The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1915-03-19
RAILROADS NOT
TO GET BOOST
LEGISLATURE WILL NOT PASS
LAW RAISING PASSENGER
RATES AT THIS SESSION.
PASSAGE OF ODELL BILL
Law Abolishine Game Warden's De.
partment Up to Ferris-WiII Be
Passed Over His Veto II He
Does Not Sign.
BY Douglas D. Martin.

Lansing, Mich.-(Special. )-One leg
islative fact which is as certain as
death and taxes is that the railroads
are not going to be given an increase
In passenger fares-at least not this
year.
1t scarcely needed the authoritative
poll made by newspaper men to fore
cast this result. The attitude of the
house and senate has been clearly
visible ever since the railroads refused
to allow the Pere Marquette to go
ahead with its modest little request
for two and one-half cent fare and
insisted upon making it step aside
while they tried to grab off three
cents.
1t can be truthfully said that when
the railroad officials did that they
pulled what is called in baseball par
lance a 'bonehead play" The legis-
lature was favorable to the request of
the Pere Marquette for two and one
half cent fare and would undoubtedly
have granted it, which would have
meant that all the other roads would
benefit to the same extent as the "P.
NJ"
Everything seemed to promise to
move to a swift and pleasant conclu-
sion when other railroads prevailed
upon the Pere Marquette to withdraw
started a campaign for three-cent
fares.
That started the opposition roaring
at the top of their lungs and from the
moment that the first peal of thunder
broke the storm gathered with incredi-
BILE rapidity. From pleasant sailing It
was only a matter of a few minutes
before the astonished railroads found
themselves floundering helplessly in
the trough of terrific storm.
After a few futile efforts to bring
the head of their craft up into the
wind and ride out the blow, they have
turned and are running before the
wind. They admit today that they can
not possibly get an increase in passen-
ger rates out of the present legisla-
ture and they are laying their plans
now for campaign two years hence.
Polls Show Weakness.
The polls which have been taken by
newspaper men show that there are
but IL men in the senate who are
Willing TO vote the TdllrOdQS an IN
crease in passenger rates and not
more than 35 in the house who feel
the same way. AS this is not a ma
jority in either case there is obviously
no use in spending much effort in the
struggle at this session and the rail-
roads will conserve their strength.
There will probably be some more
hearings and it is almost certain that
the attorney generals department will
come to bat with figures which are
not expected to be of any assistance
to the corporations. But so far as
real interest in the railroad question
is concerned it simply doesn't exist
for the reason that there is no longer
anything to be excited about
OdelI Measure Passes.
The Odell bill, called by republicans
and democrats alike the smoothest
political proposition brought before
the legislature the last generation has
passed both the house and the senate
and has gone before Governor Ferris
for his signature.
The Odell measure, may it be ex-
planned, is calculated to rob the dem
ocrats of the latest political depart
ment in the state of Michigan At