IOWA. 



447 



cause lie believed it to be to the interest of the 

 people of the State. It appears that the enact- 

 ment of the so-called " Granger Railroad law " 

 affected the transportation of wheat, corn, and 

 live stock, the three principal products of the 

 State, as follows: Wheat was carried, as it 

 was stated, from Atlantic, for instance, to Chi- 

 cago, before its passage, for 33 cents per hun- 

 dred or $70 per car-load of ten tons ; but after 

 the passage of that law it cost 37 cents per 

 hundred pounds, or $10 per car of ten tons 

 more than before ; and corn before its passage 

 cost 27 cents per hundred pounds to carry it 

 from Atlantic to Chicago, but afterward 32 

 cents per hundred, making it five cents higher, 

 or a difference of ten dollars more on a car- 

 load of ten tons. On live stock, cattle and 

 hogs, per car from Atlantic to Chicago before 

 the law, the tariff was $69.30, but since its 

 passage $73 per car. It was urged that, while 

 the tariff had lessened local freights, these 

 were hardly 17 per cent, of the traffic of the 

 State. The tariff benefited only a few towns 

 in the eastern part of the State, and by the 

 restoration of harmony between the people 

 and the railroad interests both would profit, 

 and new life be given to western Iowa. The 

 bill passed the House yeas 55, nays 43. In 

 the Senate it was stated that the present law 

 had largely increased the revenue of the State, 

 but the commissioner system was regarded as 

 preferable. The bill was passed after some 

 discussion yeas 29, nays 20. 



The act provides for the appointment by the 

 Governor of three Commissioners, who shall 

 have the general supervision of all railroads in 

 the State operated by steam, and shall inquire 

 into any neglect or violation of the laws of 

 the State by any railroad corporation doing 

 business therein, or by the officers, agents, or 

 employees thereof; and shall also from time 

 to time carefully examine and inspect the con- 

 dition of each railroad in the State, and of its 

 equipment, and the manner of its conduct and 

 management, with reference to the public safe- 

 ty and convenience ; and for the purpose of 

 keeping the several railroad companies advised 

 as to the safety of their bridges, shall make a 

 semi-annual examination of the same and re- 

 port their condition to the said companies. 

 And if any bridge shall be deemed unsafe by 

 the Commissioners, they shall notify the rail- 

 road company immediately, and it shall be the 

 duty of the said railroad company to repair 

 and put in good order, within ten days after 

 receiving said notice, said bridge ; and in de- 

 fault thereof said Commissioners are hereby 

 authorized and empowered to stop and prevent 

 said railroad company from running or passing 

 its trains over said bridge while in its unsafe 

 condition. Whenever in the judgment of the 

 Railroad Commissioners it shall appear that 

 any railroad corporation fails in any respect 

 or particular to comply with the terms of its 

 charter or the laws of the State, or whenever 

 in their judgment any repairs are necessary 



upon its road, or any addition to its rolling 

 stock, or any addition to or change of its sta- 

 tions or station-houses, or any change in its 

 rates of fares for transporting freight or pas- 

 sengers, or any change in the mode of oper- 

 ating its road and conducting its business, is 

 reasonable and expedient in order to promote 

 the security, convenience, and accommodation 

 of the public, said Railroad Commissioners 

 shall inform such railroad corporation of the 

 improvements and changes which they adjudge 

 to be proper, by a notice thereof in writing to 

 be served by leaving a copy thereof certified 

 by the Commissioners' clerk with any station 

 agent's clerk, treasurer, or any director of said 

 corporation ; and a report of the proceedings 

 shall be included in the annual report of the 

 Commissioners to the Legislature. 



The tariff act is repealed, and the follow- 

 ing section contains the provisions relating to 

 charges, etc: 



No railroad corporation shall charge, demand, or 

 receive from any person, company, or corporation, 

 for the transportation of persons or property, or for 

 any other service, a greater sum than it shall at the 

 same time charge, demand, or receive from any oth- 

 er person, company, or corporation for a like service, 

 from the same place, or upon like condition and un- 

 der similar circumstances ; and all concessions of 

 rates, drawbacks, and contracts for special rates 

 shall be open to and allowed all persons, companies, 

 and corporations alike, at the same rate per ton per 

 mile, by car-load, unless, by reason of the extra cost 

 of transportation per car-load upon like condition 

 and under similar circumstances from a different 

 point, the same would be unreasonable and inequi- 

 table ; and shall charge no more for transporting 

 freights from any point on its line than a fair and 

 just proportion of the price it charges for the same 

 kind of freight transported from any other point. 



The repeal of the railroad tariff law, and the 

 change in the law permitting a majority of the 

 people of a township to vote aid to railroads, 

 instead of requiring two thirds as heretofore, 

 stimulated railroad-building in Iowa during the 

 year. 



In the House a proposed amendment of the 

 Constitution, permitting women to vote and 

 hold office, was adopted yeas 55, nays 42. 

 This also passed the Senate. Also a joint reso- 

 lution to strike from the Constitution the words 

 "free white," and providing for the election 

 and admission of colored men to the Legisla- 

 ture, passed the House yeas 74, nays 4. The 

 Senate also passed it yeas 38, nays 8. 



All proposed amendments to the Constitution 

 passed at this session must be submitted to the 

 next subsequent Legislature, and adopted by 

 it, previous to a vote by the people. 



A State Convention of the county Supervisors 

 recommended to the Legislature among other 

 things the abolition of the grand-jury system 

 and the trial of offenders by information. For 

 this purpose a joint resolution was proposed in 

 the Senate to amend the Constitution by the 

 insertion of the following in lieu of section 11 : 



All offenses less than felony, and in which the 

 puniahment does not exceed a fine of one hundred 



