The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1907-01-17
THE GOVRNOR SPEAKS
Important Extracts From Cover
nor's Message.
.FAyoRs TWO CENT FARE.
Primary Laws Are Urged and Railroad
Legislation is Demanded.

the message of Governor A. B. Cum
minis. The document is an import
ant one to the people of Iowa and
states the well-known views of the
Governor in statesmanlike and
firms manner. We regret that lack
of time and space prevent editorial
comment in this issue or the publica-
tion Of the message in its entirety.
The following is what the Governor
has to say on number Of important
questions.
Enlargement of the Pure Food Law.
Last year the general assembly
adopted a measure intended to pro-
tect the people from fraud and i'm
position in the sale of adulterated
and unwholesome food. 1t is now in
operation and ] believe that it will
accomplish great good.
Those who are vitality interested in
the live stock industry feel that sim
liar protection should be extended to
live stock food. / have examined the
subject with as much care as has been
possible under the circumstances,
and have reached the conclusion that
their views are sound. therefore
recommend the enactment of a law
with respect to such foods. having the
general scope and purpose of the act
sof the Thirty-first general assembly
relating to pure food.
Railroads.
Inasmuch as I feel compelled to
make a series of recommendations
that touch. directly or Indirectly. the
railroads within the<state. must be
allowed brief preface. There has
\ been, within the last three or four
years. 80 much discussion concern
ing the relations of the railroads to
the people. that those who manage
railroad property and those who own
railroad stocks and bonds seem to
fear that there exists violent pre-
JUDGE which will result in unjust
legislation. / cannot believe that the
fear is we'll founded. The discussion
has been the natural outcome of the
marvellous increase in commerce. and
the plain attempt of railway mana
gers to reap the largest possible profit
from the unparalleled traffic of the
time. These managers. while they
admit as mere abstraction the pro-
position that railroad has not the
liberty or license of private property.
cannot and will not accept it as a
rule of conduct. They still believe.
apparently, that they have right to
capitalize not only present earnings.
but hopes for the future. They cam
not and will not, save theoretically.
recognize that all persons and all
localities must be given the use of
transportation facilities upon like
terms under like conditions.
There is no disposition upon the
part of the people generally or of any
legislative body to take away from
railway corporations the management
of their property, or to denv them
full and adequate compensation for
the service they render. l say to
you. and hope you will hear it in
mind when you come to consider the
recommendations l shall make that
you could not inflict more fatal
blow upon the people of this state
than to adopt such legislation as
would deprive our railroads of the OPP
portunity to earn fair profit. We
are as dependent for our material
we'll being upon the transportation
afforded by the railroads as we are
upon the air we breathe for the con-
tinuance of life. Railroads will not
and cannot serve the people efficiently
unless they are reasonably compen-
stated fol, the work they do. The
spirit of confscation is not in the
people of Iowa. and it is not in this
general assembly. The railway com
panies may dismiss all fear of injury.
1t is incredible that the calm wisdom
of this or any other legislative body
in a country like ours will impose
such restrictions upon the use of rail-
road property as will render il
either improbable in operation OF
unfairly interfere with the control of
its owners. The whole history of leg
islation upon this Subject proves con-
clusively the truth of my assertion.
notwithstanding all the acts that
have been passed regulating the op-
GRAFTON and limiting the compensation
of railroads. whether by the states OF
the United States. the railroads have
steadily grown in mileage and increas.