Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-01-19
INTERSTATE COMMERCE COM.
MISSION REFUSES TO REOPEN
PASSENGER RATE CASE.
WESTERN STATES MAY
MEMoRlALIzE CONGRESS
Lawmakers Probably Will Be Asked to
Take Some Action Regarding In
crease in Rates-State May Purchase
More Land at Rockwell City-Em-
pioyers Not Liable For lightning.
Special to Ttmes-Republican.

Special to Times-Republican.
Des Moines, Jan. 1s.-Commerce
Counsel J. H. Henderson has received
word from the interstate commerce
commission at Washington that the
commission has denied the request to
reopen the passenger fare case. 4
number OF states had Joined in the
protest against the putting OF the new
fares into effect and asked that the
case be reopened.
A number of the states may
memorialtze congress TO take some
action with reference 10 the increase
in rates. This was discussed at the
meeting Of railroad commissioners and
attorney generals held at Lincoln a
short time ago. Or the states may go
into court and seek to en1oin the rail-
roads from main tanning the increased
fares. Recently the attorney general
of Minnesota brought action 10 obtain
D temporary Injunction to restrain two
roads operating between Duluth and
Minneapolis and St. Paul from putting
the increased passenger rates into eff
feet. The lower court granted a tenn
into the federal court where the in
junction was dissolved.
The attorney general Of Nebraska,
Willis e. Beed. has made application
for an injunction against the seven
railways doing business IN Nebraska,
asking that all roads except the Mis-
souri, Pacific be enjoined from charg-
ing more than cents per mile Tor
!ntrastate traffic or from fling any
suit against the enforcement Of the
Nebraska 2-cent fare law. It is also
asked that the Missouri Pacific rail-
road company be enjoined from re-
fusing to sell 1000 mile mileage books
for $50, and that the Missouri Pacific
be restrained from discriminating In
!ts rates within the state on the al
legation that the company now charges
: cents per mile between points where
there is competition and cents where
eone exists.
Proudfoot For Senator.
Former Senator A. Y. Proudfoot, of
Indianola, It Is understood, will be a
candidate again Tor state senator from
the Warren-Clarke district He rep
resented his district IN the state senate
In the Thirty-thtrd and Thirty fourth
general assemblies. Since It has al
ways been the custom, however. for
the two counties to rotate the senator
ship. the honor went to Clarke county
for the next two terms. Senator Crist
from Osceola held the Office in the
Thirty fifth and Thirty-s1xth general
assemblies. Now the opportunity goes
back to Warren county and In view
of Senator Proudfoot's previous good
record he appears to be the logical
choice for the republican nomination.
Senator Proudfoot took a prominent
part in the legislation of the Thirty
third and Thirty-fourth general as
semblies and was especially active in
temperance and reform movements
He introduced the prohibitory amend.
ment and championed 1t on the floor of
the senate in both sessions.
Senator Crist, who is retiring in
favor Of the Warren county man, has
been prominently mentioned for lieu
tenant governor.
To Ask Phone Law Changes.
1t Is probable that the next legis-
lature will be asked to repeal the law
which gives to the state the right to
grant franchise to a public service
corporation. The supreme court has
held in two decisions just recently that
the franchise granted in two insta noes
to telephone companies, because of
this law, are perpetual. The sections
passed in 1897 granting to cities the
rights to issue such franchises do not
affect franchises granted by the state
previous to their enactment.
The RICH court has held that the
Iowa Telephone Company has a per-
petual franchise in Des Moines because
the old Central Telephone Company
from which II bought its rights was
granted franchise in 1889. Yesterday
the high court upheld the Lucas county
court in its ruling to the effect that the
franchise Of the Charlton Telephone
Company was valid The latter fran
chise was granted by the council Of
Charlton in 1894 and while the coun-
cil's ordinance granting such a fran.
chise was not valid. nevertheless the
fact that the state permitted the COM
pany to occupy the streets and alleys
without question amounted to the
granting them a right to such privi-
leges.
May Purchase More Land.
The state board Of control is consid-
ering the purchase of an additional
twenty acres at Rockwell City adioin-
ing the tract purchased last fall as a
site for the woman's reformatory.
Chairman w. j. Dixon went TO Rock
well City today to look over the tract
under consideration and to decide or
the location of the buildings
Work will be started early this
spring on the buildings and about
100000 will be expended this year.