Omaha daily bee., 1888-09-03
TIED UP WITH THE ROADS.
The Deal Entered Into BY the Demo-
Gratis of Iowa.
A NoN.ooMMlrrAL PLATFORM
1t Preserves n Mysterious silence on
Several Momentous Questions
The Mugwump Press-Judge
Fairalrs Injunction.
The Democratic Cor vention.


DEs MONIES, Ia, Sept Especial to THE
BEE. The democratic state convention was
held in this city last week and a platform
and ticket placed before the people to catch
the railroad vote. The platform deals in
"glittering generaities," and does not con-
tain word on the momentous railroad ques-
ton now agitating the state, or one line ap-
proving the work of the railroad commits
sioners. Judge Kinne, of Tama, who was
for many years the standing candidate for
governor, and who secured his election to
the district bench by virtue OF the solid rail.
road vote of Van Horne, division station OF
the Milwaukee, was chief spokesman OF the
platform committee. The railroad plank,
compared with the declaration on the same
question by the republican convention, is
weak and non-committal, going only so far
as to affirm the right of the legislature to
control the corporations which it creates a
The leading onices literally went
a-begging and candidates had
decline. George &. Hebering, of jackson
county, renegade republican with an inordi-
nate thirst for office, was named for secre-
tary of state. Amos Case, OF Chckasaw, an
aspiring young banker with "barl" was
| was put on the ticket for treasurer. Patrick
Henry Smythe, of Burlington, lawyer OF
| fair ability, was selected for supreme Judge
and j. G. Mitchell, an unknown member OF
the Lucas county bar, for attorney general
The convention, in the hope of dividing the
| Scandinavian vote, which heretofore has
been the mainstay of the republican party IN
several parts of the state, nominated Danies
| j. Ockerson, of Montgomery county, for
auditor of state. Mr.. Ockerson is native
| of Sweden and one of the very few demo-
Gratis found among that nationality. lie is
comparative unknown. The office or rail-
road commissioner alone seemed tempting
| bait TO the hungry democrats, and a large
han pf
Peter A. Dey a member of the present com
mission, was unanimously nominated. For
| the other two positions the railroad interests
brought out Hermann Wills, of Clinton, an
| eX-engineer of the Northwestern; Judge j.
| p. Allison, of Sioux City, and G.
| l.. Lund, a real estate dealer of
| Algona. The anti-mopGpolists named
several candidates, among them Senator
Bayless, of Clayton, representative
Hotchklss of Davis and Barnhard eraser,
| an Ida county farmer and member OF the ALI
| ance. Southwestern Iowa named j. II. Hurl-
burt a large and sucCeSsfu ful farmer, and an
+ active member of the Adair county alliance.
| Senator Bayless was specially marked for
| slaughter. He was a member of the last
| state senate, and ably led the minority of
| democratic senator's in the antimonopoly
struggle, and strongly insisted upon redeem.
| ing the pledge of the party platform IN re-
| gard to railroad legislation. Representative
| HOtchkiss lives in Davis county the very
| hot-bed of Weaverlsm, and has made rec
| ord in the general assembly in favor OF the
most pronounced antl-monopoly measures.
| Though his friends fought gallant fight and
urged his nomination on the ground OF local
lty, the Knne- Hunter combination marked
| him for victim and he fell behind in the
| race
| The alliance contingent in the convention
| allowed their party zeal to get the better of
| their principles, and deserted Hurlburt and
| eraser at the behest of the politicians and
| Joined in the stampede to Lund and Wills.
1 fpnln
| Iowa and proved fatal to the chances of
Judge Allison, who, on account of his
ability and wide acquaintance,
would probably have have oeen been more NOR
| Realizing at the last moment that they had
been sold out, the grangers greeted the mo
tion to make the nomination OF Lund and
Wills unanimous with storm OF noes. In
thus setting aside tried and true men like
Bayless and Hotchkiss for an ex-engineer,
and a land agent who has close business
relations with the railroads, the democrats
proved the nsncerity of their antimonopoly
professions. They will no doubt secure a
| solid railroad vote for these candidates, but
| will have great difficulty in convincing the
thousands OF democratic farmers who belong
| to the alliance that these men Will make
| better commissioners and will defend their
interests more zealously than members of
| their own organization. The State Alliance
will meet in few days, and while 1T is "a
| strictly non-partsan body it will no doubt
| take IL nunu Ill tut nPub ny puSslilB a Nott VI
want of confidence in Messrs Lund and
Wills and sguarely lndorsing the work OF the
| present commission.
A strong effort will be made to convince
the people that Wills is "laborng man,
but no one will dare to dispute
mis- time last winter lobbying
with members of the legislature to defeat
the railroad bills, The News of this city
the leading independent daily of the state
and the Homestead the alliance paper
will both oppose these nominees and advo
cate the election Of the present commission
ers. 1t looks as if the combine would find it
an uphill job to pull through this ticket.
Strange to say, laid and comfort" is being
, extended to the enemy by several profess
edly republican papers. The Cedar Rapids
! Republican is decidedly mugwumpish on
: | both the commissioners and governor, and II
it does not bolt the ticket will do it more
harm than good by its support. Scarcely {
, large daily in the state is giving the republl
, | can railroad commissioners an enthusiastic
and hearty support, and the fight is beine
= maintained by the local papers and the agri
cultural press.
a THE FAIRALL INJUNCTION.
f Hon. S. ii. Fairall, Judge of the Iowa City
| district, a few days ago rendered decision
/. | making his injunction restraining the rail
. | road commissioners from putting thei
o schedule in force in respect to the Burling
a | ton, Cedar Rapids q Northern perpetual
He takes almost the same ground as Judg.
feet guarantee such rates as will pay thei
, running expenses and fair interest on thei
investment. In other words, that the powe
o of the state in regard to fixing charges i
d limited to the rates between a fair and al
@ exorbtant net profit That is, if a roa
> could show that it was only making fai
1 and reasonable rate of interest on its invest
J. ment and Il law was passed that would re
h suit in reduction of its income, that tn
law would be unconstitutional The su
= preme court of the United States has neve
settled this exact question, although colla'
orally it has held to the opposite opinion
The Injunction will be appealed to the 81
| preme court of the state and come up for al
gument during the October term. Faira
was corporation lawyer before h
was elevated to the bench, an
his decision takes an ultra railroad view c
the case. The commissioners are contidel
that the highest court in the state will ovel
rule the Injunction. If this decision shoul
be sustained it would ALLOW the railroads
practically establish their own rates. The
would only have to take care that their div
dends did not exceed 8 or 10 per cent, an
they would be beyond legislative contro
The roads could find hundred ways of di
posing Of their surplus" aud the peopl
.,l li.AFa