Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-01-28


when have we had anything to say
about the amount of tax levied on our
commerce" When have we ever ask
cd our senators and representatives
to look into this matter for us?
stop one moment and think
what it means to pay from 81 to So
per acre to n railroad company for de-
livering our corn to the Chicago mar
ket-ncarly twice as much money as
the land owner gets for the rent OF
the land upon which 1T grew. The
people are at II disadvantage from the
fact that our government has never
furnished us with any information as
to cost of handling freight.
"Now in order that we may take, for
example. u country where conditions
are nearly like our own. we have Sc
lected Canada That government
owns part of It's railroads, perhaps
Just enough to make the others be
good. The Canadian government has
made tests covering different seasons
during the year, and has discovers"
that wheat can be handled over the
Inter Colonial railroad, distance OF
T2S miles, for ~ cents per bushei.
Our rate on corn to c .cago from cen
trail and western Iowa points is cents
per bushcl, only about half the dis
lance. Now. provided that we can 40
things as we'll and as chenply as theN
do in CANADA, the actual cost OF hand-
ling that corn should be less thah u
cent and Il quarter per bushel. we
know that our locomotives are larger
than theirs; our cars have a greater
capacity; we haul bigger trains
then why this great difference?
",rhis is not only true of corn. but IL
is true of all our products as we'll as
MANY of our manufactured goods
This unreasonable tax on the prouuees
of the farmer is not only an injustice,
to the producers and consumers OUT /"
drain on the resources OF Our s'ate.
'"rhe railroad presidents say 10 ME-.
Roosevelt that If the interstate com
ncrce commission be granted adullio'-
al authority. in exchange for TINS, the
railroads should be permitted to poor
their earnings, thus cutting OIL an
at points where there IS
more than one railroad. They say
to the president that we think Sena-
tor E.llins has plan that Will DC
satisfactory to all concerned.
Great Heavens think of Senator
Elkins doing anything in the interest
OF the people and against the rail-
roads!
.'Yo,, farmers must be made 10 I'M
derstand one thing--that IL you ever
relieve your commerce from this
heavy tax burden, you must be united;
q
position of the trust, you must stand
tss.ether.
Your representative may like passes
and other favors, but there are o1hef
things he likes better, and one OF these
is his official head What we need
is both court and commission,
that will bring all litigation and all
hearings with corporations nearer 10
the people. instead of taking it farthe:
away. That Is our position. We de-
mand our rights we wan. nothing more
and we'll take nothing less.
Larrabee's Address.
Mr.. Larrabee spoke only briefly. and
while he followed the same general
lines as did Mr.. Ryan, in his address
he did not go SO much into detall. lie
said one of the most important ques-
lions before the American people TO-
day had to do with railroad controi,
and the fixing of rates. A freight rate,
he said is tax on everything that
enters into the commerce of the coun-
try, and affects the price of all we eat,
wear and use. The railroads have so
imposed on the people that they have
demanded q call of halt, voiced by the
recommendation of the president to
congress. Office holders are the ser
wants Of the people, and If they do not
do the peoples will they should be
discharged. The railroads are anxious
for laws that leave the way open from
one court Of appeal to another, and
thus, by long years of litigation, do
they wear their opponents out. The
individual has no equal fight with the
railroads. He is unequally matched.
and the peoples hope for relief lies
with the government. The Iowa asso-
citation has already accomplished
something. 1t can do, and Will do much
more, when every county, instead or
fifty-five Of the ninety-nine Is organic
ed. The meat trust, with the rail-
roads, have the producer cornered. To
relieve this and to furnish an equitable
market Iowa should have a dozen
packing plants. But this is not pos
sible with freight rates the way they
are now. The present situation gives
the big packers all the advantage, and
stiles the proposed establishment OF
smaller competitors. The farmers must
get together, they must organize, that
being the only possible way out of the
situation under which they are COM
PEELED to labor.
Adopt Resolutions.
The institute and county meat pro-
ducers' association, before the after
noon meeting adjourned, adopted two
resolutions, introduced by Merritt
Greene, voicing the joint assembly's
sentiments regarding the recommends
tons Of President Roosevelt and the
Hepburn bill. The resolutions are as
follows:
THAT, whereas, Determinations a.
gainst the Iowa farmer and stock rails
Ell, by the railroad companies, have
been thoroughly proven, the details of
said Determinations so clearly pointed
out, the expose of the situation so ably
demonstrated by the press Of Iowa and
elsewhere, the total lack of any re-
dress offered by the railroad companies
to the grievous complaints of the Iowa
farmer, and
Whereas, the president of the Uni
ted States has suggested to our nat
ional congress simple and effective
1Eir cd