Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-22
IOWA HOXO.}S HUGHES
Cummins Praises Him at the
Society Dinner.
CHEERS FOR ROOSEVELT
Gen. Grenville Dodge Presided at
Banquet.
RAILROAD RATES AND PASSES
Causes of the Recent Financial
Troubles Discussed-Welcome to
the Speaker.
RAILROAD RATES AND PASSES

r CummnS of Iowa ana CndTieS e.
Hughes of New York were the guests OF
honor at the third annual banquet or inc
Iowa Society of New York at the Hotei
plaza tonight. Each received hatter-
ing reception. but the name that was re-
ceived with general acclaim throughout
tho sfter-dinner proceedings was that OF
President Roosevelt.
Gen. Grenville NJ. Dodge who presided
started the enthusiasm for the president
when, in calling for toast TO be oruhA
TO him. he said that in Iowa Roosevelt
ranked with Washington. Lincoln, Grant
and Mckinley. The diners rose anu
cheers rang out that were long and
hearty.
Welcome to Cummins.
Cav c,,mmins. who later responded to
the toast Iowa" was given an ovetioh
when he rose to speak He pald eo''.
nliment to Gov. Hughes. who did not ara
rive in the banquet hall untli iaiei' .o'
his work in the insurance lnvest'sa'ion
and then plunged into euiogy OF rre'i-
dent Roosevelt. saying:
eve Ch6ereQ acC LlST cIiiliCIAt SoA'
New York as he DO dly struck out throush
an UNEMPLOYED wilderness OF statesman
ship, guided only by the compass OF CON
science. and we are cheering MN sun
Our people never tire in their acclaim All
hail to Theodore Roosevelt.
The remainder of his speech was gwen
over to the subject of Iowa's aeglsialioh
in regard to corporations and discussion
of the causes Of the financial TROUBLES.
Gov Cnmmins said in part:
Praise for Roosevelt.
1--WE applauded Charles E. Hughes as
he laid bare the wickedness or men
charged with the most sacred trust that
can he committed to morta hands. we
cheered another eminent son of New
York as he boldly struck out through an
unexplored wilderness Of craftsmanship.
guided by the compass Of conscience. and
we are cheering him still. Our people
never tire in their acclaim. All hall to
Theodore Roosevelt. It is said that he
has made mistakes; 1 suppose he has: but
the mistakes of a man trying to find
safe path are better than the inaction Of
q man who shrinks away. saying There
Is no path let US be content as we are.
1t is said that he talks too much. 1t may
be SO. but I would rather hear the voice
of a man declaring what he believes to
be true. even II he is wrong. than to
listen to the platitudes of the man who
is too cowardly or too conservative TO
say anything
On the subject OF Iowa's legislation
Railroad Legislation.
I'VE have enacted a primary election
law that will destroy their (the corpora
tion's) power in caucuses. hope this
did not affect Wall street. We enacted
a law forbidding all contributions by cor
porations for political purposes. With
honest people this ought to have en-
HANGED rather than diminished the value
of their stocks. We enacted law pro-
hibiting railways from issuing free trans
portation to any persons save officers and
employers in continuous service. This
may-I hope it will-lessen their political
activity. but it will not reduce their reve-
nues. We enacted law giving our rail-
road commission the authority to estab-
lish joint rates. This was doing no more
than to secure for ourselves a privilege
that the railways had voluntarily con-
ferred upon nearly every other community
In the country. We could discover no
reason why we should be ground be-
tween the upper and the neither mill
stones.
I'VE enacted a law fixing sixteen hours
aS the IIllt lot CONTINUOUS WOrk IN the
operation of trains. and no one has ques-
toned its wisdom. We enacted a law
requiring railways to keep their rights
of way free Of dry grass and weeds as
protection against fire. and this every
progressive railway had long been doing
We enacted law making it obligatory
TO put In cattle guards at farm cross
ings. and this every fair railway had
Tor years been doing.
The Two-Cent Rate.
Finally we enacted a law making Q
cents a mile the maximum passenger fare
upon our frst-class roads, We did this
not to reduce revenues. but to remove dis
elimination. great many Of our people
who could best afford to pay were travelling
for nothing on passes A great many
more who had money enough to buy a
mileage book were travelling at cents per
mile. The remainder of our people, those
who could least AFFORD to pay, were tray
cling at cents a mile. The average rate
received was little less than cents, and
all We did was to say: Make all your
passengers pay the same rate
I'VE enacted law that is intended to
keep our water in our streams instead of
In our corporate stocks. think 1t is a
good law. but. if 1t is not New Jersey is
still open to the promoter"
Need for Honesty.
AS to the causes of the financial trou-
bles. the governor said:
Look rather to a system which has
permitted reckless men to flood the coun-
try and its markets with worthless and
baseless stocks and inadequately protect
ed bonds: look rather to a system which
In our stock exchanges makes one-half
the members implacable enemies of every
corporation whose stocks are listed for
purchase or sale: look rather to a system
of banking which at the very moment
when banks are most needed compels
them to suspend their most important
functions. and, above all and beyond all.
look at the spirit which has repudiated
the eternal. and. in the end. overpower-
Ing. truth. that stable, permanent wealth
can be produced only by honest, faithful
labor