Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-04-09
The cheap Transportation
Problem.

and give us cheap transportation
were the catch-words OF the OPPOSE
tion in Wisconsin and Iowa during
the last campaign. In the opinion
of these new-fangled reformers the
Republican party could not be trust
ed with the devisiug of ways and
means TO alleviate as far as practical
bic the just complaints OF the people.
The legislatures of these States have
been In session for some months, but
the zeal for reform on the part of the
is cooling down TO zero
in fact they have fully committed
in the interest of railway
not merely by neglect
ing To devise local legislation, but al
SO by the assumption OF certain posi-
tions for the government of national
affairs The first assumption is that
the Federal Government must sacri-
flee everything to keep down national
and that all appropria-
tions Hr river and harbor improve
ments, the enlargement Of canals and
the provision Of facilities for water
accommodation are SO many
evidences of corruption and extrava-
gance. The assertion Is that expen-
ditures for these objects involve tax
alton, and as the Changers of the
West are opposed to taxation these
important Improvements must be
indefinitely postponed.
The next position is that Congress
has Unconstitutional power to inter
fere with the prerogatives OF corpora
tions chartered by the several States,
and the power to regulate Interstate
commerce and to provide for uniform
rates and facilities is totally denied.
The next position is that 1T Is mex
Incident aud AN evidence of centrali-
zation, dangerous to the public
welfare, for Congress to charter new
railway corporations. And even the
initiatGry proposition to create a
board ar commission Of inquiry to as.
certain what may be best in the
premises and in what direction Con-
gress may afford the most speedy re-
lief 70 the people has been bitterly
opposed. ...
ample OF Illinois is cited in support
that neither Congress nor the state
+ erIslafures can pass laws which
will practically enforce even justice
TO the Inhabitants along the lines OF
railways, and, If admitting this to be
the case. The friends of cheap trans
portation argue that the Government
should construct double-track road
beds or its own, to be operated either
by Government officers or by private
individupls Is, we are met with per-
II "a II off tietftffeiatfUrT ti4Ht ttFfs
means usurpation and unbounded
corruption. =.
Since they choose to reject all
propositions promising relief, let us
inquire OF them " What will yoe
do to redeem the earnest and solemn
pIedges that you made 10 the people
before election ? What measure
will you adopt TO secure to
the husbaldman of the far West his
Just profits on the products OF his la
Dor? Why do you stimulate the peo,
ple's discomfort by denouncing rail-
way corporations in the most extrav-
agant language, if you have nothing
whatever 10 propose to mitigate these
alleged wrongs? Surely these men
must be utterly shameless-habltu-
ated TO the violation Of pledges and
contemptuous of the people that
have trusted them-or they would
hang their heads in shame. Instead
of that they believe they can blind
the people by redoubling their accu-
sations and violent denunciations.
But will there be no end TO this
senseIess farce OF bowling corruption
at men who are incomparaDly better
than their ASSISTANTS?
In view of these things, so mani
fest that all men who can think ani
read can comprehend them, we ap-
peal 10 our citizens, not as partlsans,
but as men having vital Interests AT
stake, whether they can trust politi-
clans so exeerable with the conduct
OF national and State affairs? Let ev-
cry friend of good government put
the question TO these seli-styied re-
formers, What remedies do you pro-
pose? What other object except TO
obtain Office and power do you seek?
We stated on the very threshold
OF this controversy that the questions
of cheap transport and the regulation
of railway corporations and the de-
wise Of ways and means to do justice
alike to the corporations and and the
public is work Of such great magni.
tude that it requires prudence, pa
tience, and perseverance, and that
before the first step can be taken the
entire field Is to be carefully surveyed
by the most scientific and at the
same time most practical investiga-
ton.
If the Republican party, with All
its resources, intelligence, and skill,
is unequal TO the task OF providing
practicable remedies on the spur OF
the moment the reform opposition
led by men OF the GrGsbeck stripe,
who so sadly need reforming, will
only aggravate existing evils by
stimulating discomfort on the one
hand and by afording perfect iInmu-
nifty to corporations on the other.
Under these circumstances it Is one
OF the duties of the Republican press
to contrast the loud-mouthed profess
sions Of the Opposition with their
performances, 50 that the people
tat osA not no da-