Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-02-16
Outside Point of View

ONtSlde Point OF VleW
I The wonder is that more OF our pub
lie men do not stand for something.
| Since Iowa became state we have
had many governors. To the well post
led citizen of Iowa history how many
| OF these governors are remembered
as being identified with any needed re-
form. We have had many congressman
and U. S. senators. Call to mind the
names of those who really were any
thing more than members of congress.
For that matter think of men in con-
gress for the past fifty years and that
includes the dates of the great rebel
lion and mention the names OF ten,
that will be part and parcel of his
tory. 1t does not follow that public
man must be crank or a demagog.
General Coxey will be historic char
i acter, no matter how much we ridicule
his claims at the time of his march
to Washington. Notoriety comes to
such men the same as to John L. Sui
Ivan. But the point involved is not
notoriety. 1t is the reputation that
came to Wendell Phillips, John Brown,
! Bob Toombs, Horace Greedy, Jefferson
Davis, General Grant, General Lee,
Abraham Lincoln. These men stood for
something. Right or wrong all depend
| ing on the viewpoint, their names are
/ linked with sentiment put into action.
1t is probably true no man becomes
great man till he is dead. But think
of the dead men, dead public men, VINO
never made scratch on the walls OF
/ history.
I According to figures taken from the
ice and Refrigeration Blue Book, by
the New York World, there are now
held in SIS cold storage plants 10000
sheep and lambs, and 10000 hogs,
! which makes zone entire animal for
| each adult in the United States. with
enough whole animals left over to give
two to each family" In one of the
! largest plants in New York City
World reporter saw food supplies be-
ing thus held for sale "as fresh pro-
ducts at gilt-edge figures during
season of high prices, including the fol-
| lowing:
Fifty thousand pounds of halibut
placed in the plant three years ago.
Barrels of turkeys and geese (num-
Der not given). two years old or more
Three hundred cases of eggs, the re-
mainder of 5000 cases placed in storage
beginning last April, purchased at
about Is cents per dozen and released
during the past two months to be sold
at from IS to 52 cents per dozen as
! Strictly fresh eggs.
Ten thousand cases of fish (of diff
/ ferent varieties), from one year to
F.! three years old.
Two hundred thousand pounds of
months
Not to discuss the cold storage ques-
ton, emitting at this time and place
the arguments prom and con concerning
the meat boycott and the meat prob
lem, leaving out of this argument the
question of the high cost Of living. or
the cost of high living, here stand out
facts and figures that prove plainly
many dealers in food, in the neces-
stiles of life, are specializing in these
necessities. There is a fair argument
+, in this, that this cold storage business
| actually saves from total loss much OF
| the food product. We can admit this
and yet not understand the right of
these 55S cold storage plants, to still
hold all of this immense stock of food
for still higher prices. In bible times
men were removed from the face of the
earth for this kind of business, not cold
storage but a similar practice.
Whether theoretically we like it or
not, there's a changed condition of af-
fairs in this country now, that plainly
| points out the need Of changed theories
concerning legislation affecting the
bread and butter question. We have
high authority for the statement that
the constitution of the United States,
thirteen in number was grand piece
i of legislation. The same authority,
I however, admits that it is now an in
sufficient document for the present
number of states and territories. II
needs amending in many things. So it
] is. with our laws concerning business
transactions. With a population Of 81
| 100000 this country did not find it nee
essary to very much interfere with the
ordinary run of business affairs. But
with 90,000,000 of population all re-
curing a certain amount Of food and
clothing, that of necessity, to say
nothing of comfort, or luxury, it's an
entirely different proposition. Put it
! into a plain statement. Our Puritan
fathers did not really need laws con-
corning the size, weight and price of
loaf of bread. We do. And what is
true OF bread IS true OF sA oliiei ai u
cles of food. The time has come when
we must not only legislate but enforce
laws concerning the sale of food pro-
ducts This doctrine is far from being
in harmony with our present ideas OF
public interference with private BUSH
ness transactions Its a free coun-
try" Yes. so free that even with the
present high prices of food. spectators
are holding today nearly 100000 Of
dressed hogs. cattle, calves and sheep
for still higher prices.
/ Ms1<roLx1zs