Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-08-29
LEWIS ON BANE Of
RAILWAY POLITICS.
Page County Senator Delivers a
Remarkable Address at an
Iowa Chautauqua
ITS INFLUENCE is HARMFUL
Corruption of the Ballot Box Thru the
Medium Of the Pass and Other Fav-
ors Has Given the Railroads Of Iowa
Practical Control of State LesisIa-
ton.
to Times Republican

chautauqua at the little town Of Col
lege Springs few days since. II was
known that he would take up the rail-
| way problem, as that was announced
as his subject, but not much was print
ed in the standpat papers about Sena-
tor Lewis speech. The fact that the
standpat papers have a large circula-
ton in this territory it was considered
somewhat unusual that the College
Springs chautauqua was ignored. Cop
les Of Lewis speech are being circu-
lated and the lack Of reference to the
speech is explained. Lewis subject
was Railways in Politics." ana his
address was applied to conditions in
the Eighth district. 1t was sensational
in the extreme. The Clarinda Herald
publishes. the speech in full this week,
the editor saying that while he does
not fully agree with the views of Sen
ator Lewis as a representative of the
people in high office, Senator Lewis
is entitled to hearing. Reference is
made to the prediction that the speech
might form the basis for the congress
sional candidacy of Senator Lewis
THAT railway dominance in the At
fairs of government is undermining
the cornerstones of our political struc-
lures by their determined defiance of
law and arrogant assumption of polit-
ical power inherent in the people is
the belief of large portion of thought
full citizens" said Senator Lewis.
THAT this evil has attained such large
proportions as to constitute a danger
Gus and threatening menace is daily
becoming more manifest to the think
ing public"
Senator Lewis referred to the enorm-
Gus gifts which the public made to
the railroads In Iowa, amounting to
many times the contributions Of their
stockholders. They also We're given
the right of eminent domain. Yet they
now claim the right to measure their
rights by those of persons engaged in
private business. Said Senator Lewis:
'"They proceed as If 1t were entirely
their private matter, and that they
have the right to enrich one man and
impoverish another; to build UP one
community and tear down another;
and to put a charge of what they
please--or what the tariff will bear
on all the people for the undue benefit
of the few-their stockholders.
"The railroads have control of one
eighth of the wealth of the whole ma
ton, and they are entitled to hear
ing But "let the railways run their
trains,n said the speaker, but let the
people run their government"
In Iowa, Senator Lewis said, 1t was
demonstrated in the senate four years
ago that the railroads we're inadequa-
tely taxed. During these four years the
Iowa executive council "aIbove the
domination of the railroads" has raised
the assessment over $12,0O0,000. He
highly complemented and commended
Governor Cummins, Secretary Martin.
Treasurer Gilbertson and Auditor Car
to be alarmed, for the railroads are not
overtaxed. While Illinois roads pay
S411 a mile taxes. Nebraska 1904, Wis
consin $3.50. Missouri 1908 and Min
nesota $247, Iowa pays but SITS.
I'VE have all heard of the reserva-
tton-a strip from two to three counties
wide across the south end of Iowa, lac
ed and interlaced by the tracks of the
Burlington railway, where no man. ex-
cept by accident hopes to be nominate
ed or elected to congress.
to . state office or to
the legislature and not infrequently
to a county or city office until he has
been 'on the carpet in the office of
certain political railway attorney at
Burlington and bowed his head to take
on the yoke Of pOliticai subserviency
to railway dictation.
"This political machine is built on
the pass system, and reinforced by the
influence Of federal, state and district
office holders who are the beneficiaries
Of his material and political prefer
ment The reciprocal alliance be-
tween this general distributor and
these higher office holders is such that
only known railway servants may
have reasonable hopes Of political
promotion. Men who
".Bend the pregnant hinges Of the
knee,
"sThat thrift may follow fawning.'
Look up the antecedents of the
men who have been and may be APP
pointed federal Judges and district at
torneys in the southern half of Iowa.
Inc T6ScEVdllU1 (OlIlk0lScfS Ot0I OASs
fourth Of the area and population Of
the state. Under proper geographic
cal distribution Of public officers elect
ed by the whole state, the reservation
would be entitled to the nomination
and election OF two state officers each
year. Looking back twenty years and
1t will be found that there have not
been one third that number. The 800 or
400 votes Of this section In state con-
vention are more useful to the railway
and have been used for swap
ping purposes in defeating candidates
to be unfaworable to railway interests
and helping nominate men subservient
to such interests. The railway boss is
so confident of his machine in the res
ervation that he deems it a waste of
energy to permit q candidate from
along his line to get a state office.
Hence the famous editorial entitled,
Wrecks Along the o."
Threatened Lewis.
-Four years ago, possibly by acct
dent, a state senator was elected in
the reservation who holds to the old
fashioned notion that it is his duty to
serve the people rather than the rail-
ways. At that time the people of Iowa
We're agitated over the grossly made
(Continued on Eighth Page.)