Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1907-01-17

10 the Senate and House OF Representa
tives Of the Thirty second General As
sembly:
Reports.
In the transition from a General Assem-
bly, meeting In the even numbered years
30 a General Assembly meeting in the
odd numbered year, the reports OF an
Ftate officers, departments, and boards
have not been made for the single year
Intervening since my last message. Such
OF them as are required to be made are
On file and will exhibit In detail the con
Duct Of affairs of the State committed 10
these officers, departments and boards.
Finances.
The reports of the Auditor and Treas
Srer disclose fully and minutey all re-
eeipts and all expenditures and l do no
more than to submit them for your con-
alteration.
ITO aid in determining the amount that
can be appropriated by the assembly the
governor makes an estimate Of receipts
and expenditures for the two years.
Railroads.
Inasmuch as | feel compelled to make a
series of recommendations that touch, di-
fectly or indirectly, the railroads within
the State, I must be allowed BRIEF pre-
face. There has been, within the last
three or four years. 80 much discussion
concerning the relations of the railroads
to the people, that those who manage rail-
fpad property and those who own railroad
Btocks and bonds seem to fear that there
exists a violent prejudice which VIII re-
suit in unjust legislation, cannot be
Heve that the fear Is well founded. The
discussion has been the natural outcome
OF the marvellous Increase In commerce
and the plain attempt Of railway managers
to reap the largest possible profit from
The unparalleled traffic of the time. These
managers. while they admit as a mere
Abstraction the proposition that railroad
has not the liberty or license or private
property, cannot and will not accept 1t
Aa Rrla of They believe
apparently that they have right 70
capitalize not only present earnings but
hopes for the future. They cannot and
viii 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 legisls'
Give body to take away from railway cor
porations the management of their prop
erty, or to deny them full and adequate
compensation for the service they rem.
Ger. I say to you. and I hope you will
bear II In mind when you come to CON
cider the recommended | shall make:
that you could not lnflct more rata
blow upon the people of this state than
TO adopt such legislation as would de
prive our railroads Of the opportunity to
earn a fair profit We are as dependent
Cor our material well being upon the
transportation afforded by the railroads
as we are upon the air we breathe for the
Continuance Of life. Railroads will not
and cannot serve the people efficiently
unless they are reasonably compensated for
the work they do. The spirit Of confisca-
t1on Is not In the people of Iowa: and IT
ts not In this General Assembly. The rail
Way companies may dismiss all fear of
injury. 1t Is incredible that the calm
wisdom Of this or any other legislative
body In country like ours Will Impose
such restrictions uDon the use Of rail- |
road property as will render 1t either I'M |
profitable in operation or unfairly Inter
eere with the control Of Its owners The |
whole history of legislation upon this sub |
feet proves cOnclusively the truth of my |
assertion. Notwithstanding all the acts |
that have been passed regulating the |
operation and limiting the compensation |
Of railroads. whether nv the states or the |
Omitted States. the railroads have steadi-
" grown in mileage and Increased In |
revenue until their excessive stocks and |
bonds aggregate nearly one seventh OF the |
entire wealth Of the nation. Experience
has abundantly shown that, with the
privileges granted to them by the law.
they can take care of themselves much
more effectually than the legislatures and
congresses can take care OF the people
Concluding this general review, come
10 specific things.
Passenger Fares.
In my message delivered to the Thirty
arst General Assembly. I had the honor
% recommend the passage Of Law that
mileage books good for 1000 miles and
upward. at fat rate Of two cents per
mile, good until used: and I said In
81 family there Is no reason why IL
should not be used nv any member OF
The family; and again. The man who
travels little Is ut present at too great
: disadvantage as compared with the man
who travels much"
bill emhodylng this recommendation
passed the House Of Representatives. but
IN the committee Of the Senate, counsel
-
unconstitutional because It authorized
fiscrimina ton. The argument seemed to
be convincing. and although I do not con
rur In the conclusion. ] feel impelled to
must be assumed. therefore. that If those
who travel little ere To be relieved of the
unjust burden which they now hear the
renof mrst come through general re
euct1on Of all passenger fares. There Is
much reason to believe that. In the West
eFn country AT least. passenger traffic at
fhe present rate Is less profitable than |
freight tr"fNc at the present rates The |
during the last session. insisted TINT the
average actual rate paid by passengers |
In Iowa was not more than two cents |
Ger mile some Of the roads showing n |
fraction higher and Some n fraction lower |
man two cents In making this compu- |
tation arbitrary division Of certain large |
EXPENSES was assumed. and as I under. |
etard It, free transportation was not In
Guided.
This condition has been brought about |
By the railroads themselves, through mile. |
eye books credentials. and other reduced |
rates to privileged classes. When It is
remembered that the vast majority OF |
those who travel a great deal pay but |
two cents per mile. and that the travel
on ala those Of our people who paw three |
cents per mile Is necessary to bring the |
average up to two cents per mile the ex- |
tent Of travel which pays less than two |
cents per mile assumes tremendous pro
portions. Granting, for the moment that
IL would be unfair to reduce the revenue
from passenger service a single penny. II
Is still manifest that the adjustment is
The Gulf Stream, 1t Is estimated,
takes about two years to flow from
Florida to Norway.
The marriage Of a Javanese bride
% not considered complete until she
has bathed the bridegroom's feet.
I An electrical device to prevent
Death from premature burial has been
invented by Swedish woman named
Lind. 1t has been applied to 1900
supposed corpses, and three of them
sAroro raSnupd hnNanca re tho ~