The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-05-30
\ Political Advertising.

1t is funny thing what a difference few months
in the Legislature make in
In order that my political bias may be known
want to say that in favor of protection opposed
to tariff tinkering have always been standpatter
voted for Allison and Carroll and the entire standpat
ticket, have always felt that democrat was better
than progressive, so that if criticize some stand
patters and democrats it is not because do not
like them, because have been sandpatter, and many
of my best friends democrats and like them.
On the afternoon of April 7, near the end of the
last session Of the legislature the senate by vote Of
% to % defeated the Sammis Crst Utility BILL This
was the most vicious measure introduced in the last
session of the legislature. It corporation
pure and simple, it drawn by corporation at
tomeys supported by corporation lobby and every
vote cast for the bill in either the senate the house
was cast as a favor to the corporations.
Members cannot say that they were for the bill
it's merits The fact is that not in ten Of the
members knew what the provisions Of the bill were,
or understood the provisions if they did know.
The corporations were the only ones who were
asking for the BILL Not single taxpayer citizen,
as such, favored the BILL Every taxpayer and citizen
who familiar with the bill and not connected
directly or indirectly with corporation opposed
to it.
The bill reported by the railway committee
Of the house March 81. It introduced early in the
session but held in committee until the session
it's end with the evident hope that it could then
be reported out and hurried through in the last busy
days. The house did pass it with little consider
alton.
An examination Of only few Of the provisions
of the bill will show how vicious it and how mach
it was in the interests of the corporations
The bill is found in the house journal Of March 81
Sections Is, paragraphs l. 3, s. and takes from
cities all control street railways gas, electricity,
waterworks and power sites, whether the same is
owned by the city not In other words the commits
sion could come in and every municipal plant in
Iowa. thus taking away from the people Of the cities
and towns the control the property that they paid
for with their taxes. Moore Of Linn who as IIy>aa-
Der it is member Of the board Of water works tfA
tees at Cedar Rapids voted for the bill Hesevidently
believes that the board of which he is memberis not
competent to handle the water works plant at Cedar
Rapids and if he does think he certainly ought to
resign his membership on the board and give some
the place who feels competent to handle the situa-
ton.
Section 80 Of the bill shows it's corporation par
entage. This section adopts the present bond and
stock issue irrespective Of the market value Of the
the value Of the plant. This value would then
be taken basis for fixing rates. This section would
have increased the value Of the stocks and bonds of
Iowa utility corporations millions and millions of dol
lars. This the object of the bill, and the reason
the utility companies could afford to keep expensive
lobby in Des Mones during the entire session.