Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-05-21
Dolliver Was Difficult Patient
to Inoculate With Railroad
Legislation Sentiment
FORCED BY PUBLIC OPINION
Junior Senator Learned From Allison
and Followed Lines Of Least Resist
ance to Public Sentiment = Both
Surrendered to Railroads in Iowa
Federal Appointments.


Washington. May 21.-The question
OF when Senator Dolliver became
railroad reformer is interesting. In
an earlier letter some reasons We're
suggested for the belief that the re-
form virus hadn't produced even a var
ioloid case at the date when the great
railroad and anti-railroad fight was
witnessed in the Cedar Rapids con-
vention OF 1897.
AS matter OF fact, Mr.. Dolliver
didn't catch the reform disease till a
long time afterward. He had mean
while become senator, and the move
ment for railroad legislation had de-
veloped strength, especially in Iowa.
which commanded attention, before
Mr.. Dolliver concerned himself about
It. Your correspondent recalls dis
tinctly meeting Mr.. Dolliver in Des
Moines at state convention gather
ing, at which once more the lines OF
railroad and anti-railroad were sharp
~ drawn, and talking with him about
the need of national legislation to en-
large the powers Of the interstate
commerce commission.
Waiting to Be Pushed.
Mr.. Delivers reply was that he
didn't believe there was any real de-
mand tor such legislation. He didn't
believe there was any real grievance,
or any particular belief that a griev-
ance existed. He said he didn't get
any letters from folks about It; and
this leader in railroad reform left the
impression that until public opinion
got to pushing. he wouldn't under
take to lead. When 1t got to pushing
he did set about to lead. Built was
not till long after Iowa had been
placed on record for such legislation.
The real pioneer in Iowa was Cover
nor Larrabee. 1t was he who repre-
scented Iowa on the executive commit
tee OF E. F. Bacon's Interstate COM
merce law convention. and have
learned from Mr.. Bacon something
that Governor Larrabee never adver-
stised. that. the, former governor was
one OF the main reliances Of that or
Rai,ization during Its early years for
cash contributions to pay postage and
like billxs
ss .;''s.# failed 70 Turn q Trick.
3 N Another recollection may help to de-
termine who was the leader in rail-
road legislation Senator Dolliver has
ciaimed Ii WAS himself Now, There
was a convention Of the iowa Manu-
facturers' association In Cedar Rapids
In the early part of 1904 AT that time
the Esch- Townsend legislation was
before congress. Mr.. Hepburn was
then, as, now, chairman of the house
committee On Interstate commerce,
and Mr. Dolliver was q member of the
senate committee Where did those
gentlemen stand at that time?
The Cedar Rapids convention was
set up to turn a trick for the railroads.
Judge French, of Davenport, was
chairman Of the committee on reso-
buttons. 1t was four-day convention,
and on the evening of the third day
the committee got to work and framed
IN a wonderful series Of resolutions,
which, thru three or four long type
written pages, in substance declared
that there was no need of any legis-
lation, and no grievance on the part
OF the public, except that a legaliza-
ton Of pooling ought to be added to
the old law!
4 II was on the motion Of your cor
respondent, who was a member OF
that convention, that those resolutions
were rejected, and a substitute, writ
ten by your correspondent, adopted.
The substitute, as well % the original
French resolution. may be found IN the
Cedar Rapids newspapers OF January
~ or Is, 1904 There was q rather
animated discussion before the French
resolution was defeated and the sub
stitute adopted. Governor Larrabee
took q part in that performance, and
favored the substitute resolution.
which. crude as it may have been.
placed the Iowa Manufacturers asso-
clation on record in favor OF lesisla-
ton along the line Of what was after
ward adopted.
pisoustsd Washington Crowd.
when the news Of the action OF that
convention reached Washington IN
processes Of telegraphic communica-
ton. 1t caused some disgust In Iowa
Quarters. 1t administered real jar
10 Messrs. Dolliver and Hepburn,
Who. according to careful testimony
have since gathered in washington were
at that time comfortably of opinion
mat there was no need Of doing any
thing. They thought nobody wanted
such legislation except few dema-
gogs like Cummins and Larrabee.
During that meeting in Cedar Rap
ids, two things happened which may
help locate dates pertinent to this dis
aussion Of priority in the reform field.
I discussed with Governor Larrabee. at
some length, the question Of getting
national legislation Without asking
Governor Larrabee,s permission, shall
now take the libertygto say that Gov
ernor Larrabee. then told me that he
had given up all hope OF getting Dol
liver to do anything for the cause OF
railroad regulation. He had tried, had
talked and correspondent with Mr. Dol
liver, and had found the effort useless.
IN sorrow rather than in anger, he adj
mitted that he. had reached the convic-
ton that Mr. Dolliver had hopelessly
to the "Allison idea" OF
public service; that he would not be
found ready to align himself against
he power Of the railroads, which was
certain to be exerted to the utmost to
prevent such legislation.
When Dolliver Flopped.
So much for Mr.. Delivers position
is Governor Larrabee understood it at
that time-and as everybody in Wash
ngton understood II at that time How