Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-03-18
RAILROADS NOT
TO GET BOOST
LEGISLATURE WILL NOT PASS
LAW RAISING PASSENGER
RATES AT THIS SESSION.
PASSAGE OF ODELL BILL
Law Abolishina Game Warden's De.
part nent Up to Ferris-Will 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.
Ii 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 il 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 "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 10 the same extent as the "P
M"
Everything seemed to promise to
move TO swift and pleasant conclu-
sion when other railroads prevailed
upon the Pere Marquette to withdraw
its request TO the legislature and
started a campaign for three-cent
fares.
That started the opposition roaring
al the top of their lungs and from the
moment that the first peal of thunder
broke the storm gathered with incredi-
bic rapidity. From pleasant sailing il
was only a matter of a few minutes
before the astonished railroads found
themselves foundering helplessly in
the trough of a terrific storm.
After 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 a campaign two years hence.
Polls Show Weakness.
The polls which have been taken by
newspaper men show that there are
but II men in the senate who are
willing TO vote the railroads an in
crease in passenger rates and not
more than 80 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 il 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
rs concerned il simply doesn't exist
for the reason that there is no longer
anything to be excited about
Odell 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 Ii be ex-
planned. is calculated to rob the dem
ocrats of the latest political depart
ment in the state Of Michigan At
present a republican occupies the po-
der him are dozens of other republi-
cans holding jobs as deputies. The
wardens time expires in June and Il
would, If events took their course nor
mally, be up to Governor Ferris to an
point a democrat who in turn would
appoint a large number of other dem
ocrats to very fat and satisfying Jobs
This is what Senator Samuel Odell
IT. - I'D lie IL.
that the department shall be abolished
and its work consolidated with that OF
the public domain commission. This
commission. be il known, is controlled
by the republicans. Consequently it
would continue to fill the jobs Of dep
uty game wardens with republicans
and everything would be lovely.
Ferris is Peevish.
Governor Ferris has been more
peevish over the Odeli measure than
over any bill that has been brought
before the legislature during his two
terms of office.
It's nothing more than politics"
SAYS the governor 81 don't think the
legislature should pass such bill
Asked whether he would sign the
measure or not the governor rigidly
refuses TO make an Illuminating reply
and no one seems TO know. not even
those in his close confidence, just what
he will do.
Democrats in the senate and house
who tried TO stem the progress of the
bill might just as well have thrown
themselves into the roaring current
above Niagara Falls and clutched al a
straw. The republicans have an over
whelming majority and they are keen
for the bill. They howled the demo
Gratis down whenever they argued
against the measure and jeered at
them because they we're unable to
prove that the bill will not in reality
he good thing for the state. There
Is every argument in favor of the bill
as a measure and practically none
against II except that il is political
move. Highly elated, therefore, by
the fact that they can do a good thing
and at the same time do their political
enemies. the republicans in the legis-
1ature are standing together like