Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-10-31
THoRSE AND HIS SERVICE.

[Wallace's Farmer1.
The citizens of Iowa have an OPP
portunity this year to elect one mem
Der OF the commission who is fully
qualified for the work We refer to
Clifford Thorne the republican candi-
date. He is in our opinion, the best
posted man in the west on railroad
rate matters. He has had large exper-
fence before both the state commission
and the Interstate commerce commits
sion. He fought thru the case brought
by the Corn Belt Meat Producers AS
ISOLATION, which resulted in reduction
of eighteen peg cent in the rates Of cat
tle sheep and horses within the state.
He fought thru the case before the
interstate commerce commission which
resulted in a regrouping Of the live
stock rates from Iowa points to Chica-
60, and reduction of between $4,000
and 100000 per year. He stands for
square deal between the people and
the railroads, for justice to both and
injustice to neither
Mr.. Thorne won the republican nom
nation after most severe fight. He
was bitterly opposed by the railroad
road interests. who spent both money
and time in the effort to defeat him.
1t is evident that these same interests
will endeavor to defeat him at the
polls. He has not been able to give any
time TO the campaign on his own be-
half. Early in August the interstate
commerce commission began holding
hearings on the claim OF the railroads
10 an advance in freight rates. Since
then Mr.. Thorne's time has been en-
.lrely occupied in the hearings of this
case before the commission
The Register and Leader. of Des
following editorial:
"It is well to get the different part
les in interest in the railroad rate
terstate commerce commission well in
mind.
The railroads are interested in get
ting a raise in rates as the basis Of fu-
ture rate adjustments They are argu-
ing that present rates are not remuner-
alive. If the commission should hold
lowering Of specific rates would be met
with the objection that. as the total has
been found to be none too much, the
specific grievance can not be adjusted
without a general readjustment. The
railroads are, for the first time, setting
forth that rates are not remunerative
on the real value Of railroad property
at this time. This involves the ques-
ton OF the ba sis on which railroads are
to be valued.
1.-The next largest party in interest
is the eastern shipper, who is looking
to what are known as class rates, that
apply to a class Of goods, as merchan-
disc etc, and not to individual COM
modities, as cattle or hogs. The east
ern business men are represented at
this bearing to protect class rates and
keep them as low as possible in the re-
/! adjustment.
The next largest party in interest is
the commercial center. the distributing
point for large territory, which looks
at the rate matter wholly as it af-
fects shipments into and out Of that
particular territory.
Finally, there is the farmer and
stock raiser, who is interested almost
wholly in commodity rates. and at
| whose expense every other interest is
| willing to have rates readjusted. Every
other interest Is willing to admit that
the stock rate ought to be higher, and
that II any raise is to be made, 1t ought
to be on stock and farm produce.
This IL the situation. And in this
situation 1t is well to have in mind that
IL the Corn Belt Meat Producers Asso-
citation and the farmers Elevator
Companies had not joined to send Mr.
Thorne to the hearings, the farmer and
stock raiser would be wholly unrepre-
sented. Every other rate would be
fought for with vigor, and the whole
burden would be shifted to the COM
modify rates, which are in the main the
farmers rates.
''Mr. Thorne is giving his whole time
to this hearing. and will be called to do
SO for many weeks yet. II he is not
at home attending to his candidacy the
state will understand why He is max
ing strong fight for equal rights for
the stock shipper IN the readjustment
everybody feels is bound to come"
From the foregoing 1t will be seen
that Mr.. Thorne has been neglecting
his own interests to serve the people of
Iowa. The people can reciprocate, and
at the same time render themselves a
very great service, by seeing to 1t that
he Is elected railroad commissioner by
the largest vote ever given a candi-
| date for that Office The man who will