Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-07
Nuu,o, Ras.u.A
omA 9ntanAs1aD,A

V<VVNS ~ wv ~ N~~S -
- ~ vE0roA RoEnwArnR. -
7 LOOKED in for a few moments last week upon
the federal room. where three distinguished
judges listening TO the arguments in the
case. since decided by them by the issue Of pre-
lminary injunction. knocking hole in the Nebraska
2-cent fare law IN favor OF the Missouri Pacific The
sympathetic presence there Of the highup attorneys
for all the other big railroads operating In this state
brought back the fierce fight that waged TO put
that particular law the statute books.
The s-cent fare law. be It remembered. was one
item In the gst OF legislation OF the famous SO ses
sion. although It not Of the original panks in
the platform embody1ng the reform pledges upon
which the republican majority had been elected The
republicans had merely promised to make certain
freightrato reductions and to vest the then newly
created railway commission with full powers TO reSu
late other rates TO accord with the basis Of reason
able charges. The same legislature. however had
terminated the OF free passes thus putting
whole lot OF into the pockets Of the roads, and
there admittedly comeback due 70 the pas
senger who paid fare. The 3-cent passenger rate
however. a plank in the democratic platform and,
although the democrats had lost out they undertook
to redemption OF this promise. To save little
glory for It's party the local democratic organ was at
the outset the most frantic champion OF 20 cents
fiat" with conditions qualifications Of any kind
Whatsoever At that time, I was inclined TO favor
passenge- rate reduction to cents the main lines
and ~ cents on branch lines and feeders. with an
opportunity accorded road affected to present s
claim to the State Railway commission and secure re-
lief II coad convince the commission that the rate
prescribed oy the Legislature not compensatory.
The railroads. however, did not want any rate reduc-
ton legislation AZ ALL and made of their charac
teristic onsaughts by pulling strings on
whom they could bring supposed to have in
fluence with the lawmakers.
BY clever ruse the railroad crowd prevailed upon
the executive committee Of the Omaha Commercial
club to pass resolution against 2cent fares and at
tempted to use II as putting the entire club record
Snr 9ha Ahott tha ina he
also got together among themselves and agreed to
give jobbers who bought mileage books for their
travelling men ecent rate on all roads. weak and
strong main lines. branches and feeders. alike This
foolhardy performance capped the climax and lighted
the match OF Instruction In the Commercial club
membership. general meeting was finally secured.
at which the explosives flew. and the speed with
which the action Of the executive committee
versed wonderful to behold. II is the irony Of
fate that Of the speakers at that meeting.
most pronounced for 2 cents fiat" and most ncon-
siderate Of the alleged rights Of the railroads.
the selfBame lawyer whom saw over In the court
room last week actively engaged in smashing the
law he had helped rs to force through the legisia
turO But, OF course. at that time he was not
railroad attorney. and perhaps he then
pected TO be-
When the discussion up those present In
sisted stating my Views, which did frankly
and, believe forcibly. / admitted that had been
for long time in doubt to whether q cents flat
fair under all conditions and would hold in
voluntarily reduced the mileage-book rate for
mercial travellers all roads TO cents. 1 did not
how they could say cents enough for this
favored class and not enough for the others also
called attention 70 the cessation of the ride with
the abolition Of the pass suggesting that the roads
that had been hauling two passengers IN the
seat. collecting cents mile from OF them and
carrying the other free. would hardly be off If
both paid cents a mile. and OF them was no
longer required TO pay for two.
What want to say is. that the railroads
themselves In their fight against the 2cent fare.
questonabiy gave their away. and gave It
away completely that when the bill went through
the legislature on final passage. recall there
a few absentees. but not a single vote against
it. Moreover. the law had the emergency clause at
taohed and went into effect at leaving the rail-
road lawyers time TO hang in the courts before
Il to become operative. That explains. II am
not mistaken why the 2oent fare stood In Nebraska
for eight before the railroads ventured Join
In move to upset It. This is the interesting history
OF one phase Of the ralway-rate fight IN Nebraska
which II will do harm to keep straight the
background of the present meneuverfng,