Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-11-01
Isn't II a Blow at Iowa.

One OF the complaints made against
railroad companies by James j..
Ryan in his Corn Belt Meat Producers
meeting has tean the discrimination
against live stock rates to Chicago. 1t
has been pointed out in nearly every
meeting conducted by Mr.. RYAN that
the price for hauling live stock was
2311a cents per cwt., while the price
ON meat products was only 1917 cents.
We have been told with unbroken con-
stancy that the excess of five cents on
live stock over meat products was in
defensible, that there was no reason
for it. The railroad managers replied
that it cost fully five cents less per
cwt. to handle the meat. 1t was
necessary only to hitch train CT cars
and haul it to it's destination. There
was no bother in loading or reloading,
watering, feeding. etc., as in the case
of live stock. Our friend Ryan has
insisted that the discrimination was
clearly in the interest Of the packers
combine with which the railroad
managers were in collusion, says the
Carroll Herald. But another phase of
the question came up last week. The
railroad managers showed signs Of
change of heart. and it became noised
abroad that they were about to lower
the rate on live stock from 23L to
1879 cents, the price of meat products.
This is what Ryan and his friends
have been wanting. but hullaboo
arose from Iowa packers. They insist
that if live stock was shipped as
cheaply as meat products, no animals
would he slaughtered in Iowa all
would, be shipped to Chicago. The
result would be destruction of the
packing industry at Des Moines. Sioux
City, Cedar Rapids, Ottumwa and
elsewhere in Iowa. The large packers
in Chicago would then have mo-
nopoly on the business.
And the funny thing about it is.
the cry of collusion is again raised,
that the proposed lowering of live
stock rates is in the interest Of the
packers combine Just what Ryan
said when the railroad neld to the
higher rate ON live stock. Now, who
is right. our friend Ryan and his
friends or the Iowa packers ard their
friends? Of course. one or the other
though holding to opposite notions.
they agree that the railroads are in
collusion with the packers COM
bine.'' But whether the discrimina-
tion of FIVE cents should be maintained
or abolished seems to depend upon the
view point from which judgment is
found.
It seems to be collusiOn with the
packers either way one takes 1.-THE
railroads get it a-goin' and a-comin'.
Incidentally, it is shown that some
very expert critics are apt to have
crude ideas about the things criticised.
1t is easy for one who has studied
the proposition to understand why a
certain element in Iowa political cir
cles particularly favors the primary
election law for nominating all can
didates. It is because experience has
that the farmers do not
turn out to primaries, and it is in
cities and towns that the politicians
most do congregate. While declar-
ing, they want the rural votes to be
the wire .Dullers think
themselves able to almost certainly
control the primary through the ward
heelers. In Jasper county the single
sample we had of the primary was
surely enough to last a century. The
thing resulted in the selection of three
republican candidates within radius
of six miles of this place, and in the
election that followed two of the can
didates, for treasurer and sheriff,
were beaten by democrats while the
candidate for membership of board OF
supervisors was elected. At the same
election the state republican ticket
polled a good big majority. Even
compulsory voting could not guaran-
tee an equitable apportiOnment of the
majority party ticket in any county,
and this would ultimately defeat the
real object the primary election is in
tended to promote-the choice Of the
majority. Ham Robinson.
While in Chicago Friday we had the