Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-03-01

leaders Of the farmers movement, This
is sufficient to identify him az the
genuine article, even II the opposition
Of the railroads in the last campaign
was not of itself enough, as those gem
tlemen never make any mistakes In
their selections. There are plenty OF
votes to land q man of this stamp ana
all that is necessary is that the voters
know the real conditions and what the
candidates stand for. Success to ME-.
Ottosen.
BUT FOR cUMM1Ns AND THoRNE.
[Wallaces' Farmer.l
A year ago Iowa elected Clinord
Thorne as q, member of the Iowa rail-
road commission. Two or. three years
prior to that time he had been en-
ployed by the Corn Belt Meat Produc-
ers' Association in fighting for re-
duction in livestock rates. He had won
every case undertaken by that associa-
ton. He was elected to the railroad
commission because Of the work he did
with the Corn Belt Meat Producers
Association, and because the attention
Of the general public was fxed upon
this work during the campaign. Upon
taking his office as a member OF the
railroad commission Mr.. Thorne at
once began to complete the files OF
railroad rates in the office Of the COM
mission, and put clerks at work check
ing them up.
When a new rate was filed with the
commission, Mr.. Thorne caused 1t to
be examined to see whether or not it
advanced an old rate. so when the new
western classification was filed. Mr..
Thorne at once put clerks at work to
check 1t up and see just what changes
had been made in the various rates.
The result Of this checking disclosed
the fact that the rate on more than
100 commodities had been advanced
by the new classification. When this
was discovered a protest against the
advance was at once fled with the fn-
terstate commerce commission, and
letters were sent to the railroad COM
missioners of other states, calling their
ing that they join with the Iowa COM
mission in presenting the matter to the
interstate commerce commission.
A hearing before an interstate COM
merce commission representative was
held In Chicago two weeks since. Elev-
en- different states were represented at
this hearing thru their railroad cc.:
n.issioners or other representative OFF,
GERS. The delegates from the different
states united in requesting Mr.. Thorne
70 represent all of the states in pre-
senting the matter to the commission.
The advances were pointed out at this
hearing. and the commission was re-
quested to suspend the advances until
the case could be heard on It's merits
and the railroads could prove that the
advances were justified. AS indicated
in the first para graph OF this article.
the commission did suspend the adj
vances and the matter will now come
up for hearing with the burden Of
proof upon the roads to show that the
advances are justified.
II the people of Iowa have not here
tofore discovered that they acted wise
ly In putting on the state railroad
commission a man who has not only
the will but the ability to protect their
interests. it ought to be perfectly evil.
dent now. We finally. have live rail-
road commission.
And it should also be noticed that
but for the efforts Of SeBaboR. Cam
Minis, another Iowa man, we would not
have had that amendment in the inter
state commerce law which puts the
burden OF proof upon the railroads to
justify an advance in freigh. rates and
gives the interstate commerce commits
advances until hearing can be held
and the railroads have proved their
right to make the advances.