Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-10-25

Massachusetts RepnbIicaniSm.

H~P'Oh~ouiSt
At the Republican State Convention
held recently in Massachusetts Re-
publicans fell in line with the Re-
! publicans of Ohio and Nebraska in
demanding that railway rebates be
stopped and placed themselves on re-
cord as believing that there is no
call for general rate law. The plat.
form confines itself to rebates and
determinations, but is ominously si-
lent regarding comforting the rate-mak
ing power upon the Interstate Com
merce Commission. it being the almost
universal sentiment in this section
that such legislation would not be
efficient in preventing abuses and
would seriously injure mercantile in
terests in general. The exact wording
Of this plank of the platform is as fol-
lows: 'We indorse most heartily the
President fearless enforcement of
laws enacted to prevent great corpor-
ations from depressing the people bv
unjust discrimination or by the des-
truction of lawful competition. In
such action he should receive the
earnest support of all our citizens.
The rights of every citizen must be
safeguarded, and we favor such ad-
ditional legislation al may be neces-
sary to prevent all unjust discrimina-
tions in the form of railway rebates
or under any device whatever. The
fact that the Bay State Convention
should adopt practically scientifically
the same rate plank in its platform
as the two Western States has caused
considerable comment and prominent
politicians here regard it as an in
dication that sectional feeling will be
allowed to play no part III the dis
cussion Of the rate question at the
coming session of Congress, but that
the rank and file of the Republican
party will support the President in
his effort to remedy rebates and other
abuses by the enforcement of existing
laws or passage of special anti-rebate
legislation rather than by granting
the Interstate Commerce Commission
the power to make rates.
In order to reach the distributing
centers the railroads have adjusted
rates so that the Iowa farmer with his
butter and eggs and his other food
stuffs is just as near the distribution
points, as far as freight rates are con-
cerned. as is the farmer within few
hundred miles Of New York or Phila-
dephia and he is, therefore, enabled to
put his produce in competition with
that of the New England farmer, SO
that Iowa butter sells in New York
for the same price as does the butter
from Vermont or from nearby Cana
dian points. A distance freight rate
would place the western farmer at a
great disadvantage and practically
destroy the market that has built up
the great dairy interests of the west.
Cedar Falls Record.
The presidents cabinet now is
Secretary of State, Elihu Root. of
New York Secretary of the Treasury,
Leslie M. Shaw, of Iowa: Secretary of
War, William H. Taft. of Ohio; At
torney- General. William H. Moody,
| 80 Massa obusattS. poSfp,aStar Ca,aral
George B. Cortelyou, of New York
Secretary of the Navy, Chas. J. Bona
parte. of Maryland: Secretary of In-
terror, Ethan A. Hitchcock. of Mis-
souri,; Secretary Of Agriculture. James
Wilson, of Iowa; Secretary of Com
merce and Labor, Victor B. Metcalf.
Of California. The salaries Of the
cabinet officers are $8, 900 each.