Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1902-01-17

through two or more states, the ascertain,
the ng %nn his e
larger part Of the railroad property in Iowa
is owned and operated by companies with
lines extending through other states, and
their. property In this state is used MS u
these railroads Is Invisible into -four classes:
First. that which originates and ends in
mates in Iowa and terminates elsewhere:
third. that which originates elsewhere and
teri a IN Iowa; fourth. that which
It is manifest that With regard to ali 1.-THE the
terminates In the state there must in order
to ascertain the gross earnings within this
and that / believe should be the work OF
e cne nfigis l and nor Of the executive
It is then clear that in order to do Justice
there must be a uniform system of accounts
t Kept , by the railway companies SO that
ton, computed In the same manner, from
each sa company. The executive. council has
Is In the h,nds of the general assembly.
WITH such amendments, and with faithful
reports sI,h the assessing board could ascertain.
ings Of railroad property In this state.
n WEN ~ respect tI to net earnings, the made;
phrase, met earnings" has different mean
What should be deducted from the gross
earnings, In order to arrive ut the net earn.
ingss, ought to be declared by statute; and
Such uniform accounts should be kept by
railway companies as will enable them to
make make their reports upon common basis.
1t Is palpable that with respect to those
railway companies which have systems do
ing business ha Sn In two states or more there
Of the cost Of maintenance and operation by
the law. With the gross and net earnings
thus ascertained, many Of the obstacles In
the way OF just assessment would disap-
pear.
l am heartily in accord with. the proposal
stead OF March; that is to say at the time
when the executive council has under re-
cry cry favor such change In the law for
Two reasons: First, because it will enable
f hef,r exef e i've council to have more fully
or other property, and to put the railroad
property upon the same basis; second, be-
the reports from the railway companies and
the time is "a; at which the assessment must be
have the ampest opportunity. not only to
examine the reports; themselves, but if such
which the executive council should have In
order to fully and fairly discharge Its duty,
or sources. My final thought in this con-
| nection is that the executive council should
have have the power to employ, If deemed neccs-
through further inquiry the facts fact WHICH whIch
the reports may fall to disclose
ST. LOUIS EXPOSITION.
There viii occurr next year ut ST. Louis
the celebration of an event Of greater sig
n thea &c TO- to the people Of Iowa than any
| deeply interested in the exposition which
took PLACE in Philadelphia in 1876, but we
wa Wer ,na6 d interest with the whole nation
Fair at Chicago In 1888 " but ut we e'u shared
tnne concern with all the people Of North
what Is commonly known as the ''Louisiana
pnrchase' relates peculiarly to those states
The patriotic citizens Of this common.
among the states. The commemoration NO Of
hood in the greatest republic Of the earth
the event which gives US a place in the
other, ought not to be afioMsed to pass amy my.
noticed. 1t would humliate every man and
Iowa We're not, as she is everywhere else,
among the first We may not be. able to
WILL. from time to time, be declared upon
the Investment. we make In this memorial:
but l am sure that abundant returns viii
ened citizenship, and In a truer conception
| of the greatness and growth Of our splendid
| vIcKsBURG MONUMENT.
| IL "lves me more than ordinary pleasure
to mention the proposal to erect an appro-
mental monuments in the National Park at
| Vicksbusg. The tributes we render 70 the
Rasr1hoftifS n an and hsroism Of the
bellion. no matter how great or how noble.
Will but .feebly express the gratitude we
siege of vicksburg The valor Of Iowa SOL
niefs fXeryWheIe eonspicuous was especial
stronsnoa our proportionate losses were
greater than history records for any other
| engagement. and it is meet that we should
mark the field of nntriofic
enduring testimonials of our grateful men,
cries.
HISTORICAL BUILDING.
The state has made a beginning in the
erection of an historical building In the
rush of material affairs let us not forget
the government which is to be housed and
carried on in the historical building Many
work at the earliest practicable moment.
The proposed division of the state library,
which | believe meets the approval of all
who have examined the subject, must be
delayed until the building Is finished There
is no adequate repository for the collection
things that relate to the history and growth
Of the state. AS time passes on much that
is now accessible viii become inaccessible Da.
and much that is now in existence will be
destroyed: l am not permitted at this time
to to enter into the detail Of this: the most
must content myself with earnestly urging
the speedy completion Of the work so well
begun.
LA w VI NIIo1IAbLE INSTRUMENTS
l have been advised that there will be in
troduced into the general assembly a bill
covering the law peculiar to negotiable in
struments. I have long felt so deep an in
terest in the attempt to create uniformity
throughout he United States upon this i'm
portant subject that 1 cannot resist the in
ccination to mention the matter at this
time. In an age like ours, when commerce
utterly dfsregards state boundaries, and in
which the business relations of the people
OF one state are as intimate with the peo-
pie, of another, as with their own citizens;
and when we reflect that law is but
stumbling block unless it is known to those
of the laws of several states upon so sim
pie a thing as pron,issory note or bill Of
exchange Is Il reproach to a civilized people.
in extending to congress the power to
enact a statute that will be general in it's
Of the republic, but in view of the difficult
ties that lie in the way OF an amendment
to the constitution of the United States