Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-12-22

reach so suddenly the present proper
lions it has. this before bill is re-
ported referred or discussed in con-
gress. At once in the length and
breadth of the country we find the
press and people discussing the right
the power of the people to control the
actions Of the corporations. 1t is not
SO much a question of whether the
railroads and other common carriers
are overcharging or undercharging. To-
day we are discussing whether the gov
eminent has a right to say
to the anthracite coal railroads,
the grain carrying railroads, and
steamships, to tell the Pullman Car
Company, to say to the oil pipe lines,
the tank oil steamships, the Standard
Oil Company, the express companies,
the Refrigerator Line Company, in d
word, to all transporters of necessities,
luxuries and persons, you shall not
charge more than a stated amount for
a carrier service. Put 1t another way.
We. the people, propose from now on,
to control your actions. You will have
remedy as all citizens have, in various
courts till you reach the supreme court
of the land, but we the people now in
tend to establish the principle that
your business is subject to our Qegal)
control. AS ex- Governor Larrabee well
states 1t, whether fifteen individuals
representing the railroads of this coun-
try have an absolute or arbitrary, pow
er to say what seventy million people
shall pay for services rendered. Mat
tiers of detail, can we'll be left to ex-
perts appointed by the government.
The principle involved, is this, whether
a coal baron like Baer, or an oil mag
nate like Rockefeller has a right to an
arbitrary fixing of transporting rates
on these necessities to human life and
comfort.
We of Iowa, have had for some time
an mdea" that tariff revision or tariff
adjustment if you prefer, was a neces-
sary and wise act for the republican
party to perform. In one sense no
moral principle is involved, this COM
pairing it with the question discussed
in the foregoing paragraph, but on the
other hand. If it can be shown such
revision will result in the greatest
good to the greatest number, that
the wage earners can have
more comforts and more ne
cessities at less prices as the
result Of such action, and If such re-
vision SO proved, is prevented by the
combination of trust or corporate in
terests allied against such action, then
it is a matter Of equal Importance,
and one the people should take an
active part in the settlement thereof.
80
Now while the writer, for ONE does
not believe all he reads concerning the
probable action of the Iowa delegation
in congress, there are more than sur
face indications and newspaper reports
to cause general opinion that more
than one Of our representatives in
Washington is even now lined up with
the corporate interests to prevent any
action by this or future congresses
in the way Of these apparently needed
reforms. The people of this state, If
they are satisfied that we need govern
ment control on transportation rates,
by all common carriers and corpora
lions, and that revision of tariff rates
is necessary, must watch the everyday
acts Of our representatives having their
share of responsibility and power. And
again, If the people Of Iowa are of the
opinion that said representatives are
our servants, elected to carry out our
wishes, rather than their own opinions,
influenced in many ways by corporate
environment, then the people of Iowa
seeing that their servants in Washing
ton fail to do their bidding, must at the
earliest opportunity, get new servants
that will follow instructions. There is
such thing as carrying the idea OF
re-electing the same man longer than
is for the public good.