The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-13
Communicated RADICAL RAILROAD READJUST-
 MENT


 RADICAL RAILROAD READJUsT-
 MENT.
 Did Not Yield the Good Results Com
 municated. MT B. B. Conner, Tn connection wlsh the Railroad Commission matter, uses the alleged prosperity of the State of Iowa as one of his arguments for rad- ical re-adjuotment of rates in Alabama. The laws of the State of Iowa give to the Railroad Commission of that State similar mandatory powers to the law en- acted by the last Legislature of Ala bama.
 In 1903. Governor LaFollette of Wiscon- :,n insisted that the Iowa rates should be adopted in Wisconsin.
 It is Interesting to note in connection with that controversy the following ex- tracts from The Milwaukee Sentinel.
 (Speclal Dispatch to The Sentinci)
 'Dcs Moines, Ia., Jan. 12.-The Wiseon- sin controversy over the proposed estab- lIshment of a political Railroad Rate Commission is of interest here, because Iowa has such a commission, and all of the benefits that were promised the peu- pie of this State, as the result of tAt services of such a body, have so far fail ed to materlalize. It Is a mistake to say
 
 developments under the present system of distance freight tariffs. More than one protest has been spoken, emphatic ally condcmninS the operations of d rate making board, that have driven manu- lecturers out of thS State and retarded the development of its industries.
 The files of The Des Moines DaI4y Capital, one of the most influential pa pers in the State, abuhdantly prove tlGr there IS olssatisfaction with present con uItions, and that the failure ot Iowa to keep pace with neighboring States is a. trIDuted solely to the inadequacios of the Iowa system of distance freight tariffs, ty which the hands of railroad tranC men and Iowa manufacturers are tied. Comparisons are freely made between Iowa and Wisconsin, Illinois and Mis- souri, showing that in increase of pop- Llation, capital invested in lndustrit s lumber of men employed, value of pro- ducts and other statlstIcs that go to maKc up the industrial standing of the State, Iowa cuts but sorry figure by the side of other States"
 The following editorial appeared in the same issue of The Milwaukee, Sentinel.
 "The Sentinel prints in it's news col umns this morning dispatch from p3S Mones which sneds bright light upOE the operations of the Iowa distance tar If promulgated by tie Railroad Rate Commission of that State. During the controversy in progress in this StatL sInce Governor La Toilette proposed tie establishment of q political Rallro2G Rate Commission with power to hx Iates. the citizens of Iowa have been he'd up as people peculiarly blessed. It has been said that they enjoy all the aG vantages of low freight rates which are also equitable. In that State the CoIn- missioners appointed for that purpose have taken their pencils and pads of paper and have arranged a system Of freight tariffs that has proved to bo entirely satiSfactory-to the mathemdu clans.
 But 1t appears that the people of Iowa are not altogether satisfied. No; cEly have new industrial enterprises fail ed to locate Tn that State in satisfactory numbers. but old industries have been abandoned"
 But 1t appears that the people If vowa are not altogether satisfied Nc; only have new industrial enterprises fail cd to locate in that State in satisfactory numbers. but old industries have been abandoned"
 An editorial appearing in The Des Moines Daily Capital. under date of Fe3- ruary 4. 1902, and headed The Iowa
 
 Iowa has great oil fields-in fact is the sixth State in the Union in the pro- duction of bituminous coal. In some parts of the State. oak and hickory wood suitable for wagon timber abound In all parts corn and potatoes, ,are produced, and corn and potatoes mako starcE. In all parts of the State, sweet corn tomatoes. peas. beans. pumpkins, squash | es and everything going to make up | goods in al,
 ''The soil is especially adapted to grow ing oats for oatmeal: likewise It will | rrcdu"e broom corn of the best uua.tr | MIX Is already a great product ana there Is room for condensed milk factories fAoEs md cattle are the well known sta | ples, but picking houses arc few. in fact fewer than they were ten years ago With all these raw materials at hand | why has Iowa not grown in manuilc. turing industries? The Capital is free to say that We believe the fault is wlta the Iowa railroad law and it's ironbouad | conditions. Thcrr has been no reductio, | Of intcr"tate rates to and from Iowa points in twelve years, not since the pres ent Iowa railroad law was enacted.
 Not a single new industry has beer built up in Iowa on account of the pres cnt law. No one industry has been es- pecially favored and developed. exccot- ing the wholesale grocery trade, wnicf, appears to have especially hourished. What IS to he done under these circum- stances? What c2n be done for the up building of Iowa industries, Iowa facto- ries. and Iowa packing houses? Thcre ! must be some loosening up of railroad matters to allow factories and pack:r.. houses to be taken care of There WIll be no particular development under pres ent conditions Numerous packing | houses and other industrial esto hIi,, meDts are standing idle in various parts ' of the State"
 ] Let Alabama take warning from the