The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-09-19
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:: PROGRESS Of ::
:: TWO-CENT RATE ::
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is still wrestling with the history
making case in which the state of
Oklahoma, through its corporation
commission and attorney generals de
partment, is fighting every inch Of
the way with the organized railroad
interests of the southwest in the eff
fort to preserve TO the people the
two-cent passenger fare which was
embodied in the constitution of the
state in 1907.
Following the line Of decisions
handed down in rate contests appeal
ed from other states, the public gen
orally had come to believe that Okla
homa's two-Cent rate was as good as
lost and it has been the corcensus
of opinion among lawyers, legislators
bankers and business men that in the
end the railroads would triumph. Bad
crop years and the consequent falling
off in freight traffic and railroad earn
ings coupled with the tight money
conditions of previous years led pub
lie sentiment to agree with the pes
simistic views industriously circu-
lated by the official representatives of
western roads. The people Of Okla
homa have begun to assume a lif
ferent attitude toward the railroads
and other large corporations of the
state, and the old feeling of enmity
and antagOnism resulting from the
tyrannical and eXtortionate methods
practiced by many corporations prior
to statehood has practically passed
away and a feeling of sympathy to.
ward the railroads has grown into a
popular demand for fair, if not gen
erous treatment of their interests.
With all this, a feeling still re-
mains that justice and fair treatment
to the railroads does not warrant the
abolition of the two-cent rate, and
while the railroads have made an ex.
pensiye and far-reaching campaign,
to secure the abrogation of this rate,
the legislature, responding to the
peoples will, imposed upon the cor
poration commission and the attor-
ney general the responsibility of bat
Ting to the last ditch for the pres
ervation of this much-cherished priyi-
lege.
Few men realize the magnitude OF
this responsibility, not only in the
Importance of the public interests at
stake, but in the complexty and wide
range of the facts and conditions
involved in the suits before the court
At an expense of hundreds of thou
sands of dollars the railroads have
gone into court with a dazzling array
Of legal talent and a preparedness in
theories and calculations produced |
by experts of national reputation that
was calculated to overawe not only |
The government of Oklahoma and |
other western states, but to challenge |
he interest and attention of even the |
'ederal government
To meet this unexampled prepared |
ness, the state corporation commits |
sion and the attorney general have |
leen compelled to create an organi- |
,ation OF experts; to search volumes
IF records in different cities; to in
3pect personally physical properties,
md to work feverishly Almost night
md day to check up the mountains of
igures that have been adduced by |
abroad experts in support of their
heories and contentious.
On Colonel George Henshaw, of the
commission, the member
who has had this work most directly
n charge, and upon Attorney General
the burden of this respon-
;ibility and the leadership of the
tate's defense has rested. They have
lad to employ the assistance of ex-
,erts required and to plan and man
ge the battle. With limited resour-
es of money and opportunity in com
larison with their opponents they
ave marshalled the facts and figures
nd conducted so vigorous a defense
hat at this time, to use a military
erm, the offensive has passed to
heir side, and hope is now generally
xpressed that the state has at least
n even show to win.
The conduct of the long-drawn-out
rial on the part of the defense has
cen mastery and the people of the
tate are beginning to learn that in
olonel Henshaw they have one of
ne most competent and well inform
d railroad commissioners to be found
/ the United States. During his
,rm of office he has specialized in
abroad rate matters and railroad
aluations to such degree as to
AXE him a recognized master OF the
inject and he has been honOred in
lie nation at large by his selection to
le presidency of the valuation com.