Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-02-20
Say That Granger Legislation
is Responsible For Loss Of
Population
DISTANCE TARIFF IS BLAMED
Representative of the Companies Ar
quo for Conservation in Enactins
New l.csisIation--Present Bills DO
Not Strike At Real Difficulty, il Is
Claimed.
Special t, Times Republican.

| Special to Times Republican.
| Des Moines. Feb. 20.-Iowa Is losing
population because the granger legts-
lation of years ago fastened upon the
state hard and fasi. rule for "a dis
! lance tariff on the railroads under
which 1t is impossible to build up
large manufacturing industries here.
| This Is the startling explanation
given by the railroads for Iowa's actual
loss Of poulation as revealed in the last
census and for much of the discomfort
Iexisting over commercial conditions
which appears In the form of many
bills to change the law as to railroad
| business.
James G. Davis, general attorney Tor
the Northwestern, in a spirited talk
before the house railroad committee
on the re-consignment bill yesterday,
disclosed this theory and impressed II
on the legislators. On behalf of the
railroad companies he pleaded for eau
ton and conservatism. He warned
against the danger of isoing too far ana
too fast, with bills demanding this or
that reduction OF rates and all sorts
OF restrictions. He insisted that these
bills all fail to strike ,lt the real cause
OF the handicap which Is depopulaung
Iowa. and that Iowa ought to have like
Wisconsin and other states, a law
which would be elastic and permit OF
fitting rates to conditions as they are
found to exist. But In Iowa we have
law for d distance tariff and the rail-
roads cannot deviate from it. 1t re-
stricts Iowa business to that OF local
tiles. No one city can engage in man
ufacturing or jobbing for the whole
state. II creates many small trading
centers, but permits Of no develop
ment, anywhere In the, state OF any
large business. AS d result we have no
large cities to take up the surplus
products Of the state, and we must go
outside the state for market.
IN regard to the re-consignment bill
Mr.. Davis insisted that If 1t means
what Its authors say it means the bill
is not needed, for he declared that re-
consignment is now possible at all
points on carload lots for a fiat fee OF
81 per car. which is far from paying
cost The bill was presented ana
urged on behalf of manufacturers at
Fairfield. Mr.. Davis showed that IN
der the bill there was danger OF q
condition which would require the rail-
roads virtually to permit use Of their
cars as warehouses and to load and
unload them absolutely without COM
'pensation.
One OF the veteran workers in the
prohibition cause in Iowa has made
known to leading members of the gen
eral assembly thatvat this session an
effort is to be made to start move
,nent for constitutional prohibition of
the liquor traffic in Iowa and that
very soon members may expect to re-,
sceive a goodly number Of ;petitions from
their constituents asking this. 1t has
now been just twenty five years since
Iowa voted in favor of prohibition. The
present prohibition lew has been in
force practically ever since, but there
has been no session that has not seen
some material changes therein. At
this session a large number Of bills
are pending looking to the fixing up OF
the law so 1t will be more effective,
The protabitionists say that the state
|,is ripe for a return to prohibition m
the constitution, so that the legisla-
lures will not be all the time making
changes. The movement Is thus Tar
confined largely to the old prohibition
lists who believe that only BY a con-
stitutional provision can q law be
made effective. They are looking for
some leading members willing to start
the movement, and as they insist there
il more prohibition sentiment in the
legislature now than for many years
|. they believe they will get thru the
proper resolution.
The threatened contest over the seat
from Blackhawk county is still in q
condition Of threat Absolutely Moth
ing has been done and it is regarded
as entirely possible nothing will be
done. Some of the democrats are said
to favor dropping the matter. George
Mornin, the contestant, was here
Yesterday, but owing to the illness OF
members of the contest committee
the date for the opening of the con-
test has been indefinitely postponed.
In the meantime ME. GSSiSy SoAfsAAAues,
to make himself q popular and use
full member OF the house.
1t appears there 10 some Ill feeling
being aroused over the action of the
house appropriation committee in hold
ing up the bill to increase the per
capita allowance at the state soldiers
home. In the senate this bill was
handled by the military committee. In
the house it went to the appropriations
committee, which has thus far refused
to report. and there is talk of the
house directing the committee to bring
out the bill.
The pharmacy committee OF the SEN
ate has four doctors and it Is said that
they dominate the committee so that
the pharmacists are not very well sat-
istied. 1t is pointed out that pharma-
cists are not greatly in favor of the
bill to require labelling of medicines,
but the committee will report the BILL
The pharmacists are in favor Of The
bill TO prohibit peddling of medicines
thru the country and This bill will soon
be a matter of much Importance.
An important bin is now ready for
consideration, and that is the bill to
create commission o codify and re-
wise the school laws OF the state. This
is in accordance with the recommen-