Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1907-01-17

heard It stated By the representative Of
Council. over and over again, that the
average actual cost Of the railroads In
Town did not exceed 100000 per mile
s.a Are osa main r ask ,bsn ss
value. are worth s106,540,0 100000. The
net earnings Of 1905. as you will observe
we're sufficient. to pay more than 10 per
cent upon such a valuation. The average
yearly net earnings for Ave years would
pay 4s-100 ner cent upon this valua
Ion. III you take the cost Of reproduc.
Ion oo as the proper test, an average OF
this basis, the railroads are worth $40,
j75.O00.O0. You can compute In mo-
ment the percentage OF interest which
1t will not be overlooked, of course. that
| my considerable reduction In earnings
would In all probability. result, and ought
to result In reduction In the value Of
| the property for taxation.
submit these suggestions to you to be
reviewed by your mature judgment and
| 10 be used for the purpose Of beginning
| an inquiry as to the justice or injustice
| ~ any action that you may take that will
| essen the income Of the railway compa-
lies, whether from the passenger or the
freight service 1t Is a subject which
inVokes a high sense OF responsibility, ana
| " uemhHub lts CONSIDERATION all tue
| obligations Of an official oath. know
that you will examine II, and. act upon
It without fear, favor, prejudice or OPP
preston. For my own part am deeply
convinced that reduction In the passen.
ger rate is fully warranted, and I there
fore earnestly recommend the substitution
OF two-cent rate for the existing three
cent rate.
Freight Rates.
What ! have already said is sufficient
an fin ha 81 fl.,,ax
panies Is concerned. The Railroad Com.
mission has already adequate power to fix
schedules or maximum freight rates. The
schedules SEIZED and classldcations announced in
$50 have not been changed essentially
during the eighteen years that have since
interviewed. In the meanwhile. the manu-
tacture and commerce Of the country have
been revolutionized: and ! believe 1t to
be true that the present adjustment Of
rates is grossly unfair TO the manufac-
turers, farmers, stock producers, and dis
tributors OF the state. They do not have
a fair and even chance In the struggle
for business. 1t may be worth your
while to institute an Investigation, which.
with your pienary powers, might deveiop
many things which the Railroad Commits
sion cannot discover, and which would
greatly aid In the readJustment of rates
AS you know. II 10 the almost lnvariable
custom Of railway companies, In bringing
shipments Of any kind into the state. to
make rates to the state line. and then
add the rate Of the Iowa distance tariff
to the point Of destination. This prac-
tice results in great hardship to our
manufacturers and distributors in their
ated beyond the State. To give point TO
this phase Of the intricate subject. I take
the liberty Of giving you the substance
time ! was writing this part Of my mes
sage:
1.-THE cases submitted by the governor
show that In one instance the road
charged cha 1924 % more for the one.afth of
dfths In Illinois. and the other instance
was sia.ilar.l
understand perfectly that nothing
that you could do would affect through
rate, but IL II ID to be the settled policy
OF the railroads to make the Interstate
rate, so far as Iowa people are concerned
by adding the local distance tariff from
1t is possible to so adjust our rates that
less injustice would follow their applica-
ton In that manner.
At the present time there are no joint
rates upon local traffic. The law gives
TO the Railroad Commission the authority, |
upon specific application. to establish a |
Joint rate, but there v no authority to |
prescribe general schedule of Joint |
rates. The constitutionality Of the exist |
Ing statute was at one time questioned |
but the case In which II arose was deter |
mined upon another issue, and therefore |
the validity OF the law 10 still undecided. |
worthy of your most careful consideration
II is believed by very many OF our manu-.
lecturers. as well as by a large proper
ton Of our general shippers. that the law
should be amended so as to confer upon
the Commission as complete power to es-
tablish a schedule of Joint rates. embrac-
Ing ell railroads and all traffic, as It now
has to promugate schedule Of rates
over single lines.
Demurrage.
Tvn uin he ,,,S.b
put controversy:
First, that it is the duty Of every rail.
way company to provide Itself with sufh-
lent motive power and enough cars to
AIRY the freight offered to 1t with reason
lble promptitude, and to furnish these
ABILITIES without discrimination to the
'hiDDers who ask for them:
second,sit Is the duty Of shippers and
prompitude to the end that
ach car may perform the maximum or
ervice. Shippers complain. and in recent
Lies the complaint has been emphatic.
hey should with reasonable diligence anu
10 not move them. when loaded I with
ufficient speed: and that they DO dis
rimInnte between their patrons; The rail
nd consignees are not careful In loading
nd unloading cars when furnished. and
o correct the latter evil they impose a
enalty for detention. which is called, In
ailway parlance. "demurrage".
1t seems to me consistent with good
ohcy that the penalty should be i'm
osed upon both sides. If the railway
omDanies are remiss In their duty Of
furnishing cars and moving them, they
hould pay for their delinquency, and II
he shippers and consignees are negligent
n returning cars TO service, they should
ay for their fault. recommend the
nactment Of law that viii create q
efficient motive in both carriers and ship
ers to do their fully duty In his regard |
Free Transportation.
A year ago, | gave to the General As |
emily my views upon this subject. and
eg leave TO refer to my former message
or full expression OF the evils which |
tend the practice Of granting free trans
ortatiOn to favored persons and classes
rst General Assembly was stem In the
light direction. but resDectfuiy sub
nit that II dIf not reach the end toward
which the public Judgment so firmly ad
nough TO abolish some Of the most OBJ
ectionnhle phases Of the custom Since
"a passage, Congress has legslated upon
he subject. in so far as II relates to In
more effectunllv. I believe that the law |
v Iowa should be amended so % to con
orm to the law Of the United States, and
recommend the enlargement OF our sta
ute so that what Is unlawful for raiI
vav company to do rs between the states
viii also he unlawful to do within the
tnte. recommend sosn'., further that you
,loves as will effectuallv preclude the
ssuence NJ passes to persons where CON !
lection with the company IL either formal
" crested chieNv to give opportunity for
roe TRANSFORMATION.
Hours OF Continuous Labor In Rail.
way Service.
invite your earnest attention to the
LANCER incident to the practices of allow. |
ng or requiring men In the railway ser |
7ice to work continuously so long that
1t Is said that fish have been dis.
covered In Guatemala with tvo nairs