Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-10-15
.G|LB[RISON'S VIEWS
Present Treasurer Wants a More
Definite Rule for Assessing
Railways.
Husband and Wife Can't Testify
J i Against One Another if They
Want to.
Des Moines Investigating to See
Who Was to Blame for
Rowdyism.
,ecial to Times-Republican.

Rowdyism.
Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Oct. 15.-Republican
speakers In the present camapign are
not discussing the question of reform
In the matter of assessing the railroads
and other corporations. The demo-
cratic committee would welcome a row
in that question. Much of the litera-
ture sent out by the democratic COM
mittee has had to do with the inequal-
tiles and injustice of the assessment
question. Since Governor Shaw pre-
sented his side of the case and Mr..
Herriott presented his views. both
plainly and clearly stated. the matter
has been generally dropped.
III agree fully with ex-Treasuer Her
riott in one thing said State Treas
urer Giilbertson, referring to this matter.
IT believe we ought to have better
method of assessing the railroads, and
1t should be uniform and fixed SO that
there would not be so much discre-
tion left to the executive council. 1t
lis too much case Of guessing 1t off
under the present law. 1t is true, as
Governor Shaw has said, that our pres
;ent assessment was made by unani-.
nous vote of the council. but the
members disagreed on many things.
1t is Just as on any kind of a board
or commission-each one has his own
view on this or that, each one gives In
a little and conclusion is reached In
the end. But that is poor way to
make assessments The legislature
ought to fix some method by which the
assessment can be arrived at by
uniform rule and the value OF the rail-
road property be determined as accur-
ately as other property. The proposal
of Mr.. Herriott to have the assessment
on net earnings 1t seems to me might
not be satisfactory. Net earnings as
shown by the railroads is largely a
matter of bookkeeping. Gross re-
Hceipts. or earnings would be nearer to
it., But whatever the method to be
used, 1t should be Uniform and not
leave so much to the Judgment and
discretion OF the members of the coGn-
cil.,
William ]. Bryan's participation in
the Iowa campaign will be brief, at
least on his present trip. He is to
speak in Newton this afternoon. but
will make no other speeches in Iowa
for the present, tho the committee had
a promise from him OF four speeches.
Il
farewell banquet to Charles "A. Towne,
at Duluth. Whether Mr.. Towne is go
ing to change politics again or just
start on tour of the world does not
appear. Bryan then jumps back into
Missouri and speaks at Paris. Mason
and Eirksville, then back into Nebraska
for few speeches. For retired pol
itician he is quite active.
Governor Shaw in his st. Louis
speech before a republican club on
Vandeventer avenue, placed himself
squarely in line with what some per-
sons are saying is the new republican
doctrine regarding trade and COM
imerce. In the course of his remarks
he said:
"Our foreign commerce during the last
fiscal year was twenty-three millions,
but of this fifteen hundred millions was
with Europe. We exported. in round
numbers, billion and half, but of
this amount more than a billion went
to E,hope. The population of Europe
is about 3OO,0O0,000. Can we long ex-
pect less than 90 per cent of the inhabi-
tants of the globe to consume 20 per
yV<. rct n low
new markets and make secure by in
ternational convention the trade we
enjoy. The countries of Europe must
have something to sell If they shall con-
tinue to buy. We should become con-
sunlers in somewhat larger measure of
the products of European countries lest
our customers become bankrupt and
unprofitable. We must not only ex-
change trade privileges where it5can be
done to advantage. but we must also
seek new markets under otner skies
and on the shore of other seas"
This is an introduction to presenting
in its fullest the theory of reciprocity.
is in line with what has been stated re-
Gently not only by the late President
Mckinley, but by nearly all the repub-
lican speakers In Iowa. MIR. Cummins
placed himself in line with this idea
in his first speech and has followed 1t
up ever since, and Senators Dolliver
and Allison and the congressman have
expressed similar views.
The supreme court has laid down the
rule in Iowa in regard to q husband or
wife testifying as to what was said be-
tween them. A great many persons
have the belief that while one can not
force husband or wife to testify
against the other or to tell in court what
they have said, yet the person testifying
has the option of telling if he SO chooses.
According to the Iowa supreme court
even this option is denied in many cases,
perhaps on all occasions. In an action
to set aside will in clayton county, the
Herbert case, an attempt was made to
have the wife testify as to what her hus-
band had said during his lifetime The
court cites the code and lays down this
general rule:
This statute in our Judgment abso-
1utely closes the mouth of the husband
or wife as to any communication made
by one to the other during marriage 1t
Is true that statutes of this kind have
been said to treat such communications
as privileged and analogous to those
which exclude confidential communica-