Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1910-10-14
What Hodges Has Done.

"oNN A4NSA6OS @4oo 0OAC'
ReSOlutiOn-Instructing our Sen
atOrS and requesting our congress.
men to introduce and support a
measure in the Congress Of the
United States putting lumber on
the free list. Passed.
An Act-COmpelling railroads
to weigh their empty coal cars
within twenty-four hours before
loading and within twelve hours
after loading. Passed.
Explanation On-Railroads weigh
their empty cars once year al
ways when the cars are dry. The
weight is Stenciled on the ears.
Open cars accumulate dire, beeOm
water-SOaked and heavy in the
winter months when most of the
domestic coal is used. Coal is
loaded in cars Often-timesS with
a foot of sleet or ice in the car.
The gross weight of the coal and
ice is taken and the .stenciled or
dry weight is used as the tare.
This makes the consumer pay for
the weight of ice or sleet in the
car which averages seven per cent
of the weight of the coal in the
car.
Coal companies base their In
voices on the railroad weights and
thus the consumer pays the coal
companies for coal that is never
loaded and pays the railroads the
freight on the ice and dirt in the
car. This measure if strictly en-
forced will save the people of
Kansas not less than two hundred
and fifty thousand dollars a year.
An Act-COmpelling express
companies to pay an excise tax
on the business they do in Kan
SaS. Passed.
Until this act became a law eX-
press companies had paid no tax
on their business, they have enjoy
ed all the benefits and protection
of Kansas laws but contributed
nothing to their support. This
act brings a revenue of several
thousand dollars to the state each
year.
An Act-Preventing the cOnfiS-
cation of coal by the railroad com
panieS. Passed.
This measure was introduced as
a committee bill. Before this en-
actment became a law ears, and
even train loads, of coal were ap-
prOpriated by the railroad for
their own use, causing untold Suf.
fering to the people of Kansas
without any penalty to the rail-
road company. If coal is cOnfiS-
Gated now the common carrier is
liable to a heavy penalty.
An Act-Making q fifteen per
cent horizontal reduction in the
freight on grain and grain pro-
ducts. Passed. introduced as a
committee bill it saves the ship
pers of grain a vast amount of
money.
An Act-Permitting people to
build good roads, and commonly
known as the Hodges rock road
law. Passed. This measure does
not compel any community to
build rock roads, but it is an en-
actment that permits the building
of good roads by communities
when they want them. 1t is one
of the most important laws on
, the statute books and will con.
tribute to the upbuilding and the
] making of Kansas a great state,
S more so than any enactment pass
ed In recent years.
An Act-COmpelling boards Of
public works to build stone OF
concrete bridges when the cost is
not over 30 per cent more than tn
steel bridges. Passed the Senate
defeated in the House.
/ An Act-PrOviding for the lab
cling of linseed oil, lead and mix
ed paints, known as the pure
paint bill. Defeated.
The joint author with Senator
Young Of the present amended
ballot law; the bill simplifies the
ballot, and allows a mixed ticket
to be voted without danger of be
, ing thrown out.