Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-07-14
Attorneys for Lines Base Argu
ments on Theory 1t Is Time
to Ease Up
OPERATING EXPENSES INCREASE
Figures for 1908 Not Presumed to APP
ply to Fixing of Annual Assessment
Attorneys Attempt to Prove That
There Is Business Depresson-can't
Explain Expenses. (
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to mes-Republican.
Des Moines, July Alt was made
clear by the line of the arguments of
the representatives Of the railroads
before the executive council yesterday
and today that they consider the
question of the assessment of the rail-
roads now matter Of sentiment. Car
roll Wright, attorney for the Rock Is
land, said so to a reporter after he had
made his argument to the council.
The facts and figures on the condi-
ton of the railroads submitted to the
executive council covers the period of
the twelve months for 1907. The coun-
Gil is supposed to make the assessment
uary last, tho it is admitted that as
touching the net earnings the council
to some extert. The law provides that
the council shat, consider all things
and shall not make the assessment on
one or few items only. But it is re-
membered that in the good years
the railroads took in much business
during the six months following the
time covered by their report This year
that six months business they claim
shows a falling off and they have set
it out in full. Practically every road
gave figures to show the depression as
an argument against further In
crease.
The council was of course glad to
have the additional figures tho if the
figures had shown an increase in bus
mess and the roads had not volun-
teered to give them the council could
not have forced them to d;vu.ge.
The line of argument taken by the
railroads before the council is that
there is a business depression. None
of the railroad representatives would
say it in so many words, but they in
timated strongly that this business
depression is due to radical legislation
and possibly to increased railroad as
sessments. 1t was intimated quite
strongly by the railroad representa-
tives that the movement against the
railroads" has gone far enough and
that for the good of the country there
should be a halt.
j. C. Davis, for the Northwestern,
called attention to the fact that the
country is facing a presidential election,
that both parties have promised a
change in the tariff and that there is
slack business now, all of which he said
should argue for conservatism along
all lines.
Carroll Wright for the Rock Island
argued that what the state would gain
railroads in increased taxes if the as
sessment were raised this year would
be mere bagatelle compared to what
it would gain in the increased prosper
ity if the assessment of the railroads
is not raised. The argument of the
representatives is that the railroads are
the first to suffer in a, business depres-
sion and that if the public officials will
Indicate that the movement to control
railroads and to raise their assessments
is to stop where it is they will readily
recover.
While of course the railroad repre-
sentatives before the council yesterday
did not say so it was inferred that
on the part of the railroads it is ex-
pected that the public officials and the
public generally are to view the busi-
ness depression as the result of their
attack on the railroads" and repent Of
their deeds and go no further.
The council questioned most Of the
representatives who appeared before
the council as to why there had been
an increase in the operating expenses
of the lines in the business Of 1907.
Most of the lines showed an increase in
gross earnings for 1907 but so much
greater an increase in operating ex-
penses that the net earnings were less
than for 1906 None of the roads were
able to explain why it was The Mil
waukee showed that the operating ex-
penses for 1906 We're 81 per cent of
the gross earnings and for 1907 SO per
cent.
Attorney General H. w. Byers has
law of 1907 which authorized the state
railroad commission and the attorney
general to prosecute any charge of dis
in interstate rates made by
an Iowa shipper.
This petition probably will be filed
with the interstate commerce commits
sion today.
1t relates to the discrimination al
legged to be practiced by the railroad
which cross the Mississippi
river at Dubuque. The case will be
brought by the Central Railroad COM
pany, the Dubuque and Dunleith Bridge
company, the Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy Railroad company, and A. 3.
receiver for the Chicago
Great Western Railroad company.
The bridge company was organized
to construct and maintain the bridge
used by the defendant railroad COM
panies. The terms of the lease which
permits the latter to use the bridge
are not known to the state of Iowa,