Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1906-05-09
a Case % "me Too. =

fore Gov. Cummins, insists
that the commission should have
power to make minimum rate. Now
l say that is Numerically opposed to
the policy Of. the administration in
this legislation. Why? / hardly
thought the governor would still stand
by that proposition but he does.
claim to be supporting the presidents
policy. (Applause.) am willing to
concede that the administration and
it's advisors, the Republican party in
the House of representatives ana an
the Senate of the United States know
more about this mater than / do. I
am willing to take counsel. I am
willing that they should do the best
that can be done under the circum-
stances, and I will follow. l want
the principles established. I want
this power given to 1.-THE commission
as the president has outlined; as
Dolliver has outlined in his bill: as
Allison is in favor Of; the bill that
Hepburn is favoring, and am willing
to support the men that Iowa has
chosen to represent them so long as
they are satisfied with this proposition
Of the president OF the United States.
Continued applause.) Perhaps
would feel differently about II II
were a candidate for the senate but
am not.
A Misleading Statement.
Now, l have no doubt at all
that this present administration,
during the last five years, has con-
scientiously discharged it's duties
with reference to the railroad assess
ments. have no doubt of It. /
think the railroads Of this state should
pay their fair proportion OF taxes
and possibly little more. II any
are to be favored believe IN favor
ing the poor people Of the state.
picked up the other day, and have 1t
here, one Of the governors campaign
speeches which is easily identified by
the picture on the front page.
(Laughter.) Now here is given
statement and a table showing
why railroads oppose Gov. Cum
Minis. He has advanced the taxes
against the railroads. Here is an in
crease Of half million and here is a
statement l find following that which
don't think should appear. I think
even the newspapers which are COM
mitted to the governor should point
out the blunder. "The farms and
factories and other properties re-
lieved to the same extent" Now
they have not been relieved one dime
not one dime. The taxes against
the railroads are higher. The taxes
against every acre of land are higher.
Taxes Are Higher.
The taxes against every home in the
state of Iowa are higher. They are
collected-this large increase of
money. There is record of the col
lection. But the other side does not
show up. 1t is like the woman who
was not very proficient In bookkeep-
ing who received money from time to
time. making the entries Of the re-
ceipt of it and in balancing the &C
count on the opposite page she had
written spent 1t ALL" That seems ro
be the case with our taxes. daughter
and applause.) So am in favor,
under the history Of assessments, of
lower levies; don't know what guou
it does the people Of Iowa to whack
1t to the corporations and to them
selves at the same time. Where does
the profit come in? 1t is true that
the taxes in Iowa were never so high
in the history of the state as they
have been In recent years. inls
ought not to be so. OF course we
are now in period Of remarkable
prosperity. We are SO rich that we
don't mind little thing of that kind
but we ought to prepare for the evn
day. / believe in the administration
of a government of economy. Per-
haps man ought to be brought up to
it as have been. 1t is hard for some
people to be economical. No doubt
we have been doing many meritorious
things even to the increase of many
Of the salaries. We have been doing
better and better by the unfortunates
of the state. We have been lncreaS-
ing the liberality towards our educa-
tional institutions. But in 1t all we
haven't saved any money. I think
we might save some. At least we
might've might deny ourselves going
to some of those launchings. (Cheers.)
| We might not go SO frequently to
| Washington, and indeed we might
make fewer Chautauqua addresses,
and In various ways think we might
economic. daughter and long con-
tinued applause)
A Word For The Party.
So If we are to commit ourselves
to reform we are to look at both
sides Of the ledger and commence
very close at home. But do not
wish to spend all my time defending
myself. 1t may be that I will be
charged with extravaganza along that
line. But I do want to say word
for the republican party.
think 1t is worth while for us to
remember the record of the republi-
can party. I am satisfied with being
republican. I will leave the pro-
gressive things to the party itself.
| (App,ause) Because 1t has record
Of progress from the day Of its birth
to this hour. Every page of history
that has been written since that time
has been written by the republican
party so far and we point to 1t with
pride. II is marvellous period Of
| time since the republican party came
into activity. Here are these old
boys of the Union. Going back to go
there were problems then to settle.
in comparison with which, certainly
those of to-day sink into insignia