Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-05-19

interest on state QGpOSluS, cue.
Prouty and the Pork Barrel.
In his address at the Cummins rally
at the Auditorium last night Judge S.
f. Prouty aimed the shafts Of his wit
at United States Senator j. p. Dolliver
and his recent address in Des Moines
in behalf of Senator Allison. Senator
Delivers explanation Of his failure to
take up railroad legislation prior to
1906, because there had been no pub
lie demand for such legislation. Judge
Prouty termed plea IN confession
and avoidance" HE admitted the ST.
lence." said Judge Prouty "and claimed
that he was asleep because no one had
tried to wake him up"
In preliminary way Judge Prouty
devoted himself to this explanation.
taking as the text of his remarks that
bit Of scripture in the book of John,
'Our beloved Lazarus sleepeth." He
declared that the plea Of Senator Dol
liver was insufficient, because the rec
ord showed that there had been a de-
mand for congressional action years
before 1906. He referred to the reports
of the interstate commerce commission
itself for the year 1897, when congress
was asked to give 1t power to do
something. Again. In 1898, and every
year succeeding the same plea was
made with more or less vigor, but"
said Judge Prouty. "our beloved Jona-
than still sleepeth."
Judge Prouty said in conclusion:
conceive that this age has employ
ment for other talent than the genius
OF making 81 raid upon the public
treasury, especially when 1t Is for the
lily concealed purpose of securing
"just another term" The American
people are now engaged in greater
and grander work than that. They are
trying to protect the rights and dignity
Of the Individual They are trying to
protect the genius of our institutions
that declares all men equal. Our people
ought not now to stop and inquire how
much sordid gain can come to a COM
munity. Rather ought they to ask the
question how our laws can be best
framed to elevate and ennoble our cit4
izenship. There is much work in con-
gress to perfect our laws governing
railroads. The interstate commerce
law needs further amendment. AS it
now stands, it is Ineffective. 1t does not
meet the demands of the commission
ers. They say that:
"The power of establishing and fix
ing reasonable rates in advance is the
only practical legal remedy for extor-
tion and unreasonable and unjust
rates"
They are right. The amendment of
1906 only gives them the right to adj
just the rates on complaint. 1t gives
them no initiative. 1t gives them no
power to prevent the putting in Of un-
reasonable and unjust rates, The rail-
roads are n,w threatening to ad-
vance their rates an average Of about
IA per cent. The commission under the
law Is powerless. to prevent it. II
these rates are put in, It will probably
take from one to two years to get them
out, and during that time the public is
compelled to pay this excessive rate
without any effective redress
believe that the commission
should be clothed with power to fix
rates and that no railroad should be
allowed to raise its rates until the COM
justified. NY friend Dolliver helped to
tOtes OOWIl tHdL hiAu u Oh dIlicAu.
.ment; and he will have to be walked
up again by popular demand before
we get his assistance In making this
law effective or even helpful Not
only has Senator Dolliver been asleep
to the great work Of reform, but also
the other so-called leaders of congress.
They have been blocking the work of
the president as far as they dared.
When forced to yield, they have grant
ed as little as possible. and that
grudgingly. We will never secure leg
islation that will furnish full measure
of relief to the people until the in
f1uence of the railroads and the Other
great corporations over congressman
shall have been broken. And that In
fiuence will never be broken SO long as
they furnish the campaign funds 10
secure the denomination and re-elec-
ton of favored congressman.
I do not know whether can &c.
more money than my distinguished
opponent for the dredging of the Des
will lay aside my modesty long enough
to declare that believe can do more
than he has done to secure wise, just
and equitable laws affecting the in
terests and welfare Of the great mass
of our people. ] believe can do more
than he has done to secure laws that
will check and curb the great monopo-
lies of this country I believe / can do
more than he has done to secure the
passage of laws that will limit extor-
ton and at the same time preserve
protection. I believe that I can do
more than he has done to secure the
passage of laws that will guarantee
justice to the toiling millions. be-
lieve / can do more than he has done
to drive the captains of industry from
the domain of politics into the legiti-
mate fields of business and commerce.
L believe that can do. more than he
has done torstem the tide of the sys
TENS influence I believed can do
more than he has done to vitalize and
make effective the interstate COM
merce law, and prevent extortion and
injustice in railroad operation. I be-
lieve can do more than he has done
to secure Ia square deal for all the
people and all their interests, includ-
ing the consumer as we'll as the man
ufacturer. At any rate, boys, won't
you let me try?
Chase Reviews Dolliver.
Hon. d. C. Chase, OF Webster City,
was introduced as one Of the foremost
orators in Iowa He. spoke as COM
mon soldier. one of the rank and file