Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-12-22
BELIEVE THEY WILL OPPOSE
Says tho Statement That They Have
Decided to Allow the Bill to Become
Law Without Opposition Can Be
Taken With Grain of salt-captaI
Comment.
special to Times-Republican.

the session of the legislature, is not
carried away with the reports that are
being circulated that the railroads viii
not oppose the anti-pass bill. Mr..
Hughes first introduced an anti-pass
bill in the house six years ago when
he was a member there and thinks the
experience he has acquired since that
time Is sufficient for him to be able to
say that he has been away from home
some.' when I first introduced my
bill in the house the members came to
me and told me the railroads favored
an anti-p pass bill" said Senator Hughes
ct the Slavery yesterday. "Why they
told me that the railroads had gotten
me to introduce the bill. So ] am not
unduly moved by the report that TIN.
railroads will not oppose the bill at
this session. There is no argument
about the matter 1t is clearly a case of
civic morality. I haven't introduced
the anti-pass bills without it costing
me much / am sensitive like others.
Many times have momentarily re-
GREETED that ever started the move.
But it is a case where civic morality
demands the prohibition Of the pass.
Why do the railroads give passes?
did great deal of work for the rail-
road through our town. I helped them
get the right ofway and did real work
that would entitle me to pass If any
thing really did ] went to my neigh
bors and urged them to be reasonable
in the price Of their land for right
of-way and did much other work. But
M txoc T,tr> - Drnt1 ovof T
patronized their road and paid them a
great deal of money, but there was no
pass ever given for that, but the min
ute l was elected representative there
came a pass, all unsolicited on my part.
and Immediately after my election. And
yet they say those passes are not given
to influence the legislator, and legisla-
tors say they take them without being
influenced thereby
N. e. Coffin was asked today about
the congressional situation in the Sew
enth district. He has been mentioned
as a possible candidate. Don't know
anything about the congressional sit
uation. We're going to begin action in
the district court tomorrow tho against
the North Des Moines Heating Co"
He was told 1t would be far more in
terestfng to know whether or not he
was to be candidate for congress and
responded by declaring that the wealth
err this fall had been something mar
velously fine. Senator C. c. Dowel!
who has also been mentioned as pro-
bable candidates. declared his utter ig-
norance of the conditions in the situa-
ton and feigned surprise on hearing
that there was to be nomination ana
election of a congressman next year. BY
the process of elimination the question
of a congressional candidate in this
district has narrowed down to Coffin or
Dowell or some outside candidate and
Senator Berry, of Indianola, is the only
man outside of Polk county that has
been mentioned for some time to any
great extent.
Des Moines is coming to be such
ripe field for Folk or Jerome that
there is considerable attention being
given the matter by some of the good
citizens of the place and there is an
effort on the part Of few to interest
some rising young attorney of ability
and grit to become a candidate for the
office. The fact is that the city is
overridden with trusts that are operat-
with the city hall corruption along
with the library and court house cor
ruption would be sufficient it is claim
ed to demand the attention of the most
ambitious Of aspiring young lawyers.
Two or three of these trusts have been
on the verge Of being exposed at diff
ferent times thru the efforts of ambi-
tious young reporters. They were
brought so close to it that full page
advertisements were hastily taken in
some Of the daily newspapers and per-
sons who heretofore advertised little
or none, became regular advertisers
The coal dealers trust, the combination
Of the grain dealers, and the combi
nation of the commission men handling
potatoes, apples and the like, are only
a few of those that are mentioned sup
critically and the presence of which are
quite generally known. Every now
and then there crops out at the city hall
actions that bespeak corruption. Con-
siderable Of this has been uncovered
more or less by the Civic League which
engages man to dig thru the city rec
ords for signs Of graft and it leaks thru
that the league has in its possession
some matter that would be very inter-
esting to a grand jury. The street rail-
way franchise matter has served to
show the citizens the subservience of
the city hall to the street railway and
public service corporations generally.
Instead of starting the suit to determ-
inc the franchise rights of the railway
company, the city council passed
resolution the first draft of which was
written by an attorney in the employ
of the street car company. The play
ing into the hands of the city railway
company was open and plain to every
body who took an interest in the mat
ter. The real movement to get coun-
ty attorney who will take the lid off"
and Investigate, it is believed is start
ing with the Civic League. That or
ganization has not made great deal
of noise thus far in its efforts and be-
cause little is said citizens have sup
posed little was being done, but there
are Indications that things will break
loose at the appropriate time. Thus
far the able young attorneys who have
been considered able to cope with the
situation have such lucrative prospects
in their regular practice that they are
loath to enter politics.
o. ]. Laylander of Cedar Falls. and