The Harrison times., 1915-03-13
HOUSE DEFEATS BLAND 21a CENT
RATE BILL BY A VOTE
OF 38 TO So.
SPEECHES FOR AND AGAINST
Frlends Of the Measure Urged That It
Was a Matter of Common JUS
tice to the Railroads.
Little Rock

There will be no increase in railroad
passenger rates in Arkansas for the
next two years, at least. This was
made clear by the defeat in the house
Of the Bland bill to increase the pas
senger rates from 2 cents and Pa
cents. For some time it had been evil
dent that the sentiment was so strong
against three cent rate that it would
be useless to attempt it, and the Bland
bill was considered compromise.
When the bill was called up at the
afternoon session a motion by Shouse
OF Boone to table 1t was lost by a
vote Of 81 to So At the night ses-
sion all Of which was devoted to a dis
cussion Of the bill, speeches in favor
Of the measure were made by Messrs,
Cazort, Sawyer Griffin, Wallace and
Rogers Of Desha, and speeches against
1t were made by Messrs. Nicks, Car
ruth and Jeter.
Mr., Carruth made the principal ar.
gument against the bill, He said there
had been a marked change in the leg.
islators since coming to Little Rock,
and that he feared they we're forget
ting the fellows back home" He
charged that railroads have inpover.
ished the securities by watering the
stock" and that "high-priced railroad
presidents, and S100,000.a.year board
managers are to blame for the finan-
cial depletion OF the property. II
these are eliminated, he said, he be-
lieved the railroads would not need
to increase their rates.
Mr. Sawyer spoke for the bill "As
the matter now stands" said he, "the
railroads are owned by private indl.
viduas, and they are as much entitled
to consideration as your or my prop.
erty rights, They are the big taxpay.
ers and contribute at every turn to de-
velop the localities they touch, Yet
they have no standing with the law.
making bodies and no friends at court
They are regarded as the prey Of every
demagogue. The thousands Of people
they employ the values they add to
otherwise valueless lands and the
stimulation they give 10 business are
all lost sight OF IN the fog OF preIu.
dice They can't even petition the
members Of the legislature without
somebody getting suspicious that there
IL something crooked going on,
"Tho man who cant receive re-
quest or a petition from a railroad
company in matters Of legislation and
not keep his hands clean is a poor
specimen Of statesmanship, and tho
sooner he leaves any legislature the
better
"The United States Supreme Court
mover has said u two-cent passenger
rate was not conhscatory, It merely
said that the railroads had not made q
showing that the rate was conllsca,
tory, and this IN the face Of the fact
that II is almost impossible TO arrive
at an equitable division Of the cost
OF operating the passenger and freight
service"
Mr. Griffin spoke brIhy for the bill
and submitted figures showing the
comparative taxation against railroads
now and In 1907 when the throe.eent
rate was abolished, With u reduced
passenger rate, their property assess.
ment In Arkansas, said Mr. Griffin, has
been horizontally lifted 100 per cent
until thoy arc now paying on a total
property valuation IN this state Of $685..
100000,
For the Alexander, Bennett OF
Arkansas, Bennett OF poInsott, Bland,
buchanan CN2ort Collier Copeland Of
lsOrd CroelImore Davis, Dipboye,
nowdY Dunlap, Gray, Griffin, Helms,
Holland, Holenaworth, Hooker Hud
son, Josephs, Jones OF PULASKI, Little,
Love, Nixon, Perkins plommons
Reid Rloglcr, Rublo, Robertson Rog
oro Of Dc0hN Rogers OF Logan, Roroy
Sawyer, Taylor, Wallace, WILSON, Yer.
gef Total 8S,
Against the Bill-Belote, neeson,
Dell, Bishop, Brawner, Broclman, Bur
rod, Carrrth, Copeland Of Howard
Croswcll Dunn, Ellis, Flndley, Con.
try lfabort llatley, Hawkins, Con.
drOY Humphreys, Jeter Johnson
Johns, Joiner Jones Of Washington,
King Letter, Lewis, Millard, Miller
Moses, Mosloy McGil, Nowborry
Nlclta, Pierce Pollard, poaoy Shaver,
Hhonner Shouaa Smith, Stafford,
bteod, Street Suleer, swepaton,
Teague, fhomaason, Williams Of Ben.
ton, Williams OF Cross, Waggoner,
Woods, Young Total o.
The appropriation bill for the agrl,
cultural schools came through un,
seathed after d hard days debate by
the BaltleAx brigade.
ny vote OF to 20, the Senate re-
fused TO pass n bin aboliahing tho De.
partmont OF state Lands, Highways