The log cabin Democrat., 1915-02-19
ONLY 9 SENATOR'S
 FOR RATE RAISE
RAILROAD BILL BEATEN
MEASURE TO ALLOW COMMIS- SION TO ALTER FARE GETS
 LITTLE SUPPORT.

Little Rock, Feb. 19.-Nine Arkan- sas senators Thursday afternoon vot- ed to let the railroad commission | make investigation of railroad pass enger rates to see if they were com pensatory, and if not, to grant relief, but one, Senator Jones of Pulaski. suffered change of heart before the vote was announced, leaving only eight to show on the record, after SUD- porting the measure at first Sena- tors Adamson, Burgess, Calvert, Car ter, Edmonson, Going, Wagner and | Wasson were the other senators who were willing to let the railroads have chance to present their case to the ] commission. Senator Moore of Phil | lips did not cast vote on the bill.
 As had been prearranged in the Thursday morning session the senate took up the Wagner bill after conven- ing Tn the afternoon. Senator Going argued for the passage of the bill, | declaring that conditions had changed materially since the two-cent rate bill was passed. He called attention to the falling off in stocks from above par to about 10 per cent, giving ad- verse legislation as the cause for a
 considerable portion of the shrinkage
 Two senators spoke against the bill Senators Ruff and Toler, the former dwelling considerably upon the adver- Using campaign conducted by the rail roads
 After the previous questions had been moved, limiting the closing to thirty minutes debate by a proponent of the bill, Senator Edmonson gave figures concerning the passenger rates of railroads, showing that Ar kansas, with a population of 32 to the square mile, is operating with a two-cent rate, while New Jersey, with over 300, New York over BOG, Penn sylvania 1S1, and Maryland with 134 per square mile, all have two and one half cent rates.
 The author of the bill, Senator Wagner of Crawford, then took up ten minutes speaking for what he termed flair show for the rail roads, He asserted that the rail roads have been unable to borrow money to make improvements in Ar kansas because they cannot show the proper earnings, and as consequence the tracks of the company must de- teriorate in value.
 For the first time in my life," stat ed Senator Calvert, the Fort Smith leader of union labor, to whom Sen ator Wagner yielded his closing ten minutes, T find myself placed in a position where I can conscientiously support the interests of the great cor porations I do this honestly because of the fundamental principle involved. 1 believe that we are now confronted with a crisis, and stand upon the dawn of new era. Labor must say to capital that we will allow you to place before the people the proposi- tions with which you are confronted in order that they may judge these conditions. Because the railroads have been wrong or done wrong in the past will not justify us in condemning them when they have decided to be honest and law abiding. I don't be- lieve there is a senator here who could tell whether the railroads of Arkan- sas can operate upon a basis of two or two and half or three cents per mile and get an adequate return for their money
 The bill was then defeated on roll call by vote of 27 to ', and the budget committee introduced appro- priation bills, University of Arkansas, S291 ,445; school for the blind, S90,- 205; and medical department of the University, $65,017. All were ordered printed. Senator Garrett introduced a bill making it felony for state official or employees other than the treasurer to receive state money.