Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-09-15
Congressman Taken to Task
For Opposition to Interstate
Commerce Amendment
REMINDED OF EVENT IN 1886
Present Conditions in State Similar
to Those Prevailing in That Year
Letter Published in WalIace's Farm
err Today and is of Considerable I'm
portance-CattIe Growers Mean 1t.
special to Times-Republlcar.

members of the Corn Belt Meat Pro
ducers' Association of Iowa and tn
Western Cattle Growers Association
and their allied interests are in ear
nest in their determination to secur'
the favorable cooperation of the mem
| bers of congress representing the grea
agricultural state of Iowa in matters
vitality affecting the welfare Of the far
cation today of an open letter to Hon
| w. p. Hepburn" by Henry Wallace
| the veteran editor and publicist III
| Wallace's Farmer. The letter appears
to be the beginning of general open
| ing up of the subject of the attitude
of the Iowa delegation in congress to-
ward legislation affecting the inter.
state commerce commission and inter-
state railroad rates. 1t follows the Wis
| it to this city of Frank Barry, OF
Washington, D. c.. secretary of the
| Cattle Growers Association, and some
correspondence of the Iowa members
The open letter opens with states
of Iowa are learning with surprise and
not a little humiliation that by reason
of the attitude of some of their repre-
sentatives in the national congress on
the transportation question. they are
regarded by the farmers of other states
as standing In the way OF. sorely need
ed reforms. Neither the far
mers or stocknen of states west, nor
the cotton growers of the south, nor
the great commercial organizations of
the east are able to understand why
a state occupying such a remarkable
vantage ground, should, thru it's rep
resentatives in congress, bar the way
to needed reforms which the country
so generally demands and SO urgently
needs. Particularly they are not able
TO understand why the representative
of the Eighth district of Iowa, the
home of so many Of the most sensible,
most successful, and most patriotic
people, should throw the weight of his
influence against any attempt to amend
the interstate commerce law. 1t is
said that almost more than other con-
gresham you are the most persistent
lv hostile to legislation calculated to
place in the hands of the interstate
commerce commission power sufficient
to enable it to prevent discrimination
in railroad rates and to enforce rates
which will be equitable. It is said tina;
you are not only passively opposed to
remedial legislation. but actively en-
7eavor to prevent, and but for this ac-
tfvity on your part it would have been
secured long ago"
aaH
Congressman Hepburn is reminded
that in 1886 an event occurred in his
district which he probably has not for
gotten his own defeat for congress by
man much weaker than you are and
no congressional experience" follow
ing which the interstate law was en-
acted as political necessity. The let
ter then adds:
1--WE ask these questions at this par
ticular time because of the similarity
of present conditions in your district,
and in the state to those prevailing
In 1885. In that year and for years
previous your constituents were pay
ing $3.50 per car Of cattle from Cres-
ton to Chicago, and similar rate at
all stations In the western portion of
your district, while on the same train
cattle were carried from Kansas City
and Omaha at. $45. Flour was then
shipped from Kansas City TO Des
Moines for 10 cents per hundred
pounds in car load lots, while towns in
your district had to pay Is to 20 cents
for half the distance. Your constit-
uents now pay 231a cents per hundred
weight of the cattle and hogs they
ship to Chicago, while on the same
train cattle are carried from the west
to the same point for 16 cents. The
long established rate on packing house
products between Chicago and New
York is 100 per cent of the rate on
live cattle and $50 per cent of, hogs
and sheep. Yet the beef trust gets
from Missouri river points to Chicago
at 1917 cents per hundred pounds,
while your constituents pay 231s cents
on both cattle and hogs. If the live
stock rate is just then the beef trust
should pay 35h cents on the product.
If the dressed beef rate is just, your
should pay 141a cents on
cattle and Is cents on hogs. Is it any
wonder, therefore. that they are in
curing by what methods they can be |
put on an equality with the combina-
ion Of packing houses which by means |
If rebates heretofore granted by the
,ailroads have become an odious and |
oppressive monopoly?
1.-The people OF your district are a
ong suffering and a forgiving people.
they believed when they restored you
o power and place, that chastisement,
However grievous, it may have been to
on. would work out in your case in the
'eaceable fruits of righteousness Is it |
ny wonder that they, in common with
he people of the state, desire to know
where you stand on this important
uestion? Do they not have right to
now?"
Mr.. Wallace IN his open letter de-
lares that there never was better
ime for craftsmanship than now when
he national contest is merely one be-
ween the outs and ms and of personal
haracter Why not take up a subject
\ which the people have vital inter-
st and tell the farmers OF the Eighth
istrict why they should pay $3.50 per
aA more on hogs and $40 more on cat
lie ~ order that the beef trust may yet
lie up other millions. Continuing, the
ettet ADDS:
"Here is Your opportunity, the oppor-
unity of Your life. This is no time for