Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-07-20
PEOPLE WILL REQUIRE ACTION
Public Sentiment, However, Is Not
Dying Out on tho Subject and Con-
sress Will Find the Demand as
Strong As Ever-The Railroad A..
easements.
Special to Times-Repubican.

Tor Legislation along that line; at least
mo such a demand as warrants con-
gress in acting. This view has been
encouraged and promoted by the press
bureaus Of the railroad managers
which have flooded the press of this
state and other sections in which. rail-
road rate regulation is regarded as im-
portant, with literature calculated to
lull the people into slumber while rate
exactions continue to be practiced.
The impression begins to be quite
well defined In Iowa that the congress
VIII do nothing effective toward car
rytng out the recommendations of the
president in line. with tho views Of
Cummins, LaFollette and progressive
leaders sof the republican party. All
indications point that way. 1t long has
been believed that no effective measure
could hope for the support of the sen-
ate. at least; but 1t had been suppos-
ed that public sentiment would compel
action. This view is not now held by
Informed men In Iowa. who believe
that again will rate regulation go by
default at Washington
IN Whatever the railroad press burea
may say about It, there IL no dying out
of public sentiment in this state. 1t Is
mofs vigorous than ever. Reports from
counties In which the question has
not long been given serious considera-
ton and where there has been apathy
with respect to 1t, indicate an awaken
Ing LaFollette sp.lse for. five hours
at Jefferson, Iowa, the churches giving
up Sunday evening services to allow
the people to attend his meeting which
was demanded by them. Cunimins was
at Sac City the past week and invita-
tions have poured in on him from
many other places Other evidences
of the existence of a keen and persist
ent sentiment have COME. to light.
Political developments. Indicate the
same thing. The reference To- an excel
lent gentleman as q candidate for gov
ernor developed the generally accepted
decree that in the contest next year
men must square with issues to become
available for prefernent within the re-
publican party.
Y Public sentiment in Iowa is not dy-
Ing out; not by any means, the railroad
press to the contrary notwithstanding,
And the. sentiment Is vigorously active
on all public questions upon which
there is IA progressive and d SO -called
conservative division.
The necessity for progressive thought
and action OH the part of the republic
can party becomes more apparen.
daily The democrats bid fair. to occu-
:py SO radical a position that even the
most progressive policies Of the repub-
lican party will seem like rank cons
servatfsm along side. National Dem
ocratio Committeeman Charles A
Walsh was oiie OF the Conspicuous fig
ues at the meeting Of Thomas W.
Lawson at Missouri Valley and had Il
long conference with Mr. Lawson in
his private car. Lawson and Charles
F. Russell, who is writing the beef
trust articles for an eastern magazine
are close personal friends and Walsh
Is working with Russell for William
r. Hearst.
Z It is known that the talk about
Hearst retiring from the presidential
race for good is all buncombe. Ke is
an active, candidate today. He will be
d candidate on even q more radical
platform than he was in 1903; candi-
date for the democratic nomination, Of
course, is meant. OF his control of
the party, since the Parker fiasco, there
is no doubt.
With this sort of thing on the DEM
ocratic side and popular with many
people the strength OF the moderate.
but, progressive policies OF such men
as Cumming and LaFollette and De-
neen appeals to- real politicians who
hope to- see the republican party re-
main in power at Washington.
4 Failure. to pass a railroad rate bill
this winter will be one of the most
foolish things possible not only as a
matter Of principle but from purely
political point of view.
According to the law of the state
the executive council composed OF the
governor, secretary auditor and treas
lIrer of state have spent most of this
month in the consideration of prob
lens OF equalizing assessment of prop
erty for taxation. This includes the
dxine of value on the railroad and
telephone, telegraph, express and
sleeping car property of the state and
the equalization Of the value of realty
The assessment Of the railroads last
year was over $22S. 100000, full value,
Il IS more than $b7,000,0oo taxable
value. An average full value Of $685.
700 and little more per mile was Civ
N the railroads and they vigorously
protested. During the Cumniins adj
the assessment Of rail-
Dad property in Iowa has been pushed
ip over $4,000, 600.
IF the average net earnings OF the
.ailroads In Iowa were capitalized at
.ix per cent, taking in the past twelve
ears. theirlvalue would be a little
more than 1898 100000. This is a tri-
lie In excess of the value which the
council put upon them last year. An
Increase is. certain this year.
Farm land values fell off within the
asst two years over So, 000,0 900, accord
ny to the returns Of the assessors to
he auditor of statezl The average val
lie of lands, according to the assess
nent. is now about S42 an acre. where
8 two years ago it was fixed at $43.1o.
I large delegation Of farmers appear
a before the executive council last
week to argue that though $42 an acre
nay be a low average valuation to
tut upon land in Iowa. still 1t Is larger. |
measured by the net earnings. than the /
'alue which has been placed on rail-
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