Show WILL CONTEST IN T IDE TE E mm t Railroads Running Through Nebraska Declare War on Passenger Rate Omaha March Is authoritatively announced in a private report of ot official character from Chicago that the rail railroads railroads railroads roads of Nebraska will contest the cent passenger fare law which the legislature I enacted a week ago ngo and the governor signed last Wednesday at midnight placing placing ing Ingo it in effect at once The roads are arenow arenow arenow now preparing to carry the case cAS to the courts and aDd there make a vigorous contest to determine the validity of the new ne law When the law was enacted It carried an emergency clause which provided for its operation upon It its ItA being signed by b the governor or within five fiO lays days d 11 without his signature The governor George L Shel Shei Sheldon Sheldon don though ele elected by b the Republicans upon a platform I last fall faH on the stump during durin the cam campaign campaign campaign advocated a graduated scale of or fares rather than a flat law be believing believing lieving the latter would be In Inmany Inman Inmany many man cases of or small or branch roads So when the legislature passed the tho bill billi i providing for a flat cent rate Governor Sheldon hesitated to sign the bill think thinkIng thinkIng thinking Ing to be consistent with his course counse But when he considered that without his the law la which the people eople demanded might be unconstitutional owing to the wording of the emer emergency emerI emergency gency genc clause he be decided to sign It rather I than place himself in tho the way of or what the majority of the legislature had deemed a wise measure The railroads however contend that the th governor did lid not relinquish his former conviction as to the unfairness of such a measure and that he and prominent members of the legislature elected on plat platforms platforms platforms forms even een now question the validity of the law primarily on the grounds as he advocated in his campaign speeches that it is The railroads will proceed with their contest con tet as soon as they the array their forces and complete com lete their plans of o campaign I Law Rushed Through Chicago March 10 W B Biddle Biddie traffic j manager of the thO Rock flock system tem tern said he would not be surprised if the railroads should take the question of ro I passenger rates into the courts 1 know kno this matter has been discussed In Informally Inform informally formally form he ho said but I 1 am not pro pre prepared pared to say MY that any an definite line of ac action action action tion has been determined upon The ac Sc action action tion of the Nebraska legislature placed us at a serious inconvenience We e did not have hao time to revise our rates AH An wa we W 3 could do was as to notify our agents of the passage Sage of the law la and Instruct them to conform with its Us provisions in computing fares In Nebraska In that territory the cost of operation O is much greater than thail it itis ItIs itIs is In the east and there th re arc are other condi conditions condItions with which we have bare to contend that the legislatures of several states seem not to have taken Into consideration I Look what they thC did In WI It is IsanI only anI an example ex mple of what should bo done in tn every A commission I was appointed to Inquire into the tho advisability advisability of enacting a fare Jaw It continued d Its Investigation eight el ht months I and reported that a t fare law in Wisconsin would be unjust P S Eustic passenger traffic manager I of the Chicago Burlington Quincy rail railroad railroad railroad road staid said a thorough system of or account accountIng accounting I Ing has hea been inaugurated to show the pre precise I else cise earnings under the new law A strict accounting of ot earnings arning will bs be kept and comparisons with the revenue of or preceding precedIng ing years jean will win be made nide |