davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-01-05
KNIFE RoosEvELT's MAN.
"Senile Old Man" Will Try to Scalp
Nominee Before Senate.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 5.-Sen-
ator Platt is whetting his knife for
Joseph Bucklin Bishop, nominated by
the president to be an isthmian canal
commissioner. He will use this knife
in a way that may cause Mr. Bishop to
lose his scalp.
Mr.. Plat has been yearning to get
at Mr.. Bishop for the past ten months
When Bishop was candidate for sec
rotary of the canal commission two
years ago, Mr.. Platts influence was
potent to prevent mis- appointment.
Within the year he was made secretary
by presidential designation where the
approval of the senate was not re-
quired. This was bitter dose for Mrs.
Plat.
The president has nominated Bishop
to be a canal commissioner, at $500
a year, with an allowance Of $4,000 a
year for performing the duties of sec
rotary. This nomination was referred
to the committee on interoceanic can
ais, of which Mr.. Platt is the rank
ing member.
Mr.. Platt will fight a favorable re-
port in the committee and if this
proves Intellectual he will utilize sena-
torial courtesy to prevent action in
the senate. The power and prestige of
senatorial courtesy has lost none of it's
potency and many a day is likely to
pass. before Mr.. Bishop is confirmed.
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25
Why Was Porter siIent7

Mr.. Porter In his various speeches In
the state has stated that If Governor
Cummins deserves credit for the veto OF
the Molsberry bill, he,t Porter, also de-
serves credit because he voted against
the Molsberry bill in the first place. The
fact is that only five or six senators
voted against the bill and Mr.. Porter does
deserve credit for having voted against
1t, but he would have deserved more cred
1t II he had been able to and would
have pointed out upon the floor of the
senate, the essential evil. Of the bill, for
IL he had done that. the bill never would
have got beyond the senate. 1t only re-
quired that Governor Cummins point out
the wlckedness Of the bill for almost
every senator to be against it.
Mr. Porter also takes credit to him
self for having voted against the Hub
bard bill. He has been quoted as saying
that Governor Cummins signed this bill
without a protest" and is intimating that
It was the Hubbard bill and not the Mols-
berry bill that the railroads desired. Mr..
Porter knows that Governor Cummins did
protest against the Hubbard bill as 1t
was introduced and that the Hubbard
bill was completely emasculatetd before
1t was put to final vote in the senate
and he knows perfectly well that the rail-
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25

The expenditures OF the United States
government under the administration Of
President Roosevelt have increased many
fold. The nation is expanding. 1t is
rich. It's greatness is recognized. A Re-
publican congress and Republican pres
ident but do that which is necessary in
keeping pace with the times.
The expenditures of every state of the
union have been increasing. just as there
is increase in the expenditures of every
county md every city. In like manner
the expenses of every prosperous busl-
ness man. or merchant, or farmer, are
on the increase.
The state of Iowa is a bigger and a
better state today than 1t ever was be-
fore. 1t cares for the thousands of de-
pendents and unfortunates better than
ever before. 1t does more for the veter-
ans Of the war in their old age and weak
ness than 1t ever did before. 1t Is doing
more for agriculture. for manufactures
for all Industries, than ever before.
Above all else it is doing better for edu-
caion than any other state of the union
of equal size.
Some criticism has been made Of the
fact that the state Of Iowa is thus ex-
panding in every direction. The eXpendi-
lures have been denounced py the demo-
cratic candidate for governor as extraV-
agance and wastefulness. In doing so
some figures are given which purport TO
show how greatly have the actual ex-
penses of the state increased.
These statistics are incorrect, and the
conclusions which 1t is expected the peo-
pie will draw from them are wholly
false.
In the first place the figures which
he gives take no account Of the fact that
the biennial fiscal periods do not corre-
spond to the calendar periods or those
which relate to different administrations.
But Mr.. Porter undertakes to lead MS
hearers to believe that Gov. Cummins is
wholly responsible for the millions which
are being spent under appropriations OF
the Legislatures. Every intelligent person
knows that this is not true. The expen-
ditures which a governor may directly
control are few indeed.
But even granting that Governor Cum
Minis personally is responsible for the IN
creased expenditures Of the state or that
the executive council has full CONTROL
which II has not, the statement and ar
gument of Mr.. Porter are absolutely dis
honest In that he gives only one side OF
the ledger and does not explain wherein
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25
ACT WISELY AS TO THE TARIFF

Senator Beveridge: There has got to
be some tariff changes. We are protection
lists, we republicans, and not we repub-
licans alone but practically the whole
American people. Protection of American
industry has become an American prin-
ciple No free trader could destroy It Il
he would. Our expenses are so immense
that the revenue drawn from our tariff
could not possible be reduced without
bankrupting the treasury. And that tar
iff, absolutely necessary to the working
Of the government, ought to be so adjust
ed as to protect American labor and en-
courage American industry. But no tariff
schedule Is immortal. When conditions
change the tariff schedule that was ad-
justed to that condition ought also to
change Genreal revision is foolish and
impossible. Even a bad tariff when sta
BILE Is better than a general change; and
our present tariff is not bad tariff. It
is the best adjustment of tariff schedules
ever devised. B 1t SOME OF THOSE
SCHEDULES SHOULD. BE REVISED
AND THEY SHOULD BE CHANGED
IN THE HIGH TIDE OF OUR PROS
PERITY WHEN BUSINESS CAN EAS-
lily ADJUST ITSELF TO THE CHANGE
and not in some period of approaching
financial depression when the slightest
change would disturb all business. These
changes should be made by the party that
made the law and by friends of the pro-
tective principle and not by the party
that resisted the law Nnd are enemies Of
the protective principle"
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25
roads lost interest In the Hubbard bill
cummins Relates an Incident.

roads lost interest In the Hubbard bill
as soon as the changes were made in 1t.
cummins. Relates an Incident.
In an address in which he referred to
the veto Of the Molsberry bill. Governor
Cummins has said:
was first inaugurated In january.
l9n. Inside of month law passed
the general assembly which was calcu-
lated to stain the fair name of the COM
monwealth of Iowa. 1t was known as
the Molsberry bill 1t was intended to
shame of that state to our own. I be-
Heved 1t was intended to make Iowa the
home of the railroad trust. 1t permitted
railroads to issue unlimited evidences of
debt and the railway men asked me to
| knew then that was at the parting
OF the ways, and that l must choose
whether l should take the easy path,
cheered by their assistance, or the thorny
path accompanied by my conscience
alone.
A personal friend in the employ Of a
railroad. whose position l had been in:
strumental in securing for him, called
on me at my home and said the Dill
said 1t was a vicious measure. He said
he had been friendly to me and wanted
me to sign it. said:
do you think l ought to sign this bill
to help the railway company, though l
know it is vicious and harmful meas
"That is just what I mean," he said
bluntly
| said: This is a large room. but 1t is
not big enough to hold US both. and by
Never since then has there been day
that the railroads have not pursued me
with every genius they could employ, and
the railroads are always In politics
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25

tory of the state, cannot resist the be-
lief that the real application of the pro-
posed amendment would not enable the
two or three railway companies to which
it would apply to improve their prop
critics for their own profit and for the
advantage of the people, but that its
only substantial effect would be to over
come real or imaginary difficulties grow
ing. out of the purchase of the stock Of
the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Rail-
way company by the Great Northern and
Northern Pacific Railroad company.
Prior to October last, the Chicago,
Burlington & Quincy Railway company
owned and operated a vast system of
railway lines, part of which was in
the state of Iowa. The company itself
was organized under the laws of the state
of Illinois, and under such laws it had
bullt up one of the largest as well as
one of the best railway systems IN the
United states. 1t had, in large measure,
constructed double track from Chicago
to the Missouri river. For many years
1t had been in the enjoyment of all the
privileges which a foreign corporation
exercises in our state, and in SO far as
the mere operation of its lines of rail-
way is concerned, It is difficult to per-
cetve any reason that would lead it's
managers to abandon the old corporation
ana organize new one In our state.
Nevertheless, it did SO, and on the 18th
day of October, 1901, there was filed in
the recorders office Of Des Moines coun-
ty articles of incorporation OF the Chi
caso, Burlington & Quincy railway, with
an authorized capital stock of 800 900,
and the right to begin business when
$4,000 OF the capital stock had been sub
scribed. 1t took to itself practically all
the powers which can be acquired by
q railway corporation in this state, and
especially the power to purchase and be-
come the owner OF the system Of railway
lines which had heretofore been owned
and operated by the Chicago, Burlington
& Quincy Railroad company.
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25

Gently adopted by the republican state
convention which Is probably the best
that could have been agreed upon under
the circumstances, there is little room for
doubt that the whole ticket nominated by
that convention will easily be elected, as
will also your county ticket.
But to accomplish that you must go to
the polls Whatever is worth achieving Is
worth preserving. Go to the polls and
save what you have achieved, and re-
member, under the new plan Of voting,
fore the name of every candidate you
wish to vote for.
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25
Motive for the merger.

1t is not difficult, If inquiry be made. to
find motive for the organization of this
company. The old company which had
reason of the laws of Illinois or by rea-
son of what had occurred in the purchase
of its stocks by the two Minnesota COM
panies, create volume of Indebtedness
which those who are interested wished to
create. 1t was therefore necessary to
add another corporation, and Iowa was
chosen for its domicile. 1t is matter of
pany, with an Insignificant amount of
capital stock actually taken, had leased
the entire system Of the old company.
1t must be true that it is without SUBJ
stanial asses save the lease. and with
the rental attached to the lease, its value,
If anything, is purely speculative. In this
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25
IOWA A GROWING STATE;
KEEPING PACE WITH THE TIMES
ANALYSIS THE QUESTION EXPENDITURES AND Az
PREPARATIONS. tr.
Liberal Treatment OF stas
Institutons-Iowa Good For All Time

directly under control OF the governor
Here are the facts: The expense OF ths
governors office is, in fact. to some ex'
tent. under his direct control, and alss'
the expense under the custodian OF puD-
lie buildings, who is appointed by tns
governor. For the period ended July !
1897, the expense of these two depart.
ments was $S6,7O9.43. For the period ended
July /, 1905, the expense Of these same de-
partments was $S4,14073. Wherein Is Inv
extravaganza
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25

situation itaseeks to incur Indebtedness
without limit. 1t is one thing to grant
TO railway companies the right to borrow
the money needed to aid in the construc-
ton and equipment of their lines of rail-
way; 1t Is quite another thing to author
iZe class of railway companies to incur
unlimited obligations without respect to
the amount of their stock or the worth
or their property. / cannot bring myself
to believe that this species of special leg
islation is consistent with public welfare,
or necessary to the legitimate develop
ment of railway property; on the con-
trary, 1t is my firm belief that corpor-
ate power to issue stocks, and to incur
Indebtedness, needs regulation rather
than expansion.
The Hubbard bill as amended was
passed and became a part Of the law
of Iowa. That law provides:
That any railroad corporation organized
under the laws of Iowa and owning and
operating a railroad therein, may lease,
purchase or otherwise acquire, own, con-
troll or operate any connecting extension
of this said railroad, not parallel or COM
petng herewith, in any other state or
territory of the United States, and to
that end may purchase and control the
stock, bonds or securities of any such ex-
tension II not contrary to the laws OF
such other state or territory.
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25

sions. 1t is a matter of profit to Iowa
and of advantage to tho state to have
these companies organized under Iowa
law and with the restriction that the lines
acquired are mot parallel or competing"
there is no real objection to such exten-
sions
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25
FARMERS AND THEIR FRIEND

Secretary James Wilson: The
farmers Of Iowa owe TO Governor
cummins a day in harness. When
they appointed a committee Of their
numbers-'Father' Clarkson. Wallace,
Coffin, Given. and otherS-to defend
them against the barbed wire monop-
oily, Mr.. Cummins was retained as
their advocate. They won the fight,
and have to thank their attorney for
much Of It
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25
Reasons for the Veto.

In his veto of the Molesberry bill in
March, 1902. Governor Cummins reviewed
at some length the history of Iowa leg
islation respecting the formation Of rail-
road corporations. pointed out the fact
that while the Molesberry bill purported
to be a measure to permit railroad COM
panies to effect betterment Of their sys-
TENS, 1t in fact did nothing Of the sort.
Among other things, he said:
In view Of these conditions, which are
well known, and are part Of the his
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25

The history Of the effort which was
made some years ago by the representa-
uves of the Wall street spectators and
promoters to secure legislation in Iowa,
under which they could consummate their
plans for the consolidation of American
railroads, is an essential part of the story
of the present campaign in Iowa.
Upon the opening of the twenty-ninth
general assembly of Iowa in January,
1902, Governor Cummins was inaugurated
and in his inaugural address he tried to
make It very plain that his policy would
be that OF the square deal for all people.
Among other things, he said:
Corporations have, and ought to have,
many privileges, but among them is not
the privilege to sit in political conventions
or occupy seats in legislative chambers.
Corporations, as such, should be vigor-
ousiy excluded in every form from par
ticipation in political affairs. Here at
least the rich and the poor, as indlVld-
uals, should meet upon plane OF aoso-
Lutte equality.
Then turning to one Of the features OF
legislative assemblies with which Iowa
has been too much infested, he said:
The corporation lobbyist has, l regret
to say, become one of the features OF
stencil in the nostrils of a decent com
munity, and he ought to be driven Win
the lash of scorn, pursued by the PEN
Alties Of the law from from me the IPTscincts Presg Of
every legislative body in the country
The Lobby at Work.
This was fair warning to the corpora
ton lobbyists, but they we're even then
preparing to secure concessions from the
Iowa legislature through introduction OF
two bills intended to be for the especial
benefit of speculative railroad corpora
lions, which bills were backed solely ny
the unscrupulous corporation lobby The
first Of these bills to be introduced was
known as the Hubbard bill, and the other
as the Molesberry bill. For some reason
the MoIesberry bill was taken up and
passed first in the senate then quickly
rushed through the house and sent to
Governor Cummins. There had not been
a word said In the legislature In opposi-
tion to either one Of these bills, nor any
thing made public to indicate that these
bills were of special significance, but the
trained legal mind OF Governor Cummins
bore down upon the Molesberry bill lying
upon his table awaiting his signature, and
he saw that behind this bill was a pur-
pose which II made known to members
Of the legislature, would render it unsat-
isfactory to a great majority of the Iowa
legislators. Governor Cummins therefore
vetoed the bill, and as soon as his veto
had been made public, the legislators
almost with unanimity Joined In denun-
citation of the men who had induced them
by fraud and grossest deception to pass
such a nefarious measure.
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25
SETTLE 1T NOW.

Governor Larrabee: "Other ques-
tions should be subordinated to this,
until 1t is settled whether we are
to have a government of the people,
by the people and for the people. or
a government of the corporations, By
the corporations, and for the Corpora
uons."
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25
NOT WANTED.

Governor Cummins: 'In what I
shall have to say, there shall be
neither hope not expectation of bring
ing to the support of the republican
party what is ordinarily known as
corporate influence"
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25
NEAR TO THEIR HEARTS.

Governor Cummins: 1.-THE principle
that the government OF the United
States and the government of the
state shall be conducted by it's men,
and not by its corporations, is nearer
to the hearts Of the people than any
article OF partisan faith"
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25

In the meantime, the first bill intro
duced, the Hubbard bill, was pending be-
fore senate committee. Its author had
not realized that this bill, too, was
part of the programme OF the railroad
lobby, to make the most remarkable
change in Iowa laws relating to railroads
ever known This bill was taken to Gov
ernor Cummins by interested persons,
who asked the governor If he would con-
sent to its becoming law Of Iowa Gov
ernor Cumnins indicated that he would
never approve such a bill, but he did
state that If the bill was modified in GER
tain important particulars he would per-
NIT It to become a law. few days later
in the senate there was added to this
bill a clause which absolutely destroyed
its character In relation to railroad mer-
gers and rendered It harmless. In this
form the bill passed the legislature and
was signed by the governor.
The two bills were in fact two i'm
portant parts Of the programme Of the
railroad lobby at that time. In brief, the
Molesberry bill provided that any rail-
road incorporated under Iowa laws might
issue bonds to any desired amount with
out reference to the amount Of capital
stock outstanding. The Iowa law now
prohibits the issuance Of bonds in excess
Of two-thtrds the capital stock unless
the total issue of bonds be less than $16,-
900 per mile. The Molesberry bill removed
this limitation, so that an Iowa railroad
corporation might borrow any sum Of
money for any purpose whatever with
out restraint Of law. The Hubbard bill
as introduced provided that an Iowa rail-
road corporation might buy or control
any railroad In any other state Of the
union
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25
IOWA AND RAILROAD MERGERS
WHY RAILROADS ARE IN POLITICS
TRUE AND COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE EFFORT TO JERs
IOWA FOR THE CORPORATIONS.

Without Foundatnone
Why Interested-Leavs
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25
Two Bills for One Purpose.

II these two bills had become a part
Of --4e Iowa law. the famous Northern
Securities merger which the federal
courts condemned and which President
Roosevelt outlawed would have soon
made its domicile In Iowa II will be re-
called that the Northern Securities COM
pany was organized under New Jersey
laws and acquired the Great Northern
and Northern Pacific railroads, and that
about this time the same financiers ac-
CURED control Of the Burlington road 1t
was found impossible under the laws as
they existed for the Northern Securities
company TO effect a complete merger Of
the two Northern railroads and the Bur
hngton- II the Molesberry and Hubbard
bills as they were introduced had become
the Iowa law, It would then have been
possible for the merger to have been ef-
fected, under the Burlington Railway
company, which had but recently been
organized in Iowa as a holding company.
The Molesberry bill might have accom-
plished this purpose alone, but the Hub
bard bill without the Molesberry bill also.
was Of no consequence. The two together
would have brought the ideal conditions
desired by the spectators, who were pro-
noting the most gigantic and most IN
famous railroad merger ever planned in
this country.
The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-10-25
Destroyed Effect Of Bill.


The Molesberry bill was intended to
permit the issuing of bonds to an unlim-
tied amount by the Iowa railroad corpor-
alton. The Hubbard bill was intended to
permit the use of the money realized
upon these bonds in the purchase Of rail-
roads elsewhere than in Iowa The
phrase which was put into the Hubbard
bill at the suggestion of Governor Cum
minis was mot PARALLEL OR COM
PBTING THEREWITH," which phrase
was not in the bill as prepared by the
railroad lobby, and when that clause
went into the bill in the senate the rail-
road lobby ceased to take further interest
In the measure. That clause completely
destroyed the secret purpose for which
the bill had been introduced. There mas
never been a doubt in the mind of any
one familiar with the fact that Senator
Hubbard did not fully appreciate the i'm
portance or character OF this bill when
he introduced 1t in the legislature, and
as soon as he discovered that 1t was a
dangerous measure he Joined heartily
with the governor in rendering 1t harm
less. The bill has sometimes been re-
ferred to as a merger bill, but the fact
that no merger has ever been ATTEMPTED
or accomplished under the law indicates
that in the form that 1t was finally
passed it had no force with relation to
D.
declared that the two railroads which II
was planned to merge are in fact par
allel and competing" the bill with that
added clause was OF no use.
No Mergers Under Iowa Law.
1t has been represented by the demo-
Gratis and their allies in this campaign
IN Iowa this year that as a matter Of
fact under the Iowa law, as amended by
the Hubbard bill, there have been rail-
road mergers effected: that, In short IL
was under this bill that the Rock Island
railroad increased its capital stock and
organized a new company and purchased
certain railroad properties in Texas and
Oklahoma The statement is absolutely
false. The Rock Island did increase its
capital stock and form a new company
in Iowa, under the Iowa laws, and paid
into the state fees aggregating about SIS
900 for this privilege, but such acton was
not taken under the Hubbard bill. The
filings were under the old law and might
have been made ten years ago as well
as four years ago. There was nothing
in the old law to prevent a company
from making an increase in capital stock
and there was never at any time any limit
on the size of a corporation under the
Iowa law. The Rock Island railroad
would have saved itself about SO 900 II It
had organized its new company a year
before II did. This Is tho only difference
between the new and the old lawA AS a
matter OF fact the Rock Island company
has never been engaged in the merger
business but has purchased In distant
states Hnss vita whioh 70 make exten-