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Show IISSOUKI" RA T E Gov. Hadley Argues for State, Judge Spencer for Railroads Kansas City. Jan. 22. Governor Herbert S. Hadley made the principal argument here today for the state in the Missouri rate cases, and a great I array of railroad attorneys and others were on hand to hear him. Judge O. M. Spencer of St. Joseph, Mo., general 1 j solicitor of tho Chicago, Burlington & j Quincy, was the leading argument ot i the day for the railways. Governor Hadley asserted Uiat the proposed j I freight rates were reasonable, and I that If the railroads would stop dis- j criminating they could easily comply I with the two-cent law. Judge Spencer ! declared that the laws came about as ! the result of political conditions, and not from any public demand or public necessity. j Governor Hadley said in part; "The railroads "have demonstrated the falsity of their contention by Uielr unquestioned prosperity during tho course of the last ten years. "The railroads have themselves demonstrated dem-onstrated the reasonableness of the 1 two-cent fare. If they would stop Issuing Is-suing passes and discriminating between be-tween those who aro best able to pay as against those who are least ablo to do so, they could easily comply with the two-cent law. If. in ten years, with an increase of passenger traffic of approximately ap-proximately 100 per cent and an Increase In-crease in equipment and mileage of but 27 per cent, the railroads are not abundantly able to comply with these laws reducing freight and passenger I rates, then they have demonstrated that they are not nearly so efficient as operators as they are as witnesses." Judge Spencer said in part; "This is not a fight against Missouri Mis-souri but a fight for Missouri. The ' railroads have made Missouri the fifth state in the union aru.if let alone, will help her go nearer-the top -of the list. "The maximum freight law under I consideration, came about as the re-J re-J suit of political conditions and not from any public demand or public necessity. "It followed, as such laws usually do, the agitation of reform and the change In party power. It came into existence in Missouri about the time tho mysterious stranger made its ap-peaiance ap-peaiance in Missouri. For the first I time in thirty years, the political parties par-ties changed power in this state. The new party cast around to see "what action It might take to render itself popular with the people, and. without cause or reason, assailed the railroads with this maxlmun rate law. following follow-ing this later with the two-cent law." Kansas City, Jan. 22. When Mr, Lathrop took the picture to the judge's bench and after showing it to the court, turned It towards the overcrowded over-crowded couit room, cheers broke out and the spectators applauded for nearly I a minute. Visibly affected. Governor Hadley arose and accepted the picture. He said: "It is a source of the greatest satls-' satls-' faction that after four years of service for the people as attorney general. , they thought I had made good enough I to make me their governor. I may ! represent the party at whose head j stands the 'Mysterious stranger,' but my administration as governor will not be an administration for 'the J mysterious stranger.' but an admlnls- Itration for Mlssourlans." Judge O. M. Spencer of St Joseph, Mo. followed Mr. Hadley. He said if there had to be a "mysterious stranger" strang-er" In the Missouri state house be was glad it was Herbert Hadley. "Did you vote for him?" inquired Judge McPherson. 1 "I did not," answered Judge Sponger. Spon-ger. "Then you are like Andrew Carnegie and free trade." said the judge. "You're for It after it no longer affects ; you." "I want to say," concluded Judge Spencer, "that we'll take care of tho mysterious stranger' next time." |
