The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1901-1982, 1913-06-19
DECISION A GREAT
VICTORY FOR STATE
DONACHfY is DELIGHTED
FORMER GOVERNOR JUBILANI
OVER WINNING RAILROAD
RATE CASE.

sas rate cases attracted great interest
throughout Arkansas.
The two-cent rate act, known as the
Ross bill, was approved February g.,
1907, and the maximum freight rate,
known as tariff No. s, was made and
promulgated by the Arkansas Rail
road Commission June IA, 1908. The
commission tariff was d heavy reduc-
ton in the prevalent rates on Arkan-
sas lines.
The railroads have been fighting
the rates ever since. The two-cent
passenger rate was enforced for sew
eral months, and the railroads, on
September 8, 1908, secured an injunc-
ton from Circuit Judge Vandeventer
at st. Paul against all the rates, both
passenger and freight, pending final
adjudication.
After the granting of the tempo
rary injunction by Judge Vandeventer
special counsel appealed to Judge ia
cob Trieber to authorize reasonable
rate during the tendency of the liti-
CATION. After hearing all the evil
dence in the matter during the month
of April, 1911, Judge Trieber made
the injunction absolute.
The legislature, at its special ses-
sion of 1911, appropriated sufficient
sum to appeal the case to the United
States supreme court, and the appeal
was lodged in the highest court of the
land in the spring of 1912. The rail
roads claimed that the proposed
freight rates were so low as to be con-
fscatory, and that they could not earn
enough to carry on their business and
their campaign of betterments.
After the temporary restoration of
issued to passengers refund slips,
with the provision that should the
cases be decided against the railroads,
the one cent mile would be refund
ed 1t is doubtful, however, if many
of these slips will ever be presented
for a refund. as few people have kept
them.
In commenting upon the decision
yesterday, Secretary w. E. Floyd of
the Arkansas Railroad Commission
said:
"On Sept. 5, 1908, at ST. Paul,
Judge Willis Vandeventer, in federal
court, granted to the principal rail
road lines in Arkansas temporary
injunction which, in effect, abolished
the commissions standard freight dis
lance tariff No. 8, and prevented the
commission from upholding the two
cent passenger act of 1907. The tenn
porary injunction was made perma-
nent by Judge Jacob Trieber, and
lsince June 1, 1869, a so-called "court
tariff" has been in effect on Arkansas
Iintrastate shipments of freight, the
court tariff being about SO per cent
higher than the rates of the commits
sion.
'The higher freight rates assessed
by the principal carriers of the state
were made with the understanding
that a refund would be made to the
basis of the commissions tariff No.
8, in the event that this tariff of rates
was upheld by the supreme court, and,
as it appears. this has been done, a
large amount will be returned to ship
pers by each of the principal lines in
Arkansas. 1t will be no trouble to as
certain the amounts due shippers, as
the difference between the two tariffs
and the rates thereof is easily deter
mined
GAS to the refund ON passenger
rates, there will be some disappoint-
ment among the patrons of the rail
roads, as a large majority of them
failed to preserve the cash fare cou-
pons furnished by the railroads by di-
rection of the court"
Former Governor Geo. w. Dona-
lghey, without whose efforts the rate
cases would probably have never been
appealed to the supreme court, is one
of the happiest men in the state over
the decision. In a statement issued
last night he said in part:
"Soon after the primary of 1908
which gave me the vote necessary for
the nomination for governor, | was
called into consultation concerning the
enforcement of certain railroad rates
proposed by the state railroad COM
mission. 1t was argued that it would
be better to compromise with the rail
roads than to have a lawsuit with
them. | took the stand that compro-
misses in such matters were injurious
70 the state and should not be cOnSid-