Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-09-27

forms. not only for the purpose of de-
creasing the cost of production, which
Is legitimate and to be commended,
but for the purpose also Of suppressing
competition In commercial life. The
latter is vicious, and should be met
with all the restraining powers Of gov
eminent The republican party party
has not hesitated to attack this evil
with all the energy that can be crowd
ed into the administration of the law.
1t enacted a rigorous statute prohibit
ing such combinations, and during
Theodore Roosevelt's time offenders
have been relentlessly prosecuted 1t
Is not to be said that the law is a per-
feet one. 1t will be a long time before
we are able to combat with the entire
success the invasions of greed and
avarice. but we are moving steadily
forward. Each year finds us more eff
| fective than the preceding year, and
while progress is slow, it is sure. We
will finally divorce the unholy alll-
ances between favored producers and
manufacturers and the transportation
companies. and when we destroy the
| discrimination SO fatal to the indepen-
dent producer, monopoly will become
impossible.
Theodore Roosevelt is making gall
liant fight for these reforms. I know
| how entirely you are in sympathy
with his efforts. There is but one way
YOU can strengthen him and encourage
him, one way in which you can make
him invincible and that is to surround
him with a republican congress more
jealous than ever before. and a repub-
lican majority that will express your
appreciation of his heroic work.
shall at another time enter more
fully into the discussion of the rela-
| lions between the government and the
trusts, the people and the corporations.
but for the present hour / must be
content with the bare outline have
| drawn.
State Affairs.
! I have something to say with regard
to the state administration of which
4 I have been part. I have neither the
time nor am I beset with the tempta-
! tion to reply to the sneers which mar
4 the speeches Of the democratic candt-
Il date for governor respecting my sin-
certify In speaking of and dealing with
the railway companies of the state.
have tried to do my duty toward them
1 without fear or favor. I confess that
it astonishes me somewhat to observe
that a gentleman so high-minded, and
Il ordinarily so fair, as Mr.. Porter
should fall into the errors committed
! by the railway companies themselves
; in their preliminary campaign against
me. He devotes much space to the
assessment for taxation Of the rail-
\ ways: and while he does not so intend
there is not, I think, single truthful
!. conclusion to be drawn from either his
. statistics or his statements. He first
intimates that. somewhere or some
|, how, have claimed all the credit fol
the increase in the assessment of rail-
way property during the last five
years. II he can discover letter or 6
line enanating from me that ever
: suggests so unworthy a sentiment
, will frankly acknowledge myself to be
7 as unfit for the office of governor az
he believes me to be; but I challenge
: the production Of anything that the
hottest political rancor can perver
) into such a suggestion. One who car
! press so tainted an insinuation into
his service has little regard for the
: truth, and less for the intelligence O
l the neople.
Again, in order to disparage me, h.
3 instances the assignment of the De!
, Moines Union Railway company, say
: ing:
will anyone for a moment contend
$ that the Des Moines Union railway
r with an assessed valuation of abou
$225.0O0 last year for eighteen miles o
r track, and for which the governor, i
not now was formerly director ant
general counsel. is not worth at leas
double that amount ?''
j. Let us see how the Des Moines I'm
: ion Railway company has Jared at tn
\ hands of the executive council durin.
Y the last five years. First. it has fou
miles Of main track, and under tn
r law it is main track only that can b.
/ assessed In 1901. the assessment 0
h the Des Moines Union Railway com
n pany was 100000. The assessed vau
q Is one-fourth of the amount which /
e determined upon as its actual value
r therefore the actual value of the fou
u miles of Des Moines Union railwa
: track with the accompanying side
Il tracks is s1,200,000. He asks if tn
u property is not worth more tha
: double $225.0O0. reply that the ex
: ecutive council has found 1t to b
e worth more than five times 1925, goo.
i ! mention these things to show tn
> spirit which animates my opponent Il
Il reviewing what l have done or helpe
e to do with respect to the taxation Q
S railway property. The truth Is easil
T made known. 1t Is matter Of publ
e record, and cannot be the subject {
9 dispute
:. When became governor, the actus
S value Of all the railways in the state
t as fixed by the executive council in tn
It year 1901, was s18S,2S5,032. The tax
: able value, which under the law is one
y fourth the actual value, was $47,071
/; 258. At the present time. the actus
It value Of all the railways in the stat,
: as fixed by the executive council
1906, is s249,34s,796, and the taxabl
o value S62,337,199. During my admin
II istration, therefore, the actual value {
e the railway property has been increas
an1 ZOO -C \ 49, IL. u.