Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-17
Iowa Cities Given Special Elk.
press Tariffs to Continue to
Enjoy Them
SOME HAVE BEEN FAVORED
Localities Have Long Enjoyed Better
Rates Than Commissions Reduction
Gave Them-cummins to Open Cam
paisn in De. Moline. soon-state
News.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Tunes RepuOIcan.
| Des Moines. Jan. 17.-Because of
clause placed in the prder Of the
railroad commission fixing express
rates every city that has special rates
will continue to enjoy them till the
commission, makes a further order. 1t
| is the intention Of the commission to
| take the matter up soon and endeavor
gradually to lower the rates down TO
the level of the special rates.
When the commission began inves-
| tigating the express rate question
members Of the commission discov-
cred that the merchants of various
| cities were getting special rates that
the general public did not get. There
| has been no effort to govern express
! rates in this state till the legislature
! ordered the commission to fix rates
hence the companies We're at liberty to
charge whatever they pleased. Some
of the cities of the state are getting
better rates than other cities, 1t was
| found that the special rates in vogue
in many cities were so low that 10
reduce all the rates to that level would
be resisted by the companies thru the
courts and that probably with sue
| cess.
For that reason the commission fixed
| the reduction at 20 per cent less than
1.-The rates given to the general pubic
but nut a clause in the order providing
| that all special rates to localities ana
persons shall continue till the board
shall order their discontinuahce
1 1t is further explained by members
! Of the commission that in liking the
/ express rates it was desired nrst 10
4 get in the relative rates for distances
| and weights SO as to get a basis IRON
which to work. With this once hxed
the commission will be in aposition 10
| take upAthe question of whether these
| rates are too high or too low Chuef
the former arrangement where the ex-
press companies could charge what
lever. they pleased there was no re-
\ uuirement that the rates OF any TWO
companies should be the same. Under
the order of the commission the rates
must now be the same by all COM
NAMES and the commission expects at
once to take the matter up of read
| justing these rates. 1t is more IMAM
likely that there will be. considerable
! reduction in the rates. Eventually II
| is the idea of the commission to rule
| out all the special rates. 1t may De
! possible to do this when the commits
| sion concludes the next investlgatlon
Of the subject, but on the first 1t was
| impossible to do this because the
merchants enjoying special rates would
have to pay a very much higher rate
than that to which they had been ac-
customed.
| At a conference Of the democrats
of the Seventh district yesterday 1T
was decided to ask the state commit
| tee to call two democratic conventions,
one not later than April / and the other
within the time fixed by the primary
law, and which would have to be, held
before the democratic national con-
fvention.
| District Committeeman Clint L. Price
was requested, to communicate the de-
sire of the Seventh district democrats,
| and in it the democrats from other
sections Of the state who participated
in the conference concurred, to State
Chairman Charles w. Miller. A call
4 for a meeting of the state commit
tee has not been issued, but 1T Is
supposed that one will soon be made
by Chairman Miller to discuss the
proposition to hold two instead of one
convention.
| There was a feeling of citation, how
ever, with respect to the political sit
uation, the fractional fight within the
republican party over the senatorship
being counted on to carry the legisla-
Iture for the democrats in case Gov
ernor Cummins wins at the primary.
It was pointed out by some Of the
democrats that to win the legislature
lit would be necessary for them to elect
thirty-three additional members Of the
assembly, now having forty-seven. OF
| the fourteen democrats In the senate,
ten hold over while the republicans
have eleven holdover senators only.
Many other signs of confidence
among the democrats was observed in
the course of the conference. They
we're furnished with information rela-
tive to the national situation by Com
mitteeman Wade, which pleased them.
They discussed tho congressional stu
alton in several districts with some
evidence Of confidence. They looked
over the state ticket proposition and
the legislative situation with appar-
ent hope if not. faith in the outcome.
The conference was in perfect har-
mony turnout.
| 1t was definitely announced yester-
day that the opening meeting Of the
| Cummins senatorial campaign will be
held in Des Moines Thursday evening,
January %, at Fosters opera house
which has been engaged for the event
| Final announcement as to speakers
| will be made after the arrangements
| have been made definitely at the meet
| ing to be held Monday night at the club
| rooms at the Slavery. At the same time
| announcement will be made of the Of
| ficers Of the meeting.
| Petitions in organization of Cum
| Minis club of Polk county were being
| circulated yesterday and We're signed
| I. dc ~ Tho n, IL fs