Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-05-26
GOVERNOR GARST PLEADS FOR
ENDORSEMENT OF IOWA
SENATORS.
NATIONAL ISSUES INVOLVED
IN IOWA PRIMARY ELECTION
Garst Defines Issues Of Campaign in
Thoughtful Speech Delivered at En-
fnetsbure-WilI Iowa Endorse Can
non and Atdrich, or DoIliver and
cuhnn1ins and Other Prosressives?
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times-Repuplican.
Emmetsburg, May 26-In one of tn
strongest speeches of the present cam
paign, Governor Warren Garst las
night appeared before a large and in
telligent audience here and defined tn
issues in the Iowa primary campaign
as they relate to national Legislation
and the pledges of the national repub
lican platform. Mr.. Garst made
strong plea for the endorsement of the
Iowa senators and the progressive del
egation in the house, showing that
change in sentiment in Iowa as eX-
pressed at the primaries means the
endorsement of Cannonism and AL
dricfrism and the reputation Of those
principles for which the rank and file
Of the party in Iowa has fought. Gov
ernor Garst said in part:
"There is no more difficult issue
than that which relates to the corpor-
atoms. 1t is up to the statesmen OF
our day TO determine and fix the proper
relations of the federal government to-
ward the railroad corporations. After
thorough adjudication in the courts 1t
is now accepted that the railroads are
uuasi-public in character and proper
subjects of legislation. The railroads
themselves exercise limited govern
mental functions in that they have the
mower of taxation as absolute as the
state, which makes it necessary that
they should be under regulation IN
some way and to some degree If the
interests Of the people are to be pro-
tected.
.sThe bill pending in congress to give
the interstate commerce commission
greatly increased authority over COM
mon carriers looks finally and all 10
the securing for the benefit OF the
railroads and their patrons rates that
are reason able, free from all discriIn-
nation and sufficient to com pensate
the owners of the railroads and their
employees
1.-THE draft Of the bill which was pre-
pared for the administration by Mr..
Wickersham did not wholly meet With
the approval of our senators and some
members of the house. With the
single purpose of affording better pro-
lection to the people and perfectlns
the bill so as to make the law work
able, Senator Cummins, whose great
ability in framing legislation on this
subject mas DSSH VI vast DCilChS ~
Iowa, offered a series of amendments.
They have formed the basis OF pracu-
eally all the discussion which has en-
gagged congress for many weeks.
Water in Rail Stocks.
SIT is not for me to discuss in detail
the various phases of this legislation.
Sen ator polhver says that the railroads
have stocks and bonds issued over
three billion dollars in excess of their
cost. We are denied the right to enter
objection to this increase, which stands
as a perpetual lien on the people Of
the United States but it seems to me
not unreasonable that we should have
a basis for the future. This great debt
REQUIRES a fixed charge upon the earn
ings which tends TO decrease the pos
sibilfty of fair wages to employees with
out an unreasonable increase IN the
charge for transportation. For one
thing it is desired by Senator's Dolliver
and Cummins that the law will provide
for ascertaining a fair valuation of the
railroad property as the basis of
inst rate 1t seems to me that this IS
only reasonable and right.
"But perhaps the most vital point
commended for is embodied in the
amendment of Senator Cummins, which
the senate leader refused to permit
him even to offer in committee and
concerning which he said it would be
A waste of breath to offer 1t in the
senate. This is the amendment look
ing to having some competent body
standing between the corporations and
their customers pass upon the reason
ableness of any proposed higher freight
before it could go into effect. That
meant, in brief, that the burden of
proof was put upon the railroads to
show why a higher rate should be ex-
acted for the service before demand
could be made for its payment.
Within a few weeks a striking Illus
tration has been given Of the need Of
Some such reasonable provision; for
notice has been given of an arbitrary
increase in freight rates, ranging from
to 20 per cent, and this is being
resisted by manufacturers. merchants
and shippers. But in the present help
less condition of the interstate com
merce commission it is almost hope
Tess task to resist the advance. Under a
law with provisions like those urged by
the Iowa senators there would be a
speedy disposal of the matter.
All that our senators have asked is
that the interstate commerce commits
sion be empowered to pass upon the
rates where an increase is demanded,
and II It can be shown that with our
period of higher cost of living and con-
sequent need for higher wages, such
increase is needed that better wages
may be paid, then the rates will be ap-
proved at once.
In spite Of the fact that when it
was proposed that the bill be amended
on the floor of the senate, this proposal
was denounced as an act of unfriend-
illness to the administration, even the
most determined of those who at first
insisted upon passing the bill without a
single change now admit that because
Of the amendments and the discussion
incident thereto the bill has already
been vastly improved.
If Senator Cummins had done moth
ing in his short career in the senate
other than his work to perfect this in
4srstate commerce bill, it would have
been sufficient to repay his friends
here IN Iowa for the strenuous efforts
they have made for him in the past
nut this 10 only one of great many
Ahings he has accomplished in his
eighteen months at Washington.
Danger in Postal Bank Bill.
The postal savings bank Dill pend
o. before congress IL, in my opinion, a
greater menace to the business inter-
NnHa az the state Of the middle west