Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-17
Special to rimes-Republican.

Special to Times-Republican.
Des Moines, Jan. 7.-When the in
terstate commerce commission con-
vcned here today it was expected that
before adjourning some settlement
would be agreed upon as to the re-
bates to be paid the shippers on the
switching charge in Chicago. 1t Is the
hope of the Corn Belt Meat Producers
association to induce the commission 10
examine the railroad books and take
them as prime facie evidence.
1t will be remembered that a suit
was prosecuted before the interstate
commerce commission in which 1t was
claimed that the switching charge on
live stock of 81 a car at Chicago from
the, roads to the yards was excessive.
The commission took that view OF II
and ordered that 81 a car was sur
ticient and ordered further that the
terminal road must repay to the ship
pers the excess of 81 car charged for
all shipments for the five years end
ing in August, 1907.
The great question now is how VIII
the shippers 60 about it to recover the
extra 81. Some shippers have as much
as $500 coming to them. An attorney
has been employed and all the claims
of the members of the Corn Belt Meat
Producers association have been
placed into his hands. Some Of the
shippers have the receipts for the
freight paid which will show the num-
Der of cars they shipped during the
period controversy. Many Of the
farmers have no such receipts.
An effort will be made to induce
the commission to go thru the books
of the terminal railroad at Chicago for
the five years, as the commission has
a right to do, and take the evidence
from those books. The books will not
be final but will be prime facie evil
dence.
The very first use of the initiative
under the commission plan of govern
ment in this city will be on the tenn
perance question by the temperance
people of this city. 1t is the plan to
suggest this soon after the new form
of government is in working order.
The law provides that on the petition
of twenty-five voters the commission
must submit to the people at a special
election any matter of public policy
within ninety days. The temperance
people hope to carry Des Moines
"dry"
When the members Of the Thirty
third general assembly present their
warrants for their per diem in 1909,
they will be stamped mot paid for
want of funds" This will not be done
with any intention Of impressing upon
them the fact that they have been
regularly appropriating more money
than there was revenue. 1t will be
done because of necessity, but it will
probably serve to bring the matter
forcibly to the attention Of the legis-
lature.
One of the things that has caused
the state treasury to run low on funds
at this time, has been the fact that
there was about $4,000 more paid out
during December, 1907, and about $70,-
900 less received during the same
month than during the month of De-
cember, 1906 When the furry came
on everyone who had any money COM
ing from the state at once demanded
his warrant and receiving the war
rant presented it to his bank. At the
same time everyone who owed the
state any money put it off during the
December furry with the idea that the.
state is rich and doesn't need the
money This December furry alone and
the circumstances attending it took
the balance down $15O,O00 lower than
it would have gone and was a drain
that was not present in December,
1906
At one time this month there was
but $4,000 in the state treasury. There
is more now because some big fees
are coming in and more to come. 1t
will be low again the first Of April. In
the very nature of things the genera!
fund will be low again about the first
of the year 1909. Since the appropria-
tions of the Thirty second general as
sembly were 100000 greater than the
available assets of the office and
probable income ii is considered as
next to impossible to prevent deficit
during the first part Of the year 1909
and as a consequence the warrants to
be presented by the legislatures will be
stamped and will draw interest
AS a natural consequence of this
condition the next legisla, e will be
forced to an economy policy or else
the state levy will have to be raised.
Various state institutions ana interests