Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-09-20
COL. HEPBURN SHOULD ANSWER.

Just now the cattle growers of the
west, thru the secretary of their inter-
state association and aided by an open
letter from Henry Wallace, the veteran
farm paper editor, are making things
warm for Congressman Hepburn be-
cause of his opposition to bill which
would give to the interstate commerce
commission power to fix railroad rates.
There is not the least likelihood that
this criticism of Hepburn can affect
the congressional election in the Eighth
district and it is not intended to disccur-
age the election of Colonel
Hepburn, but rather to con-
vince him that there is an ur-
gent call on the part of citizens for
Z Col. Pete to represent somebody at
home. Henry Wallace addresses to
him an open letter stating that at pres
ent the farmers of Iowa must pay
freight charges of 231a cents per hun
dred for shipping cattle to Chicago,
while cattle on the same train will be
shipped from Omaha at 16 cents per
hundred. He also calls Mr.. Hepburn's
attention to the fact that the establish
ed rate on packing house products is
$50 per cent of the live hog rate which
should require the beef trust to pay
35ls cents if the price of 23A cents
charged the Iowa farmer for live hogs
were fair and just, yet the beef trust
gets its products carried from Omaha
to Chicago for 1871 cents, actually
cents per hundred less than the Iowa
farmer pays on live hogs when the es-
tablished rate is nearly IL cents high
Nr Setting out these conditions Henry
Wallace wants Col. Pete to explain why
he opposes all efforts to give the inter-
state commerce commission power to
adjust these inequalities and it is up to
Col. Pete to explain.
Nearly every state railroad commits
sion that has been established has been
given the power to regulate rates. 1t
is true that the railroads turn right
neys regulate the railroad commits
sions but if the shippers of such a
state should rise UP in their wrath and
take hand in the nomination and cleo
ton of railroad commissioners the stat
utory power is already provided for
that commissioner use to regulate the
rates.
Heretofore the interstate commerce
commission has, been very much OF a
farce in It's impotence. Subjected to
railway influence in politics and shorn
of any authority to control freight rates
by reason of lack of statutory provi-
sion it has been good for little or
nothing. Now comes a bill to give the
commission some authority. 1t is back
ed by the livestock shippers of the
west, who are burdened with gross in
equalities Col. Hepburn, altho repre-
senting q livestock growing state, OPP
poses the bill. Why does he do it? If
he has a good reason he should answer
Henry Wallace's letter and tell us what
that reason is. It will not do for Col.
Hepburn to ignore the charge. He will
be elected this fall for a two years job.
but Col. Hepburn is not necessary to
the people Of Iowa nor to the republi-
can party. He is an able man and
can be OF great service to his people
IL he wants to but the people have
some rights over the office of congress-
man from the Eighth district which
they will exercise when sufficiently
aroused. Just now they have a right to
knew from Col. Hepburn why he OPP
no,oc this hill