Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-04
No NEW CLASSIFlCATIONS
Railway Commission Likely to Stop
by Changing Specific Rates.
OTHER PLAN TOO BIG A TASK
Belief More Good Can BE Accom-
pIished by Changing Specific Rates
which Appear Unjust Than
by General Revision.
Tron a staff correspondent

NJ NNAA q SAaAA
LINCOLN. June 3-Cspecial)-Ie is by
no means certain that the State Railway
commission will issue an entire new classi-
fication Of freight rates. but IL is probable
that the commission will make reductions
in the rates for the shipment Of certain
commodities and from time to time make
still further reductions on other commodi-
ties. This practice may be kept up until
the commission feels that the Nebraska
rates are just and not exorbitant
Since the hearing granted the railroad
officials. followed by the hearing granted
the railroad employees. together with its in
vestigations along other lines. the commits
sion has decided the making Of a new
classification Of rates Is a big task and
one that will require, a long time and lots
Of study and investigation. On the other
hand. one member Of the commission be
Heves that by picking out here and there
certain commodities upon which the rates
seem high and making reductions in those
instances it probably would accomplish
more for the people than II it made a
sweeping reduction of a certain per cent in
all rates.
The commission received a letter this
morning from the secretary OF the Wiscon-
sin commission which disputes the state
ment made by a railroad representative
that the Wisconsin commission has made
a ruling thai the railroad should be en-
titled to earn a dividend UPON 50 per cent
Of its property accredited to that state.
The letter is as follows:
we have your letter Of May 5 asking
whether this commission has made any rul-
ing holding that so per cent Of all railroad
property within the state of Wisconsin IL
necessary to the conduct of state business
and therefore a reasonable dividend upon
the amount OF investment should be earned
by purely intra state traffic. In reply will
say that no such ruling as you speak OF
has ever been made by this commission
The commission will make further in
vestigations before taking any action, look
ing into the work of other commissions and
the effect Of a radical change in rates in
general.
Prison Labor Contract Expires.
The contract OF the state with the Lee
Broom and Buster company for %peniten-
tiary labor. to be used in the broom fac
tory at the state prison. expired today. but
the Board Of Public Lands and Buildings
has not made a new contract. At a meet
ing this afternoon c. r. Lee. manager of
the company. agreed to stand for an in
1 tease - . HEA. ANAA IA AA1 AANeANl 49, -
the labor. but this the board would not
consider, and finally an adjournment was
taken until Thursday morning.
The Lee company now pays 50 cents a
day for each convict. and the contract
provides that the company must use all
the convicts sent to ii by the warden. The
board intends to increase the price TO q
cents or 81 a day for each convict. So far,
however. not a single bid has been received
for the labor except from the Lee company
and the board. for the present at least, Il
up in the air. Until the matter is finally
settled the Lee company will use the pris'
oners under the terms of the contract just
expired.
Mr.. Lee informed the board that he had
propositions from four penitentiaries to ust
their convicts, including a proposition from
one of the prisons in Iowa and one al
Rawlins, Wyo. His lueat trouble. he said
was in disposing of his wears because thel
did not have the union label. and he showed
the board a letter where an order for
carload Of brooms had been countermande
because the brooms did not bear the unior
label
The board, however. has a number o.
letters on file where private broom manu-
facturers pay from $3.50 to 50 a day foi
labor and furnish their own power. Will,
at the penitentiary the Lee company 4
furnished power and heat along with tn,