Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1907-01-18

lives Of the 1hir,y.second aenefai ~
sembly:
Reports.
r, +b. trnnsitiop from General Asaein.
10 meeting In the even numbefeo sea
q General Assembly meeting IN,
I'd numbered year. the reports a.
tate officers. departments, any yetr
ave not been made for the sinss S,,cb
fJtervening since my last messns nod, are
10 fle and will exhibit In drtnn ~! LIZ ~ =.
met al affairs Of the stare cofnhl'saeu ~
l.,sse officers. departments ana po"A
Finances.
The reports 81 the Auditor ana i'e, De
,rcr disclose fully and msnuiets az
.ipta and all expenditures anu ! w IN
ytnrc than 10 suhniE them Tor sou'
ITO sid IN determining the amount ta mn
~ he appronriatca by the asSenpls , 10
GOVERNOR makes IN estimate OF feee'pS'
Z al .x,euuilureS ror the Two years.
Railroads..
rnssn,nch as ! feel compelled 70 ni,tN' a.
cries OF recommendations that lousn t;.,ti,,
.,tlv or Indirectly. the railroads WITHIN
ae stnte. / must pe allowed a htist pre-.
ace. There mas been, within inc Iass
hree or four years, 80 murn uiss.es'g y,
oncernlnE the rniatons OF Inc ran u., a.
10 the people, that these VINO muhhEs - -,
rocd property and those VINO OWL tu'T shra
n oc,s and bends seem TO feat that there
s-ists a violent prejudice which VIII Et
4ult In ,upjgst legislation. ! cannot ~. w
1--we ,bat ths fear II well founded. nv
lsscussion has been the natufa' .on.u l,.'s
" the marvellous Increase III eo'ii,' ,'l ~
md the plain attempt or tbiiN'is aa 80,
10 rom the iargeHt possible proat irpIi
ne congratulated trntiic of the time. Llies se
mann GERS while they admit as d msrs
the proposition that falho'.n
has not the liberty or license 't pilt", ~
property. cannot and VIII not i1cG t.pt Az
as a rule Of conduct. lhey s"m ,,tt "a
aprnrcnty that they have a rlEht ,, 10
.anItalize not only present earnings. wv
bo,es for the future They cannot anu
atH not save theoretically. recognize thul
81 persons and ell localities hins s,,t4tas
given the use Of TRANSPORTATION nv. in..'1A
anon like terms under like ,eondltiohs.
There ia no disposition unan the hnr'
az the people generally or OF any iesisna
ttTe body TO tnke away from ra'WhS e"i
ooratione the management VI thet ~
srtv. or to deny them fun nno haeaua.e
compensation for the service thet I'm
bear 1t In mind when you come 70 Sun
sider the recommendations ] sinli mhke ;
,kat YOU could not infict more lhthi
blow upon the people Of TINS STARE 'ii AZ
TO adopt such legislation as woha oe
nriye our railroads of the opportunity 70
earn n fair profit. We ere rs dependent
for our material well being upon the
trensnortntion afforded by the railroads
ar ws are upon tft air We breathe Tor the
continuance If life. Railroads VII no.
and cannot serve the people ehicshliy
anlsse they are reasonably compensated Tor
enc work they do. The spirit Of confsch.
zion is not In the people of Iowa; ana n
Il not In this General Assembly. The ran.
Wnv COMPANIES may dismiss oil fear OF
injury. 1t is incredible that the cam
wisdom Of this or any other iegisintiFe
body IN country like ours VIII impose
sncI restrictions unon the use Of rail-
road property as will render IT either I'm
,roftabje In operation or unfairly inlef-
Yere with the control of Its owners: The
~a,ole history Of legislation upon THIS SUD
sect proves conclmslvely the truth OF my
assertion. Notwithstanding ell the acts
chat have been passed regulating the
oneration and limiting the CONDENSATION
~ railroads whether by the states or the
Cnited States, the railroads have steaol
Nv grown In mileage and increased IL
revenue until their excessive stocks ano
bonds aggregate nearly one seventh OF the
snttre veal h Of the nation Experience
has abundantly shown that. with me
privileges granted to them by the law.
they can take care OF themselves much
more effectually than the legislatures and
con crosses can take care OF the people
Concluding this general review. ] come
to specific tfiNgs. ..
Passenger Fares.
In nv message delivered to the Thirty
4rst General Assembly. had the honor
10 recommend the massage OF law fhaf
would require railway connan1es 10 sell
mileage books good for 1000 miles and
onward. at n fat rate OF two cents per
r,ie good until used" and ] said In
that conrection III purchased by the head
~ family. there is no reason why i.
stop.d rot be used by any member OF
,he family: and again. The man who
-ravels little is at present at too great
a disa dyantage as compared with the man
who travels much.
4 h,lI emtndying this recon mendation
nassed the House Of Representatives. but
In the conmittae Of the Senate, counsel
ier the railway conterded that IT was
,-cn"st'tutin"al. because 1t authorized
Ne cooyirring. ard althoHch ] do net cen
cur In the conclusion. ] feel impellad tn
,ev aside tho rnme,av then nronoeed "
mnst be assumed, therefore. that II thns"
.,bn trpyei little gre to be relieved of the
,,t,,st burden which trey now bear. the
,r,ction Of oil passenger fares. There Is
p,,cb reason 80 he'.nve that. IN the West
s~n country ri le"st. passenger traffic at
he nrerant rStn IL less profitable tha-
'ro'~st ir""tr at TIE present rates. TIE
-o,-,ser'atipeT of tie rni'"sv coronanifs
r,,rnp the last session. insisted thot the
vpyaae actual rate naid by passengers
y ynr.e was got r.nre them two rents
,er rite some IF the roads showing $
ts-,rt!nn b"sor a<.d SOW" " fr@"t'nn i""-'r
t,frn two cots. II nasdsg this comnu
satic,, aritr9ry division II certain large
.,en"-Srs wig s1r"nlai. n"| as | Nnd"r
t-"s IT, free transportation was not In
,'R9Na
Trls co.alt'on hes hnAn brnught about
~ she pailr"ess tnernseives through mile
~.