Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-22
Iowa
AUTHORITY TO RAISE RATES
Question Argued Before the Iowa
Railroad Commission.
JOINT CHARGES ON CREAM
Express Rate Is Fixed at Eighty Per
cent of the Local RRtes-state
Board of Education in
Session.
(From a staff Correspondent

CFrom a staff Correspondent
DIES MONIES, Ia, July 21-CSpecial
Telegram)-The question of whether or
not the railroad commission had author
ity to raise rates was argued at length
before the railroad commission today. with
Attorney General Byers present. The trou-
BILE arose over the Interpretation Of sec
ton PA Of the code, which says the com
mission, after a hearing, can fix rates
which charges shall in no event exceed
the ones now or hereafter fixed by law"
so per cent Of the sum of locals,
j. G. Davis, attorney for the Northwest
ern, and Carroll Wright, attorney for the
Rock Island, argued that this was a reser-
walton by the legislature Of authority to
fix rates itself in particular instances
claiming the term fixed by law has
always been interpreted by the courts as
meaning by statutory enactment. The
commission has made no ruling on the
matter.
The railroad commission today granted
the petition Of the creamery men for a
joint express rate on cream, fixing it at
Pardon for DR.. Crawford.
The State Board of Parole today recon-
mended to Governor Carroll that DR.. J. w.
Crawford of Decatur county, serving a
twelve-year sentence for second degree
murder for committing a criminal opera
ton should be pardoned. On the theory
that Crawford is innocent pardon is rec
commended. The case has been a noted one
and was tried twice in courts.
CrossIey Granted Divorce.
A decree of divorce wa granted in the
Polk county district court today to Senator
A. j. Crossley, now assistant United States
attorney for Alaska. Permission is given
both parties to remarry inside a year il
they wish. Crossley testified by dispositions
and witnesses bore out his claim Of cruelty.
Board of Education Meets.
At the meeting of the Board Of Edu-
cation today the treasurers of the three
educational institutions were reelected for
one year and Dean stanton of Ames was
reelected secretary of the faculty there
for one year. A delegation consisting of
Z. w. Fellows, II. E. Wheeler and G. NJ.
Whaley, three county superintendents, and
bearing a petition signed by 17 attendants
on the summer school at Cedar Falls, ap-
peared before the board to ask that a bet
ter summer school be maintained at the
State Normal. A number of questions were
submitted to Attorney General Byers for
AANNA SN"NAN VI AAo w. Nv lAldllO0 VIII
mittee was directed to have the heads of
the engineering departments examine and
report boilers regularly. The finance COM
mittee was given authority to sign all con-
tracts on approval of the building COM
mittee.
Shuberts Enter Des Moines.
The Auditorium in this city has been Sc.
cured by the Shuberts and will be made
one of the theaters on their circuit. Charles
McCuen, their agent, is in Des Moines to-
day and will soon let a contract for the
complete remodeling of the building tc
conform with the plan of the other Shubert
houses. The Shuberts have taken a long
lease on the building.
Railroad Assessments stand.
There will be no increase in the railroad
assessment and no decrease. The executive
council has nearly finished its work anC
the statement can be made that there will
be practically no change either way. There