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

The peculiar methods OF the re
publican party in opposing legis!a-
ton for the relief Of the producers Of
the country Is shown in their tactics
III reference 10 the Reagan Inter-
State Commerce Bill. The intention
Of the republicans in Introducing an
amendment 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,
III The interest Of the corporations.
..Rasc, color and previous condition
II servitnde" are the bng-bcars
through which thieves. monopoiists
and jcbbers OF every shade and
phase Of political rascality, seek to
obstrnct the passage Of proper legis-
lation designed to end railroad ex-
tortion. It is as unnecessary to
specify the negro in railroad bill,
rs IN q bill appropriating money for
light houses, harbors. coast surveys,
or for providing the ordinary reye-
nues OF the government. The only
harm in the amendment is that 1t 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.
It is instructive to note that while
the republicans in congress are en-
ploying every possible article to
prevent tubs legislation the republic
cans Of Iowa are agitating the anes-
ton Of a special session OF the legis-
laturc to procure just such laws us
that party repealed in Iowa, when it
felt omnipotentin having SO-thous-
and najorisy. The extor.icn OF the
railroads is not as bad now az then.
inasmuch as the freight and passen-
ger rates are less now on every road
in tho state than they were then.
The C!arksons and their followers. in
the state, down 10 the most insight
ficInt local republican newspaper
OF the state have echoed the usser-
ton OF the State Register. that every
Greenbacker or Anti monopolist
who had favored placing the corpor-
ations under control OF 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 dcspise the
men who have favored such legisl,l-
ton as these men now demand. The
railroads and the corporations own
the legislator Of Iowa rs fully as
though they had appointed its menu
beers instead uf 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 ard
they have constituted the COM
mites to represent t,.eiI views and
not the people or their interests.
While the representative OF our
county might be expected to favor
legislative control OF the railr Dads,
his slavery to party dictation is 50
complete that he voted to place the
control oflcgislation in the hands of
committees appointed by Speaker
unfavorable to the people and in
the interest Of moncpolies. A
special session might create Il 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 if need be. This dan
ger will 60 far to Offset any party
strength they hope for through its
influence and effect and is quite
likely to thwart the object.