The Prescott daily news., 1915-02-18
} CENT RATE BILL
 FORCED TO CALENDAR
senate Has Many Fiery Debates on Bill to Increase Passenger Rate on Railroads to Three Cents
 Per Mile in Arkansas

urge far play in dealing with the railroads, and giving them an oppor tunity to be heard, had their hands full in the Senate Wednesday after noon fighting off efforts to send the Wagner bill providing that the Ark ansas Railroad Commission be given the power to fix the passenger rates on railroads of fifteen miles or less at five cents per mile. and over that length at maximum of three cents per mile, from a sudden demise. Ob- lection was made to the second read Ing of the bill, and this was voted down. Then a motion was made by Senator Smith of Columbia to table, and this was defeated, 19 to 8. Sen ator Smith of Columbia then moved that the bill be made special order for Thursday morning, with the intent of forcing a vote on the merits of the bills at that time, and killing it be- fore 1t had been heard by committee This lost 19 to II, it requiring two thirds vote to suspend the rules for this purpose All this time Senator Wagner had been making motions to refer to the Judiciary committee, and after the last Smith motion the bill was forced to the calendar without reference by adjournment.
 Some of the most fiery debates heard on the floor during the session was uncorked on this measure. Sen ator Futrell opened it on the motion to indefinitely postpone, which was the first chance for debate. as the motion to table was not debatable. He ridiculed the idea of going into the rate matter on it's merits, saying that ! it could not be done in less than four years time, calling attention to the ! time consumed in preparing tire rate cases. He further declared that for 1 the legislature to reCede from it's stand when it passed the rate bill, would be an admission to the Supreme Court of the United States that the legisla- ure was wrong in its contention. Senator Furell stated such action would place Arkansas in ridiculous position. and that this year, an off one for all business, should not be con sidered as an example by the rail roads or any other lines of business.
 Senator Smith of Columbia follow ed and asserted that he did not desire to throttle an effort by the railroads to gain a fair hearing if it had a chance, but that every Senator knew at that ime how he would v~te after the matter had been thoroughly hresh- ed out, consequntly there was no req son for taking up so much time of the legislature He favored an early vote saying it would be impossible to get correct information for no Senator would know 9 thing about the eondi- ton of the railroads even after going over the books.
 Senator Lu9dy devoted considerable time to ridiculiug the efforts of the railroads to sway the legislature through circulating petitions and stated that it would be possible to se- cure the names of hundreds of good citizens to a petition to force the chief executive to wear ear rings He ad- vocated the immediate death of the bill, urging i've bury it in Potters field and let these paid mourners go home." He stated that if he received a petition from every man, woman and child in his district that he would not support the bill.
 Senator Burgess and Senator Great house urged that the railroads be giv- en an opportunity to secure relief, and that every business in the state had been injured by the great loss of revenue to the railroads. Senator Wagner closed the debate in favor of the bill in which he stated that he would never do anything that would iniure any of his constituents, but he did strenuously protest against the efforts that have been made to drive great institutions outside the state.
 All of those who defended the bill pleaded for a chance to hear the rail road side of the question, saying they were not sure as to how they would vote in the end, but they wished in formation, and in no other way could