The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-10-25
Voice Of the People

[Under this head The Daily Gate
City will publish communications on
| any and all subjects Of interest to the
people generally, reserving the right
!, to reject unworthy articles or those
inspired by personal animosity or
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! accompanied by the names Of the
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munication.]
Mr.. Porters Misleading Statements.
To the Editor of The Gate City:
| I cannot let pass unchallenged the
utterly misleading statements OF =.
r. Porter, democrat candidate Tor
| United States senator, regarding the
i Cummins-Esch railroad bill as re-
ported in your paper OF October 70,
from his speech at the district court
room.
| 1t is an exceedingly unfortunate
phase of our political life that SO
many candidates for Office, presum-
! ably knowing the truth, deliberately
$50 color and pervert their statements
as to purposely mislead unthinking
or uniformed voters.
Instead Of turning over millions
of the public funds to the railroads
this bill does not turn over one
penny of public funds to them. the
railroads either earn enough from the
rates established by the interstate
commerce commission or else they
fail, and go into the hands of re-
lceivers just as any other business,
lgreat or small, must do when 1t can
not earn expenses.
| The bill does not provide for
return OF FIVE and one-haH per cent.
ION all the capital represented by the
roads" It does not guarantee an
extra one per cent. return in the
income of the railroads" 1t guar
antees" nothing whatsoever. The
bill provides that the interstate COM
,merce commission shall establish
rates such that the roads as whole
Twill earn five and one-half per cent
lon their entire valuation, not capl-
ttalization, which is a very different
thing. In addition. if any road earns
lit, one-half of one per cent. may pc
retained solely Tor maintenance ana
improvements, provided the inter-
Estate commerce commission grants
its permission.
4 AS to whether FIVE and one-half per
, cent. return on valuation is too great,
: I would leave it to any businessman
of Keokuk whether he would care 10
| continue to run his own business on
even considerably more than nve
| and one-haH per cent. return
This rate continues only until
March. 1922, when the interstate
commerce commission can revise II
| las seems necessary. Az the present
} time the roads are only aiiowe' an
: average return Of five ani one-naiI
t per cent. on new borrowed money
for which they must pay seven to
, eight per cent which is laf'ily ifr-
, .fitable to say the least.
II The bill did not fully satisfy either
) all the shippers or all the employees
. or all the owners, and therein lies
: its greatest strength and v,iue. Inc
5 bill dealt justly with all these diver
!. gent interests as whole, and favc1-
+ ed none.
. | The original bin did not make II
!. criminal offense for railroad emplojes
\ to cease working for employers, e1
. ,cept as an act of conspiracy to pre-
. vent the proper functioning OF tne
+ railroads. Does anyone doubt the
ieffect on the public Of strike 81
, railroad employees, and hence VIM
: this appeared in the original Dill!
: The Cummins- Esch railroad bill Is
now regarded by the highest anu
!, most unbiased authorities as the
most constructive and valuable plece
iof legislation passed by congress- IN
wears 1t is common knowledge tna'
iSenator Cummins made the supreme
. effort of his life in the framing OF
.. this bill, certainly not m MS own
9 interest. for 1t threatened. to seal his
: POLITICAL doom, nor yet IN the inter
! ests of the owners Of the railroads
: for they were the least favored OF
4 any of the Interested groups, but foI
fbe best interests of all the people
q of these United States as a whole
: Owing to the great complexity OF
onr present day life any injustice to
one great group reacts unfavorably
I iupon all other groups of the country
p The entire country is dependent upon
e the railroads for the distribution OF
+ all commodities and to allow them
s Inadequate return retards the grown
( of the country. AS prosper the rail
j roads. SO prospers the rest OF the
y country. and II the railroads do not
' prosper they cannot serve the needs
/ of the nation and the public viii sur
J. fer in consequence. a,
t Outside of the presidential canal
dates, the return of Albert B.. cum
: Minis to the senate Is the most vita
r question of the day, and the decision
2 rests with the voters Of the state Of
/ Iowa. To fail to return Mr.. Cummins
i as an appreciation Of his great work
i. would not only appear to discred1l
!. his efforts, but would also be direct
blow to all honest and constructive
Legislative activities In this country
For we are in dire need Of represen
!. tatfves who are capable OF worklnp
e for the best interests OF all the psopie
!. and n,ot for some relatively small and
0 selfish group to insure their election
). R. Fl. BOLSTER.
e, Keokuk, Oct %, 1920.
j A Plea For tho League OF Nations
9 To the Editor of The Gate City: