Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-09-05
AN UNJUST ATTACK
Democratic Papers Efforts to
Make Cummins Pose as
Railroad Smasher
TRUE REPUBLICAN ATTITUDE
Regarding This Subject 1t Is Simply
to Use and Tax the Railroads Fairly
and JustIy-No Discrimination in
Either Direction Excerpts From
Press Editorials on the Subject.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Sept, 5.-Here are two
excerpts from editorials in newspapers
published in a neighboring county, one
from a democratic paper arj- j-the other
from a republican paper. and they have
been handed to the writer for the pur-
pose of indicating something of the
nature Of the contest that is before the
is to make headway when the motives
and public acts of public servants are
called in question by persons who make
pretense OF supporting their party and
tickets. The first is from the demo-
cratic paper. as follows:
'1The Cummins press have been max
ing claims for credit for their chief
idol because of the assessments of the
railways of the state by the executive
made to have it appear to the people
that the governor and his colleagues
have eyened UP all scores with the gian,
corporations OF the state, and made
them pay their fair proportion of taxes.
But the Cedar Rapids Republican, tho
considerable of a railroad organ itself,
is more of an anti Cummins sheet, and
SO 1t very cruelty but most effective
ly punctures the claim that Cummins
l, hi, ;,1,
railroads 1t analyses the figures and
compares the railroad increase with
the farm property increase, showing
conclusively that relatively the rail
way property will pay a smaller pro-
portion OF taxes than ever before"
The other is a reply from the re
publican newspaper on the same sub
ject:
Some Iowa papers, among them one
or two republican papers. have sought
to make it appear that Gov. Cummins
has attempted to pose as a railroad
smasher and then they have taken the
results Of the work of the executive
council in the equalization of taxe~ aa
an evidence that the governor, who is
a member of that council is not at dll
the kind OF a man he pretends to b..
The trouble lies in ascfibing to the
governor motives that he does not
entertain. Neither Gov. Cummins, the
other members of the council, nor tha
republican party entertain any purpose
or desire to smash the railroads or to
treat them unfairly. Gov. Cummins
and all other republicans believe rail
roads should be used fairly ana
taxed justly The equalized assess
ments we believe are the result Of III
effort in that direction. Every year
the democratic press raises this cry
OF discriminating in favor of the rail
roads in the matter of assessments,
and every year the voters of Iowa, by
overwhelming majorties. continue to
endorse republican administration
So the people do not believe there is
anything but a very poor grade of
politics in this constantly repeated
democratic howl about favorlng the
railroads And they are too intelli-
gent to elect any man as governor who
they thought aspired 10 making u
reputation as a railroad smasher."
One is from the Perry Advertiser and
the other from the Adel News. 1t is
said the democratic committee will do
little else this year than quote from
republican papers.
The statistical report of the Iowa
bureau of labor statistics for the bien-
nial period will make some interesting
facts public. One of these relates to
the growth and accomplishments of Ia .
Dor organizations in Iowa. Commis-
sioner Brigham and his deputy, Mr.
Holder, have done great deal of work
this year on the subject. The report
will contain table which Will SHOW
that there are in the state branches
of GA separate national or interna-
tional brotherhoods, with 829 locals, and
that the membership OF the 1855 from
which reports were received was A.
1870. This is an average Of 5S.b1 MEM
bers per union and ON this basis the
total membership, counting the 70 not
reporting, is about 4S,400 in Iowa. This
is an increase from $4,000 two years
ago. These unions are located in 81
counties and 123 towns They paid out
last year in relief work $780, Des
Moines has 20 unions with 5,6S3 mem
bers, not reporting. Dubuque has
SO unions with 2.S20 members, not
X.
with GAL members. one not reporting
A valuable compilation has been made
showing that >since organization most
of the laborIng men have secured ad-
vance in wages or reduction of hours
of labor or both. The best showing
is that of the printers of 1921 per
cent in wages since organization. The
stereotypers got an advance, average
for the state of SS.SS per cent, the
United Metal Workers 71.42 per cent,
plumbers $3.50 per cent, and the post
office clerks brewery workers, railroad
conductors, engineers, firemen and
trainmen average of about SO per cent
The cigar makers got 1851 per cent
increase and 27.27 per cent decrease in
hours of labor The hotel and res
taurant workers 35.33 increase in wages
and 20 per cent reduction in time. The
electrical workers got 46.7S advance
in wages and 10 per cent less of time
The bricklayers and nlasons got 34S6
increase and IL per cent decrease In
hours. The machinists got 27.12 in
crease in wages. There was one union
organized in Iowa as early as 1858 tn 7
still survives, another in 1865, one in
1867 and up to 1882 there We're %. then
in ten years 70 more, ana the rest