Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1910-08-10
NEWS OF THE STATE
Items of Interest From Special Cor
respondent at State Capital.
ACTION FOR IOWA SHIPPERS
Matter of Freight Rates i'm Iowa
Taken Before Interstate Com
merce Commission by Iowa
Railroad Commits
siOners.

Des Moines, Ia, August 9-Prob-
ably the most important freight
rate action ever commenced in be-
half of Iowa shippers is that which
has Just been instituted under di-
rection of the Iowa Board of Rail-
way Commissioners before the intei
state commerce commission az
Washington, d. C. Under direction
of the Board of Railway Commits
sioners the attorney general has
mailed formal complaint against
the railroads divided into three
classes as follows:
The first relating to proportional
class rates and directed against the
seven largest railroads in the state
The second relating to commod-
ity rates and against all roads in the
state.
The third relating wholly to local
shipments.
The information upon which
these protests are based was furnish
ed the Board of Railway Commits
sioners by the Greater Des Moines
committee in April of this year and
on June End the board issued an
order directing the attorney general
to bring the suit which he has now
formally filed before the interstate
commerce commission.
The action is based upon the
amendment made by the last con-
gress to the act to regulate COM
merce. 1t is charged that Iowa is
Disseminated against by reason of
through rates from points in Illi-
nois and east being higher than the
aggregate of intermediate rates.
Numerous instances of where the
present tariffs of these roads make
this excessive and unlawful charge,
are cited in the complaints.
For instance, shipment of shoes
from Cincinnati to Des Moines Is
made at rate of eighty-three
cents, which is made up of two
rates, forty-one cents from Cincin-
natl to Rock Island and forty-two
cents from Rock Island to Des
Moines. The local rate from Rock
Island to Des Moines, however, is
but thirty-six cents. This IL added
to the forty-one cents from Cincin-
natl to Rock Island, makes total
rate of seventy-seven cents, or less
than the through rate charges by
the railroad. This, it is charged, is
a violation of the amendment made
by congress and the interstate COM
merce commission Is asked to cor
rect 1t.
1t is expected it will be some
months before the hearing can be
had.
The republican convention is an
interesting disclosure of some Of the
important topics which will be up
for discussion and deliberation in
the general assembly this coming
winter. The sentiment displayed
leaves the fact undisputable that
the primary law will be amended.
There will be three sources at work
on the primary-those who wish 1t
amended mildly, those who wish
nha
crats) who wish it's complete re-
peal and substitution by the Oregon
law. With this situation the law
promises to be literally dissected
on the floor of the convention with
its ultimate fate in serious doubt.
The re-iteration of the platform
in favor of election of United States
senators by direct vote indicates
that Iowa will again pass a joint
resolution memorializing congress
to provide for such an election.
Many are taking the failure of
the republicans to endorse the
Peterson law as an indication that
this law may fall under the vote Of
disapproval this winter. The Peter
son law which demands in Iowa an
actual cash representation in capit-
alization of projects is said to have
had the effect of driving all pro-
motors, from Iowa and stunting in
dustrial development to large de-
gree-especially in the matter of
extending electric interurban rail-
reads, one progress that is much
desired In the state.
Prospective members of the legis-
lature who were at the convention
were reticent to discuss the liquor
question. Temperance people are
now trying to interpret the plank