The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-09-10
The Iowa Rail Road Law.

Much has been said about the Railroad
law which the Iowa Legislature passed
last winter, and while we cannot agree
with portion of the comment made by
the Iowa Press, yet great deal OF il meets
our hearty appreciation We feel satisfied
that the question of State legislation reg
ulating the Rail Road tariff has thus far
proven failure. and that the law WI ich
was intended for protection OF the far
mer, and shipper, has worked decidedly
the reverse. An effort has, and is being
made Just now, to saddle this law upon
the Republican party. This is not right
nor just The passage Of the law was not
In strict sense party measure. Party
lines were not drawn in the contest, and
majority of the representatives OF both
parties voted in favor of it. There are
quite number of railroads in the State
that burst not charge the rate which is
fixed by the law, for if they should do so,
they would drive their business elsewhere
to competing roads. There are other
roads which are charging the fullest maxi
mum rate which is allowed by law. The law
cannot regulate the railroad tariff only
within the limits of our own State. The
effect of it is that the travelling public
within our state borders are enabled to
travel cheaper than before, and the local
freights are somewhat reduced. This
does not benefit the farmer but slightly.
The ordinary farmer does not travel much
over the railroad. The question with
them is cheap transportation of the gen
cral farm products Of the State to the
east. By the existing law however, the
tariff is increased on all freights that are
shipped to any point east of the Mississip
ri river. That is to say, the railroads
have taken advantage of the inability Of
the State to control freights outside Of her
limits, and charge the maximum rate
within the State of Iowa, and the maxi
mum rate as fixed by the Illinois law
which gives them tariff from three TO sir
cents per bushel more for freights TO Chi
,csgo than they were charging before the
enactment of the law. The intention of
the law is thus avoided by the railroads
and the producer Is the party injured.
We are not disposed, nor do we cry down
che idea Of regulating the railroads by
legislation but in our humble judgment it
were better for the farmers of Iowa if the
law was repealed, and the matter left to
competition until the final question of
hall ho Aofprminod nv
the General Government. We believe
that Congress is the only power that can
IN the nature of things legislate, and sue
cessfully control these vast corporations.
In regard to the mode Of procedure, &C.,
ue will not speak We have our own
ideas concerning the question, believing
that the problem will not be solved until
it is grappled by Uncle Sam. We clip
the following from the Clinton Age which
is about the strongest and ablest Anti
Monop parer in the State Of Iowa:
The law fixing the rates railroads Of
Iowa should charge for transpOrtating
freight and passengers has been in opera
tion something over month. As near as
we can ascertain. the law has been en-
I9rceo oy the railroads, and the rates fixed
Adnefeo 10. The question now arises who |
has been benefited by this law
We can hardly believe the farmers have
because we have had an opportunity late. |
" to interview large number az them M.
on this subject, and the inyariahie ~.
spouse Is that the law is q humbur and |
II some instances il is denounced AZ /
swindle upon the farmers.
II we remember correctly the law was
passed in the interest OF farmers. 1t was
this class which seemed TO feel the most
oppressed by what was denominated rail.
road extOrtiOns But instead of the State
appropriating q fund to prosecute the
roads for ext0rtion, the legislature under
took to entertain arbitrary rates for con-
seying freight, which rutes all roads in :
ceTtain ciess were 70 be governed BY. It