Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-03-12
Refusal Of Railway Commission
to Raise Minimum Weight of
Cars on Tile an Aid
DISCUSSION OF DELEGATES
Ono Compromise Combination Names
Lane, Byers, Lacey and Perkins as
Delegates at Large From lowe =
Funk a Possibility Unless Stand
pats Take All the Honors.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, March 12.-Farmers all
over northern Iowa will be saved a
great deal of money by the action of
the state railroad commission in not
raising the minimum weight of cars on
tile. The commission took up the tile
matter Tuesday, it having been con-
tinued from the brick and tile hearing
of some time ago. Probably not doz-
en- farmers in the state knew of the
hearing and none was present or knew
of it's Importance. There We're a few
brick and tile manufacturers preS
ent.
on the brick and tile freight rate some
months ago and lowered the rate the
railroads at once put in an application
for a higher minimum rate on tile.
There is no necessity for a minimum
weight on brick for anyone can see
that brick are solid and car will
div dSS NC lOduSu " llo Sdp.1SilS -
weight with brick. But tile are hol-
low and when car is loaded, espec-
tally with the larger size of tile there
is so much air space that the weight
of the tile is far below the capacity
of the car. Hence the commission
has fixed minimum OF $4,000 pounds
and the shipper must pay freight en-
24,O0O pounds whether he has that in
the car or not, otherwise the railroad
company would not get sufficient conf
pensation for the use of it's cars.
The railroads made application to
have the minimum raised to $4,000
pounds. Commissioner Ketchum in
questioning the representatives of the
railroads disclosed the fact that in
furnishing cars for tile for northern
or northwestern Iowa the railroads do
not furnish their largest cars, but fur
nish stock cars. Here was a further
handicap on the farmers. OF course
the larger the car the nearer the ship
per could come to getting in as much
weight as he has to pay for. But when
stock car is furnished which is much
smaller in capacity the shipper has TO
pay still higher freight on the car.
The railroads furnish stock cars be-
cause the stock cars are in demand
for carrying stock east and it is thus
possible to take the car loaded both
ways.
1t was on this showing that the COM
mission refused to raise the minimum
weight All thru northern Iowa the
farmers are using many carloads of
tile for drainage purposes. Much of
this tile is of the large 12-inch and 10
inch size and it is impossible to get
"a 900 pounds of this size into car.
Hence the farmer pays freight on more
weight than there really is. On the
exceeded he pays on the actual weight.
Speculation is rife as to whom the
state convention will select as the del
egates at large to the national repub-
lican convention. Some who are can
didates for the high honor are admit
tedly standing little chance OF being
selected, and some who are making
no effort for the position seem to stand
a good chance of selection. Every
mention of such delegates includes
Hon. Joe r. Lane, of Scott county. IL
the selection is divided between the
standpatters and the progressives,
there is some considerable probability
of the selection of Hon. Abe Funk, CT
Spirit Lake.
The Allison people claim Joe f.
Lane and the standpat newspapers all
troll the state convention AS soon as
hot Nv IL
would not be candidate for governor
the standpat newspapers began to say
some very pleasant things about him,
and pictured him as martyr. The
progressives would like nothing better
than to see Mr.. Funk selected as one
of the delegates at large, but George
d. Perkins, resident of the Eleventh
district, also wishes to be a delegate at
large, and admittedly both will not be
selected.
Webb Byers has also been men
toned for the progressives In case
there is division of the honors at the
state convention. Major Lacey, of Os-
kaloosa, is mentioned as a possible
standpat selection. The names of
Lane, Byers, Lacey and Perkins is put
up as one combination. There seems
to be no doubt but that the sta.ndpat-
ters will have majority in the state
convention, tho it may not be. large.
Just how docile that majority will be
is another matter. Many of the stand
pat delegates who will sit in that con-
yention will vote for Cummins for
United States senator. The lines have
not been drawn so hard and fast as in
The 1906 campaign, and the division
between standpatters and progressives
in the convention will be less distinct
ly marked.