Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-01-23
LARRAB[E on ISSUES
Ex-Governor Declares For Cum
Minis For Third TERM
Would Down Blythe
CALLS RAILROAD PASS A BRlBE
Favors Primary Bill and scolds Iowa
Delegation for Hardness in Pushing
Rate ResuIation-says Present Fight
in Iowa and at Washington is Fight
of People Against Corporations

of People Against Corporations
Special to Times Republican
Des Moines, Jan. 23.-The deserving
tribute paid to Ex-Governor Larrabee
by the Iowa legislature last week is
! going to prove of more than passing
political significance. The newspapers
and reminiscent politicians can not re-
frain from recalling the aged COVER
nor's career and his courageous fight
for popular rights. Railroad rate reg
ulation, anti-pass legislation, two
cent fares and the anti railroad
| bossism in politics were repeatedly
set forth in his messages to the leg
islature as his platform of principles
and his fight for the people was very
much the same fight which Cummins
is w;tging today. But history need
not be recalled to remind us of what
Governor Larrabee stands for as he
makes that clear in an authorized in
terview given to the Register, and
Leader in which he says:
Away With the Reservation.
! Iowa has not been SO completely
under the influence of the corporations
as have some of the states said Gov
ernor Larrabee, jim substance. But we
have felt the effects of it in many
ways, in Washington and in the crea-
| ton in our own state of what has
come to be known as the reservation.
The people of Iowa owe it to them
selves to destroy the so-called reser-
! walton. to clean it UP and newly plant
it, and to sweep from its bosses every
vestige of their power.
Cummins and Third Term.
IF it We're necessary to amend the
constitution in order to increase the
tenure of office of a leader who more
than another, is devoted to this work,
should say do. it, it has been done in
another nation, / believe. If it be
necessary to nominate some leader for
third term, that the malign and bale
full influences of the corporation in
our own state and upon our repre-
sentatives in Washington may be
curbed, then the third term prejudice
should not stand in the way.
II was urged to be candidate for
a third term myself. and sometimes I
have thought. perhaps. it was duty
for L observed that not long after my
retirement, the policies for which had
labored began to be obscured 10y some
Of the influences which contended for
control during my own administra-
tons.
But, as have said. and this is the
thing that should be emphasized, it is
question of principle, first, and then
the selection of the best leader in Iowa
in supporting that principle-the re-
sumption by the people of the control
of their own government
TOO long has the nation labored
under a government of corporations
by the corporations, for the corpora
tions; it is time that we return to
Lincoln's Immortal definition with
which the magnificent rotunda of
Iowas state house is embellshed:
Government of the people, by the
people, for the people,
Blythe Ought to Quit.
1t had been my hope that Mr.. ]. w.
Blythe of the Burlington railroad, who,
since the death of Judge Hubbard, has
been the leader in Iowa of the forces
to which l have referred, would elm
mate himself from the political con-
tests of this state. 1t is unfortunate
that some good man should be embar-
raised and criticised on account of the
attachment to his candidacy of the
railroad corporation interests Assoc
citation of this character arouses sus-
picion in the minds of the people, in
such a crisis as this, and it would be
wiser for Mr.. Blythe to relinquish his
effort to dominate political affairs in
a state situated as Iowa is
Corporations at Washington.
Governor Larrabee was asked spe-
officially about the probability of rail-
road rate regulation in congress. II
suppose it is known" said he, that l
have not the utmost confidence in the
United States congress. 1t has been so
long under the dictation and control
of the corporations that it would be
unreasonable to expect 1t to pass such
bill as will fully meet the demand of
the people and remedy the evils that
exist.
Il know something Of the difficulty in
Washington. I spent considerable time
there in support of the proposition to
give to the interstate commerce COM
mission the power which the supreme
court decided it did not have almost
ten years ago, and I discovered then
the tremendous power which the rail-
road and corporation influence eXerted.
Indeed among the members of the
Iowa delegation found but one man
Is fo41 of}J o
character described. And yet you
know this subject originally was OPEN
ed in 1877, the act was passed in 1884,
the supreme court decided the COM
mission did not have this power in
1897, and during the last fifteen years
the question of railroad rate control
has constantly and actively been agi-
tated in governmental circles at WASH
ington. Every yeaf since the decision
of the supreme court the interstate
commission has specially called the at
tention of congress to the situation.
And yet, until last year not member
of the Iowa delegation offered bill or
made suggestion relative to the re-
storation of the power taken from the
commission and which is exercised by
ten or fifteen men who determine In
New York the rates the traffic will
bear
Where was !owa's Delegation?
t1,n q