Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1915-02-10

ostrich is apparent to every sman who
is seriously concerned in his own and
his country's future welfare.
Up to People of Iowa.
In few other states have the rail-
roads had a larger share in progress
and development than in Iowa.
state which stands without a peer
agriculturally and which has within
its orders a greater diversified per-
capita wealth and less of poverty
than any other state in the Union!
Surely such a great commonwealth,
the broadmindedness of whose peo-
pie is byword throughout the Ma
ton, cannot afford to treat unfairly
the millions of outside capital which
have been invested in her network
of railroads and without which her
position among the sisterhood OF
states would have been impossible?
| Splendid as has been our progress
in the past, Iowa still stands merely
upon the threshold of her true pos
sibilities, and during the next TWEEN
ty-five years our farm and industrial
wealth should be increased by many
hundreds of millions of dollars. That
we, however, still need millions of
outside capital and that these mil
lions will not be forthcoming unless
we treat fairly every dollar which
has been honestly invested in our in
dustries should be apparent to every
thoughtful citizen.
In the end, all the people and the
Industries of state, great or small,
must rise or fall together-for in the
final analysis we are all dependent
upon each other. Thus, the welfare
of the town and it's surrounding
farms depend upon a spirit of kind
ly cooperation between those who
live in town and those who live upon
the farm. Without splendid inland
towns we would have q rural atmos-
rhere which would soon drive every
bright country boy and girl to the
Ioities-while without the farms the
towns would wither and die. Even
SO it is with all the other interests
of our great commonwealth which
should contribute it's full share
toward the New Day''-a day
fraught with broader understand
ing and justice for every man ana
every interest whether large or
small.
At this moment there are a mil
lion idle men who stand in the
Bread Line and depend upon Soup
Houses in every city of size in the
Nation. A year ago the American
S.eel Corporation had 100000 men
on its payroll. Today the number
has been reduced to 10000 state
of affairs largely attributable to the
impoverished condition of the rail
roads. That this vast army of un-
employed" is depressing the price
of farm products and that it lays
with heavy hand upon every mer-
] chant and manufacturer in the land
!; is so apparent that comment is super
: fluous. 1t is indeed time to think
gravely and profoundly.
, 1t is because Iowa railroads believe
that Iowa people will be generously
! fair-once they know the truth aboLt
| this great question-that has per-
suaded them to make this appeal
through the public press. In doing
so they have tried to state their side
J of the story fairly. They have made
no attack upon anyone or sought 10
. appeal to prejudice-and that the
reader may accord to them the same
J credit for sincerity which he claims
; for himself-that he may be willing
to raise his voice in defense of their
rights as he would expect Others to
, do in his behalf under similar cir
, cumstances-this is all the railroads
of Iowa ask ai6 adv