The Prescott daily news., 1915-02-19
5 Cent Passen- ger Rate Defeat-
 ed in Senate
Wagner Bill Loses by Vote 26 to S-Budget Committee Introduced Appropriation Bills-All Or
 dered to be Printed.

1HOIle MOCK, rep. 19.-Nlne 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. sui tered a change of heart before the vote was announced, leaving only 8 to show on the record, after support Ing the measure at first. Senators Adamson, Burgess, Calvert Carter, Edmondson, Going, Wagner and Was son were the other senators who were willing to let railroads have a chance to present their case to the Commits sion. Senator Moore of Phillips did not cast vote on the bill.
 As had been pre-arranged in the
 Thursday morning session, the Senate took up the Wagner bill after con- vening in the afternoon, Senator Go ing argued for the passage of the bill declaring that conditions have chang ed materially since the two cent 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 ad- vertising campaign conducted by the railroads.
 After the previous question had been moved, limiting the closing to thirty minutes debate by a proponent of the bill, Senator Edmondson gave figures concerning the passenger rat es of railroads, showing that Arkan- sas, with population of 32 to the square mile, is operating with a two cent rate, while New Jersey, with over 300, New York over 300, Penn sylvania, 1S1, and Maryland with 134 per square mile, all have two and a half cent rates.
 The author of the bill, Senator Wagner of Crawford, then took up ten minutes speaking for what he termed a flair show for the railroads" He asserted that the railroads have been unable to borrow money to make inn provements in Arkansas, because they cannot show proper earnings and as a consequence the tracks of the com pany must deteriorate in value.
 If the Railroad Commission is not capable of dealing with this question then We had better abolish it, for it is a needless expense" spoke Senator Wagner. Give these railroads back their chance at prosperity and it will put 30,000 men to work in Arkansas that are now idle.
 "The railroads have not always been theives. We have a prejudice against them among the people that must be broken down. Prejudice is what caused the war in Europe.
 We have great areas in Arkansas that are undeveloped because we lack railroads, and we will never have great zine mines, or North Arkansas, our richest part of the state, will not be really prosperous until we make it possible for the railroads to operate in that section. l think we should vote for principle in this matter, not be weak kneed because We fear some one will not vote for us because of our stand. I stand for this cause for the best interest of the state.'
 For the first time in my life" stated Senator Calvert the Fort Smith leader of Union labor, to whom Sen ator Wagner yielded his closing min utes, "I find myself placed in a posi- tion where 1 can conscientiously sup port the interest of the great corpo- rations. 1 do this honestly because of the fundamental principles involv- ed I believe that We are now con fronted with a crisis, and stand upon the dawn of a new era. Labor must say to capital that we will allow you to place before the people the propo- sitions with which you are confronted in order that they may judge the con ditions. Because the railroads have been wrong or done wrong in the past will moi iustifv us in condemnino them