Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-06-15
Railways Line Up in Every
State Where 2-Cent Fare
Has Been Adopted
,owA's TURN TO COME SOON
Freight Rates Also to Be Bono Of
Contention in tho Courts and Before
Interstate Commission - Withdrawal
of Special Rates for Special Gather
inss Hits Iowa State Fair.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, June 15.-According TO
lawyers representing the leading rail-
roads Of the state no move has as yet
been made or seriously considered by
them, at least in any concerted way, TO
attack the new Iowa law requiring
2-cent fare This does not necessar-
lily mean that it will be accepted. On
the contrary it is very probable the
rate be resisted. The line of attack
or the point of the attack have not
been agreed upon.
sas City yesterday for the purpose OF
taking up and disposing Of the Mis-
souri, 2-cent fare law. The judge is
sued a temporary order restraining
the state officers from putting the new
rate into effect, on behalf Of eighteen
roads that have joined in the suit.
This brings 1t at once into court.
1t has been decided that the law will
be opposed in Minnesota. The Rock
Island will be party to that suit, and
as the law department of the Rock Is
land in Minnesota is an adjunct of the
Iowa department and is managed from
the Des Moines office it is hard to see
how the Rock Island will sit still and
permit the Iowa law to go into force.
~. ;, hot foI II, C..
ka by some of the roads and prepar-
ations are under way for contest IN
Illinois, it is certain that the courts
will be called upon some time to con-
slider the Iowa situation.
The fact that the railroads which
run from Iowa into Nebraska are still
selling interstate tickets at rate
which is higher than the sum of the
two local rates, is regarded as proof
that the railroads will also resist the
positive orders of the interstate COM
merce commission as to interstate bus
mess involving passage thru or into a
state where there is low rate IN
force. Undoubtedly the roads are In
viting a test case to be carried either
to the courts or to the interstate COM
mission on this interstate situation.
The news has been received with
some dismay by the merchants and
shippers that the roads have decided
upon an increase of interstate freight
rates. This increase, from the best in
formation obtainable at present, Will
amount to about per cent. 1t is to
be made by the withdrawal of less than
carload commodity rates and advanc-
ing the minimum car load weight on
more than 80 per cent of the main ar
ticles shipped. This will mean If ap-
piled rigilly in Iowa, an additional ex-
pense to shippers of immense sums in
a year.
The jugglery of the commodity rates
on interstate business will cause an in
crease in the rates on iron, agricultur-
al implements, grain products ana
nearly all other heavy products. The
announcement is, made In Chicago thau
this increase in freight rates is avowed-
ly for the purpose of retaliating on the
public for losses due to reducing the
passenger fares.
An announcement has been made IN
Chicago which will probably have
good deal to do with fixing, the trend
of public sentiment In that city. 1t
is announced, apparently with author
ity that if Judge Smith MCPHERSON
holds with the railroads and declares
that the 2-cent fare is not right and
just, as it is expected he will do. then
it is the intention of the railroad to
grant low rates for excursions and es-
pecially for the buyers excursions into
Chicago In the fall and to fairs and
AS there is much COM
plant in cities like Chicago over the
ted loss Of trade due to the
failure of country merchants to make
their usual visit to the city this mat
ter is of much Importance.
The low rate problems for the fairs
and annual meetings Of the orders ano
societies of various kinds will cause
great deal OF complaint also. 1t is
certain that the failure to
grant any special rates will injure the
Iowa state fair There is some hope
that the roads will grant the usual
rates, because 1t is certainly known
that the railroad men are not all agreed
on the wisdom of the policy of cutting
off these rates.
Incidental to the discussion of these
rate matters there is said to be more
activity on the part of shippers than
ever before to seizure their rights. For
instance. the Corn Belt Meat Produc-
ers association is preparing on behalf
of its membership to bring suits be-
fore the interstate commerce commits
sion to recover alleged large excess
terminal charges by the railroads at
Chicago 1t is claimed that the rail-
roads have for years been over-charg-
ing the Iowa shippers in this way, The
effort is to be made to recover for the
shippers at least half of the entire
of terminal charges they have
paid in the past seven years, which
would amount to a large sum. The
case Is now being made UP here. The
lawyers insist that 1t. IL sure thing