1,000 per mile. The substitute has
thus far not had 4 peep az daylight
When the special order was reachei
last Thursday afternoon, one or two cl
It's provisions were discussed aud
promptly voted down 10y an over
whclmlng vote The bill just as !!
came from the senate. was then taken
up and passed by a vote OF 90 TO !.
Now that the main proposition has
been disposed OF. " ~ not improbable
that some OF the provisions OF the sub
stltute bill may be enacted into law
There are good reasons for the even
|
sents cmphatlcally the charge made IN
some quarters that the ten cents extra
charge for fare paid on trains with q
receipt redeemable az any ticket OF
fec Is necessary In order 10 keep the
conductors honest. He does not be
lleve the conductors OF Michigan ar,
dishonest. He Il inclined. however. &
believe that this provision would be o
good thing In the interest OF better
service. He would discourage the pay
mcnt OF fares on trains In order that
conductors have less detail work q
perform I'm connection with collecting
and reporting tickets and fares and
thus have more time 10 look aftel
their trains and the safety OF thell
passengers.
May Go 90 the Courts.
There Is some talk on the part OF
representatives OF the railroad com
panles about contesting In the courts
certain OF the provisions OF the new
law. whether this will be done. how
ever remains To be seen This sort
Of talk Il always lndulged In az this
stage OF the game. hut u docs not nj
ways prove 90 be authentic.
The next railroad legislation 10 b.
taken up IL that which provides 70
state railroad commission Of three
members. 90 replace the present one
man commission plan. The bin pro
pared under the auspices Of the stat,
Manufacturers association and tbs
Grand Rapids Board OF Trade Il pend
ing In the two houses. n has not ye
been considered by either COMMITTEES
for the reason that Senator Klnnane
who introduced II In the upper l'ody
l. collaborating with Railroad Com
missioner Glasgow in the preparation
OF proposed substitute BILL Boil
the regular bin and the proposed sub