The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1885-01-01

The Kef gan Bill.
The peculiar methods Of the re-
publican party In opposing legisla-
;ion for the relief 81 The producers Of
the country is shown in their tactics
IN reference 10 the Reagan Inter-
State Commerce Bill. The intention
Of the republicans in Introducing an
amcndnlsB: to prohibit the railroads
from making freight Determinations
on account of race or color is simply
al amendment designed to create
division among the friends Of labor,
in The interest Of tn. corporations.
Rae, color and previous condition
Il seryitude" are the bug-bears
through which thieves. monopolists
and jcbbcrs Of every shade and
phase OF political rascality, seek to
obstrnct the passage OF proper legis-
lation designed to end railroad cx-
tcrtion- 1t Is rs unnecessary TO
specify the negro in a railroad bill,
MS in a bill appropriating money for
lighthouses, harbors. coast surveys,
or for providing the ordinar; revc-
nues OF the government. The only
harm in the amendment is that it is
designed to cause the real. question
before congress and the country to
be lost sight Of. There is no sense
in legislating in the special interest
OF any race, and all general laws like
the interstate commerce hill should
be free from all such side issues.
1t is instructive to note that while
the republicans in congress are en-
ploying every possible article to
prevent this legislation the lepubli-
cans Of Iowa are agitating the ques-
ton OF a special session OF the legis.
laturc to procure just such laws rs
that party repealed in Iowa, when II
felt omnipotcntin having eO-thous.
and majority. The extor.icn OF thu
railroads is not as bad now a. then
inasmuch rs the freight and passen.
ger rates are less now on every road
in the state than they were then
The Ciarksons and their followers in
the state, down 10 the most Insight
ficint local republican newspaper
OF the state have echoed the asser.
ton OF the State Register. that every
Greenbacker or ti-monopolist
who had favored placing the corpor.
ations under control or law were
demagogucs, knaves, communists
scoundrels, trying to array the poor
against the rich. For the past ten
years the class Of men now clamor-
ing for railroad legislation have been
teaching the people to despise the
men who have favored such legisla.
ton rs these men now demand. The
railroads and the corporations own
the legislator Of Iowa rs fully as
though they had appointed its mem.
bers instead Ut their having been
selected by the farmers OF the state
Manning. our presiding officer in
senate, and Wolfe in the House, are
their tools and representatives and
they have constituted the com.
mites t. represent t,srir views and
not the people or their interests
While the preventative Of onr
county might be expected to favor
legislative control Of the railr Dads
his slavery to party dictation is SC
complete that he voted to place the
control of.lcgislation in the hands OF
committees appointed by Speaker
unfayorable to the people and in
the interest Of moncpolies. A
special session might create a breach
in the parry between those who favor
the people and those who seek it As
a means Of retaining political as.
tendency in the state at the sacrifice
OF the people il need be. This dan
ger will 60 far to offset any party
strength they hope for through its
influence and effect and is quit.
likely to thwart the object.