Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-23
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE OF LEG
isLATURE TWO YEARS AGO
MADE WORK POSSIBLE.
COMMERCIAL INTERESTS OF
IOWA HELPED BY BOARD
Railroad commission Enabled to Push
Rate cases-First Spirited Speech Of
Session Made BY Senator Chase II
Normal School Question May Go to
Special Committee.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Jan. 23.-But for the
action of the legislature two years age
in making an appropriation for the
rate department. of the state railroad
commission it would hardly have been
aided the commercial interests of the
state, as it has, in the preparation and
presentation of so many important rate
matters to the interstate commission.
One of the big cases presented was al
Chicago this week affecting rates from
and to points in far western territory.
The commercial interests and the
Iowa commission presented to the in
terstate commission innumerable cases
of unjust rates affecting cunfavorably
the situation in Iowa. 1t was declared,
and shown. that the present rate Sit
uation helps to make the big cities
bigger and the smaller towns smaller.
Thirty years ago over 20 per cent Of
the population of the country was
rural, today about so per cent consti
tutes the rural population. The rest
of the people are in the cities. Other
factors have helped to cause, and will
help to cause, this situation in the flu
turc and develop it still more. but it
was declared there is no excuse for a
a continuation of a rate system that
will unjustly discriminate in favor OF
these big cities in addition to their
natura! advantages.
st. Louis Has Advantage.
est. Louis has the advantage today
Of 81 cents per hundred weight over
Des Moines on combination hauls, frs;
class. originating at New York and
terminating at Denver" says Commits
sioner Thorne of Iowa. "St. Louis has
the advantage over Ottun1wa. for in
stance, on the same kind of IA haul
amounting to 20 cents per cwt. This is
the result of the: far-sighted.. shrewd
work Of the big financiers in our cities
which builds up our congested termi-
nails, our great cities. tothe sacrifice of
the ordinary healthy town of norma
size In this great Mississippi valley
We have finally established a rate de-
partment in Iowa that Is in working
order. and with the help OF the able
traffic men In our various Iowa cities
we pro pose to get .what. we ought &c
haves had for the past quarter of a
century-an equa tty OF freight rates
with the cities, of -1eighboring states
We propose to force a revision of Iowa
interstate rates. and we are going to
keep at it until We get 1t.
There is no earthly reason why
Iowa, in the heart OF the continent
with thousands of acres Of coal. be-
tween the two greatest rivers in the
country. 1raversed by network OF
railroads. should not be the industrial!
center Of the Mississippi valley. In
stead of that. our cities are surpassed
in nanufa curing by practically every
neighboring sttae except South Dakota.
We have asked the railroads 10 revise
our interstate rtaes. We believe that
will revolution,ze the situation, which
we find existing today. They have re-
fused. We now ask the interstate COM
merce commission to perform THAI
task"
The great Importance Of all the var
ious cases affecting Interstate rates in
Iowa Is being brought home to the bus
mess interests Of the state more and
more and it is expected that the leg
islature will readily agree to author
ize continuation Of the work.
The house judiciary com nlittee at its
first sitting Wednesday afternoon dis
tributed thirteen bills among different
subcommittee appointed by Chair
man Klay. 1t is the intention OF the
committee to make some early reports
and give the house chance for quick
action in passing bills.
S. H. Rauman of Van Buren, county.
democratic member of the house, who
had Cant. w. A. Duckworth, the new
custodian, as a rival for election in one
campaign, said of him: you'll frd
Captain Duckworth a fine man for Gus
todian of the capitol. He is all right
in every respect, Il fine gentleman, ana
one who will take care of the WORK ana
the business here In excellent shape
The selection was as good as could pe
made" The. Ninth district friends OF
L. H. Pickard. Of Harlan, found that
among other things which operated 70
prevent their candidate getting the
place was that the Ninth is SAID no"
to have more than it's share OF good
things. Incidentally both state printer
and state binder, from the Ninth dis
trict. were reelected yesterday.
The resolution by Senator Chase 70
approve Of bill due In congress to
create a civil war volunteers retired
list" looks to having all officers who
served in volunteer regiments during
the war placed on the retired list at
half nav instead Of receiving pensions.