Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-02-22
STATE MUST EITHER FURNISH
sINEws OF WAN OR sur.
RENDER TO RAILROADS.
COMMISSION AND THoRNE
LEFT BADLY IN DEBT
No Money in Treasury With Which to
Pay Expense Of Defense Against Rate
Increase Before interstate Commits.
sion-Qusstion UP to Lssislature-
Other Iowa News.
Special to Tlmes-Republican.

Des Moines, Feb. 22.-Will the state
OF Iowa back up or furnish the sinews
of war for the saving Of Iowa indus
tries. Iowa trade. Iowa development?
The question is right up to the .legis-
lature, which must furnish the answer
and do 1t quickly. There is no half
way place, and the crisis has been pre-
cipitated by events led up to naturally
by the steps taken by q previous legis-
lature.
A few days ago Clifford Thorne. the
attorney member of the railroad COM
mission, filed with the executive coun-
ell a small bill for expenses incidental
to the big rate hearing before the inter-
state commerce commission, which Is
not yet concluded. The bill was for
two things, the printing of a brief in
the case. and expenses of the commits
sioner while appearing before the In
terstate commerce commission last
This is the case in which the Iowa
decided it would take an
fairly before the interstate commerce
case as attorney for the western ship
sion entered on record resolution that
at the hearing which was
first set for some date last August.
The commission was so represented
then and at subsequent sessions at
which the hearing was continued from
time to time. The expenses of the
commissioners attending were paid out
of the commissions contingent fund.
No Funds Available.
In January, after Mr.. Thorne had
become member of the commission,
taking the place OF Mr.. Eaton, this at
titude Of the Iowa commission toward
the case continued. and he went to
Washington and finished the task Of
presenting the case. The bill pre-
sented to the executive council for
auditing represents labors for the COM
on this case after Mr.. Thorne
became a state official. exactly like ex-
penses incurred by other members Of
the commission which have been paid.
But there Is a balance Of only about
31l in the contingent fund, all the rest
having been exhausted prior to Jan. I
OF this year. Hence the bill is not paid
Leaves Commission in Debt.
But this Is not all. It appears that
at the time the Iowa railroad commits
sion decided upon prosecuting this case
It was ordered on behalf Of the state
and in order to have the case properly
presented that there should be placed
at the disposal Of the attorney repre-
senting Iowa-Mr. Thorne-a da'ly
transcript Of the evidence taken. The
cost Of that Transcript was about ST.
500, and there were other expenses In
Cured by the state not vet paid. The
state, or the railroad commission rath-
err. is therefore about $4,000 in debt.
with practically nothing in the con-
tingent fund.
Must Fight or sidestep.
What makes the matter still more
serious Is that there are now pending
fifteen cases In which the Iowa COM
mission has appeared as prosecutor
and for which practically no prepara-
ton has been made. These cases must
either be pushed to q conclusion soon
or be abandoned. These are the cases
in which various Iowa communities are
interested for the adjustment Of rates
to remove determinations. One Of the
first Of these Is the big suit by the
Greater Des Moines committee to COM
pei removal Of determinations against
Des Moines and all other interior Iowa
shipping centers. This case has been
fairly well worked up by Mr.. Wylie
on behalf of Des Moines shippers. but
not as to others. Another similar case
Is that brought by the shippers Of
river cities, in which all
1oined, for q similar readjustment Of
rates.
Manufactures at Stake.
These various rate cases mean not
only thousands Of dollars saved to the
people Of Iowa II prosecuted and sue
cessful, but they mean the very life Of
the manufacturing industries OF the
state. II they are won and Iowa IL
given interstate rates as good as those
Of Illinois and other states 1t will go
very far toward putting stop to the
exodus from Iowa. 1t will be worth
many fold any possible magazine adj
Of Iowa.
All these suits IRE brought, or en-
tered upon, by the commission, under
authority of law passed four years
ago, which made the Iowa commits
sion the official medium OF prosecution
of these cases which are too large
for the individual shippers to take up.
But when the duty was imposed on
the commission, the legislature failed
to furnish the materials with which to