Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-05-11
C,nn1i,,s and Do1l;ver Garry Message to Iolua

have come to look upon these corpora
| tions and these instrumentalties as the
best philanthropies that can be es-
tablished. They have come to believe
that the people will be better Off IL
they take what these associated powers
are willing 10 gi-+e them than they will
if they fight for their rights. They
listen first last and longest to the APP
peals, the arguments and the demands
of wealth. They have fallen insensibly
into the belief that the possession OF
vast sums Of money is the best evil
dence of high Intelligence and exalted
patriotism. Most of them have been
brought up with these influences all
around them, and therefore whenever
a law is proposed that restricts or re-
duces corporate power that first in
quiry is not. will this measure bring
help TO the people, but, is it recon-
mended by the captains of industry.
the masters of high finance. the di-
rectors of mighty business affairs, the
managers of our unparalleled railway
systems AS l have just suggested,
these leaders of our party always find
themselves so busy hearing what these
princes of the earth have TO say about
proposed legislation that they have
scant time to consider the wants, de-
sires and the needs of the great mass
of humanity, made up of millions
whoes voices are usually faint and dis
tant, but who are now and then heard
that shake the whole structure of or
ganized society.
The Cannons and Aldriches.
Il have no hesitancy in naming the
present leaders Of the republican party
H., ~ ha J1nitaS
In the senate one man stands solitary
and alone, and hitherto his word has
been law to that august tribunal. Sen
ator Aldrich is one of the men OF whom
have been speaking. in the house
Mr. Cannon. the speaker, has exer-
cised a dominating control, and after
him come Payne, Dalzen. and few
others Of the same type. They look al
these vital problems from, the corpor-
ate standpoint, and they are always
fearful that any step in the further and
the better regulation of these over
mastering forces in our commercial life
will destroy business-will take away
some OF the profits with which the
multi-milionaires have been enrichine
themselves. Possibly we need such
bra kes upon the wheels of progress, blu,
a brake never ought to be mistaken
for the engine which drives the car OF
humanity triumphantly on toward
higher and better things.
Il illustrate again the difference be-
tween the two elements of the repub-
lican party: Aldrich on the one side,
and Dolliver, LaFollette, Bristow,
Clapp, Borah and their associates on
the other. When any proposition arises,
II is as sure as fate itself that Aldrich
will view 1t from the standpoint of
maintaining power and privilege in the
hands of the great, and these other men
will view it from the standpoint of con-
trolling the power OF those who have
already accumulated fabulous fortunes,
and of making it a little easier for the
common run of mankind TO get what
they fairly earn. These are essential
differences; they inhere in the train
ing and education of the membership
Of congress-: and I take the liberty of
giving but two concrete instances
which will exemplify the whole sub
iect.
The Railway Bill.
when the railway regulation bill
which is now before the senate came
in, fresh from the pen Of an attorney
general who had spent most of his life
in effecting and defending consolida-
tons Of wealth and business which
were dangerously near the limit Of the
law, it contained a provision which
repealed the antitrust law with re-
spect to traffic agreements made by
railroads, and made such agreements
lawful if filed with the interstate com
merce commission. without any -ap-
prevail whatsoever by the commission
This was the most startling and shock
ing legislative proposition that had
been made in more than twenty years
for during the whole period Of our eff
fort to regulate railroads 1t has been
assumed that such agreements would
have an inevitable tendency TO un-
justly increase rates, and therefore nc
one had ever before dared to propose
such revolution in our railway policy
True to his instinct, the present leader
of the senate fought hard for this ina
munity and privilege for the railway
companies. and had il not been for the
determined, persistent opposition OF
tbs progressive senator's Aldrich with
his overpowering influence would have
passed il thru the senate. When driver
from the initial proposition. he ther
! took refuge behind the suggestion that
! these conabina ton traffic agreements
might be made without specifying the
rates. and that the commission nigh;
| approve the agreement, but that the
| rates should go into effect without ap-
| prevail. When driven from this posi-
| ton in a long and weary fight, then
! rather than submit to the fair and
reasonable regulation of having ths
| increased rates that were made by The
railway companies in pursuance Of any
such agreement, take effect only upof
their approval by the commission. and
finding himself beaten in one of the
bitterest contests ever carried on in
the senate, he was instrumental In
striking out the entire section.
II am sure you can understand, with
this illustration. how vital it is thai
Iowa in her state organization shall
lend her support to the progressives
in such controversy. Every session
of congress will develop just such diff
ferences; and can you wonder that VIZ
who are marked for the disfavor of the
powerful influences at Washington
should want governor who is in sym
pathy with what We are trying to do
should want the whole state govern
ment to be in harmony with the pro-
preSciyo movement hpffar