New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-26
MEASURESI IN IOWA
GOVERNOR LARRABEEs CRUSADE.


GENERAL FARE LAW OF TWO CENTS MILE PRO
PosED-ALARM AMONG RAILWAY EMPLOYEES
MORE CONSERVATIVE SENTIMENT SHOWING 1T
SELF.
DIES MONIES Iowa, Feb 20.-The attitude OF 1ow'
toward the railroads, reflected through tho Logs
aturc in session here, and the unusually agsros
slve course Of the Executive is causing much concern
throughout the entire State. The Granger warfare
years ago possessed some OF the elements Oh
well founded popular revolution; but much oil the ~ori
wrought in the excitement Of that period was supse
onentIy undone in to the appeals Of the people
themselves. The convulsion resulting wholly from .
self administered corrective too freely applied, was Sc
Violent that tho public glad to accept as remedies
OF the very things they had previously rejected
evils Since then there has been little or no friction
between railroad managers and shippers OTHER than thai
which is unavoidable Meanwhile companies whose
lines enter the State have been constantly appcaeu u
by communities seeking extensions and II Is not TOO
much say that the companies themselves have malc
enemies among unreasonable mon because, IN 'heH
Judgment traffic returns would not warrant inc outlay
which they would be required to make 10 Heo' 'ho'o
demands. Refusas to build lines to competitive vi
10 out OF tho way undeveloped points have, moro
fore eiyen rise to the cry of discrimination" fet
these appeals have boon SO far answered Iha' IOWA.
with her SCOOPS square miles Of territory, with popu
lation less than 1000 000 has almost sooo miles Vi
railroad as against Illinois with $3.50 square mics
population Of three and quarter million ana little
over 1000 miles Of railroad Great aid In this material
development been supplied by capital from beyond
the state. According to tho report Of tho Railroad
Commissioners for 1885 the approximate proporionate
cost of the roads travcsing Iowa WIS 90
In operating roads within the state 25,761 persons
were employed, and they paid for their services
Sl3 677 ,7s0 49, which, as tho commissioners them
selves admit, 1901 900 90 in excess OF the net
earnings from which those owning the properties might
rghtflly poet to derive interest and dividends In
addition to this sum the companies paid back to the
people 1902 220 o. In tho shape Of taxes during the
same year
Many business interests we'll struggling COM
munes not little alarmed at the situation, and
there is strong reactonsy belief that the movement
against the railroads has permitted to go too far
II IS Just, also, to tho Railroad Commissioners to
say that they have for the most part. been conserva-
tive In their official utterances, apparently believing
that whom tho magnificent development OF the Slate IS
measured by the growth Of the railway system tho
adv antages largely In favor Of the people Thought
full business argue that these spasmodc assaults
upon capital Will ultimately react upon the better In
teiests Of the commonwealth AS this sense OF I'M
easiness increases there growing desire to tx the
responsible for the present agitation
Primarily this is traceablc to certain politicians who
looked about them for Issue, alivo or dead and
fastened upon the familiar ono of Hallway monopoly
cents per mile in Iowa. 1t at once proposed 10
reduce the fare to . cents per mile. Now, statesmen
of this class had only to turn to tho last report OF
the commissioners to find that while the maximum
rate was fixed by at cents per mile the companies
had averaged less than q per mile But there was
something captivating in the sound and the fact was
pointed out that the NewYork Central was limited by
law to that rate They did not poro statistics for
additional figures. If they had done they would
have found that tho road mentioned stood alone in
this respect They would have learned, ALSO that
with population Of 103 to the square mile, all roads
in New-York except the Central charge cents, the
maximum ratio In Iowa where tho population IS only
"a TO the square mile A 2-ccnt fare bill was de-
handed in convention platforms ponding the last cleo
ton. At the time 1t was promised that the
Railroad Commissioners should be elected by the people
and clothed not with Judicial but with absolute,
arbitrary powers. When the Legislature convened IL
was treated TO most remarkable annual and inaugural
message from Governor LaTabee. Some OF the e1-
pressons contained therein sounded almost like threats
or invitations violence against tho property Of the
companies. Subsequently when discussed In private
about tho capital the friends of tho Executive smiled,
shrugged their shoulders and said in an apologize
Of way Oh, he Is only trimming for the senator
ship and make a record that Is all that als
him" At tho opening OF the session convention OF
anti railroad held in this city at which several
drafts of bills were presented. These were the work
Tho Governor descending from his Executive position,
entered this convention being received with applause
and subsequently addressed It, In view OF the utter
anoes contained In bis official messages this supple
mentary proceeding emphasized his hostility to tho
roads, and Immediately aroused them to active work
in their own behalf Their representatives fastened
hther and demanded hearing in justice to them
selves. Tho convention hurriedly considered the
measure before them and recommended that which
appeared be the most radical and which received
the favor Of the Governor At this point business In
forests became excited and labor organizations began
TO apprehond a reduction of wages. Rcmonstrances
poured in, and legislators grew bewdeicd. Some OF
the moro aggressive paused The arguments OF rail
way men were heard, statistics seriously studied,
and the resolutions passed by representatives OF com
mercal bodies and the petitions of railway employees,
coming In from all parts Of tho State were not ignored
Then there loud cry for facts-facts Of tho kind
that could only be supplied by the report Of the Rail
road Commissioners, which had already been sub
mitted by them TO the Governor. This important
document was however not forthcoming 1t was called
for by resolution Of the Assembly. Then followed
an attempt explain the cause OF delay and an official
CORES pondence resulted which gave rise to grave
spicions that in way other 1t had been with
held because 1t contained statistics which controveed
many OF the premises which the assault upon rail-
way interests was grounded
This assault having been made after such large
promises by the leaders, retreat or even compromise
would mean political ruin to many. Consequently a
dis position been manifested to contend stubbornly
for tho passage Of some law affecting railroads Some
OF tho wiser heads, however, among them Senator
WILSON, counsel moderation, and simple adaptation OF
the provisions Of the Interstate Commerce law to OK
lgencies in the State As time advances, the indi-
atioIs increase that some measure may yet be en-
acted This seems all the probable, from the
fact that a now phase of the situation has presented
itself Railroad companies In the past have not al
tempted TO NEEDLE to any great extent In Iowa politics.
The proposition to make the Board OF Railroad Com
mis- sioners five In number, elective officers, w0nld OK
tend TO them opportunity OF which they might
avail themselves. At any rato this apprehension
forced itself upon the minds Of The rail
road companies met this hint with the simple reply
that they had doslre to cnter the politics of Tho
state unless they were driven iIts doing so. Ger
tainly Commission possessed Of absolute power in
behalf Of the people and against the railroads afford
ed the latter little hope OF securing Justice. Thus
spirit of conservatism began gradually to develop
itself legislation halted, and members have in many
Instances expressed desire to consult further with