Omaha daily bee., 1907-01-15


present at too great disadvantage as
! compared with the man who travels much
bill embodylng this. recommendation
passed the house of representatives but
In the committee of the senate. counsel
for the railways contended that 1t was
unconstitutional, because it authorized dis
elimination. The argument seemed to be
convincing. and although ] do not concur
in the conclusion, | felt impelled to lay
be assumed, therefore, that IL those who
travel little are to he relieved of the unjust
burden which they. now bear, the relief
must come through general reduction
of all passenger fares There Is much
| reason to believe that in the western coun-
try 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 last
| 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
| fraction lower than cents. In making
this computation arbitrary division of GER
tain large expenses was assumed, and as
understand It, free transportation was not
included.
This condition has been brought about
by the railroads themselves through mileage
to privileged classes. When 1t is remem-
bered that the vast majority of those who
travel great deal pay but cents per
mile and that the travel of all those OF
our people who pay 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
tremendous proportions Granting, for the
moment, that II would be unfair TO reduce
the revenue from passenger service a single
penny, II is still manifest that the adjust
| Inent is hopelessly wrong. 1t costs the
railrosd company just as much to carry
| q passenger who has purchased 2OO0-mile
book per mile as 1t does to carry pas
| senger who has bought single ticket for
100 miles. Indeed think the former costs
| n litfla for the of the nnflAq o..
book entails more expense and the main
tenance of extensive bureaus for identih-
cation auditing and rebating than the sale
of tickets at stations. The only advantage
derived by the railroad company is the
interest upon the payment in advance, and
duction in the rate
II the practice of making low rates for
excursions, conventions, meetings Of as
socations and the like is Improbable the
| railroad companies can easily abolish 1t.
| For my part / can see no justice In the
custom which compels the farmer and his
family. or the merchant and his family,
they go from place to place either for
pleasure or for business, TO pay part of
the cost for carrying men to conventions
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 train load after train load of
pleasure seekers to points of interest or
journey to distant 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 companies. II
we give them an opportunity to take 2
cents per mile from everyone who rides
upon their trains In Iowa, and they avail
themselves of the opportunity, they can,
! their revenue from the passenger traffic
VII not be reduced uSe6a,a single dollar on
perience, II will be increased If. on the
other hand, the railroad companies, with
the right to demand cents per mile from
all who travel. find Il advantageous, by
reason Of Interior and extrinsic benefits, to
reduce the rates under certain cireum-
minish the average rate actually received
they cannot assert that the law has done
the pr S S That th Sno Travellers sPe
a6u iIU able to pay their own way
elimination which cannot be defended and
| which ought not TO continue.
Freight Rates.
The schedules and classihcations an
nounced in 1889 have not been changed es-
have since interviewed. In the meanwhile
the manufacturers and commerce Of $he
country have been revolutlonized. and 1
believe It TO be true that the present ad-
Justment OF rates is grossly unfair to the
| manufacturers, farmers, stock producers
and distributors OF the state They do not
| have fair and even chance in the strug
! gle for business. 1t may be worth your
while to institute an investigation which,
!
many things which the railroad commits
sion cannot discover, and would greaIis
aid in the adjustment Of rates As you
know, 1t is almost the invariable custom
| OF railway companies IN bringing ship
ments 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 practice results
In great hardship to our manufacturers
and distributors in their effort to com
pete with their rivals situated beyond the
state
Arrangements for Inaugural.
The joint committee OF the house and
senate to arrange the inaugural met to-
night at the Savery and decided to hold
the Inaugural in the house chamber. In
accordance with the wishes OF Governor
Cummins at o'clock Thursday Afternoon.
Rev. +. w. Hodgdon OF Plymouth Congre-
gational church will ofter prayer followed
by a song by quartet. Chief Justice
Weaver win administer the oath and the
inaugural address OF the governor will fol-
low, closing with song by the quartet.
The reception will be held in the evening
at the governors rooms at the state house
from TO 10. state officers and their wives
assisting the governor and Mrs. Cummins.
Both the house chamber and the governors
rooms will be decorated. but the inaugural
parade Will not be held.
Harmony at Opening.
A harmony program was inaugurated at
the opening OF the legislature today. Stand
patters. Cummins men and democrats hob
nObbed together and joked, and there was
evidence everywhere OF an attempt 10 sat
isfy everyone. The announcement OF the
appointment Of committees in the house IL
delayed for two or three days. and Il is un-
derEtood this Is largely through an attempt
10 satisfy all parties. The democrats con
j