Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-02-08
EFFORTS TO BE MADE TO PUT
CHARGES ON PRESENT INTER.
STATE BASIS.
CONTEMPLATED RAISE
IS TO as PER CENT
Attacks on Both Freight and Pas
seneer Rates to Be Started in Spring
Effort Successful in Other States
and It Is Now Iowa's Turn-Wedse
to Be Inserted at Davenport.

Des Moines, Feb. S.--Railroads oper-
ating in Iowa are preparing to start a
Shreveport case in this state which,
if successful, will annul all Iowa
freight and express rates and establish
new interstate rates from 10 to 40 per
cent higher.
They are also organizing another
Chicago East st. Louis" case, which,
if successful, will knock out the pres
ent 2-cent passenger rate and establish
the interstate rate Of "a cents a mile.
Both attacks will be opened in the
spring. The verdicts in three other
battles in other states show that the
railroads stand to win in knocking out
the state rates and boosting freight
and express rates. They have won
similar cases in Texas, Nebraska and
South Dakota. Whether they raise
passenger rates to "a cents depends
upon the decision Of the United States
in the Chicago East st. Louis" case
now before the bar.
Lewis Learns Plan.
Announcement of the move was
made by Dwight NJ Lewis, member OF
the state board Of railroad commits
sioners today, following a conference
with other members Of the rail board
Il received the information in Chi
cago on recent visit from source
the credibility Of which can not be
questioned" Mr.. Lewis said. 1--WE
have ahead of us perhaps the biggest
rate fight in the states history For
the railroads to win this case would
mean that many Of the smaller Jobbers
in the state Of Iowa.; particularly In
the inland cities, would be compelled to
nuit business because of their inability
to meet competition from outside the
state. 1t would also mean. that other
jobbers would be compelled to pa
millions of dollars additional freight
and express charges-I said jobbers.
mean the people, for the consumer
must pay it,
The railroad commissioners decided
at their conference to- confer with
members Of the Legislature and de-
termine whether or not the cost Of the
coming fight can be met under an ap-
preparation thru the regular budget
system.
If 1t can not, the legislature will be
asked for special appropriation to
meet the expense.
The move Of -;the railroads is ex-
planned as follows:
Contemplated Action.
The first case occurred in the south.
Shreveport, La, and Dallas, Tex, were
competing distributing points. One
was. just across the state line from the
other. They covered the same terri
tory. The state rates Of Texas enabled
Dallas to ship cheaper-for the state
rates were lower than the interstate
rates to the Texas points, altho the
distance was about the same. Shreve-
port complained of discrimination. The
interstate commerce commission de-
clared that Shreveport was being dis
eliminated against and ordered rail-
roads to eliminate the discrimination.
The commerce commission was the
higher authority, higher than the Tex
as state commission.
The only way therefore to eliminate
the discrimination was to ignore the
Texas state rates. The railroads &C
cordingly fixed rates from Dallas to
Texas points in question equitable with
the interstate rates from Shreveport
with the resultant increase. State
rights We're therefore overriden and
state rates destroyed.
State rates were lower in Nebraska
and in South Dakota than the inter-
state rates. The Shreveport case was
duplicated and the railroads knocked
out the state rates Of these two states
and boosted the tariffs to the inter-
state figures approved by the inter-
state commerce commission.
Begin at Davenport.
Now it is Iowa'S turn. The wedge
will be started at Rock Island and DAY.
export. The railroads will boost the
rates from Rock Island to Iowa points.
Davenport, just across the river. will
continue to enjoy the Iowa rates. which
will be materially lower than the new
Rock Island rates. Rock Island will
complain Of discrimination. The rail-
roads will tell Rock Island she has the
remedy. Rock Island will seek the
remedy. The remedy is an appeal to
the interstate commerce commission.
And IS was done III the other three
states, the commerce commission will
declare the discrimination against Rock
Island exists. 1t will order the rail-
roads to eliminate the discrimination.
The only way to eliminate will be to
ignore the Iowa rates. All Of which
the railroads will do. The only ground
Iowa will have to stand on is the con-
tention that her rates today are rea-
sonable and that the Rock Island in
terstate rate Is unreasonable.
One Iowa Decision.
But staring Iowa in the face Is de-
cision over at Council Bluffs and Oma-
ha The Nebraska railroad commits
sion fixed state rates that made the
cost Of shipping from Omaha to Ne
braska points much less than shipping
from Council Bluffs, just across the
river, to the same points. In fact, the
discrepancy was so great that jobbers
and shippers found it profitable to
transport freight to Omaha by wagon
and ship from there. They saved
money on freight rates.
VOTE ON BOND ISSUE.