Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-10-23
En- President Taft
Urges lowa Voters
to Elect, Cummins
Special to Times Republican.

Iowa City, Oct. 23.-Hon. William
II. Taft, former president Of the
United States, and for Several years
president Of the League to Enforce
Peace spoke here last night and de-
clared- himself. especially interested
In the, contest over the senatorship,
He declared it would be little short
Of a national calamity if Iowa should
fail Il, return Senator Cummins a.
this time. He said:
Ons OF the reasons why am glad
to corae to Iowa to speak is that it
/ gives me an opportunity to urge tho
reelection Of Senator Cummins.
Senator Cummins and l have not al
{ weys agreed in politics. He has or
dinarily belonged to one faction OF
the republican party, when ! have
been affiliated more or less with an
other. But Senator Cummins Is n re-
q publican of long standing. a senator
Of distinguished ability, and has dis
closed in his long career in the sem
ate the qualities of statesman in
dealing, with the subject matter to
which he has given especial arten-
ton. and that is our national rail-
way system. In the past he has at
tackled railroads with vigor, and has
sought to rid the system of the abus-
es for which the railroad companies
were directly responsible. OF course
the railroads had brought this on
themselves, and they should have an
ticipated an excessive penalty under
popular condemnation for what they
had dime. The rates they were per-
mftted to charge were made too low.
The wages they had to pay were in
creased by economic necessity and
I by the Adamson law. Their. other ex-
penses grew enormously. their in
I comes were cut or wiped out, and
they were driven to the wall. When
the war came on, they were not able
TO carry the load Of traffic largely
because the antitrust law prevented
proper and economic cooperation,
and because the low rates and the
generally severe treatment Of them
by the government and the conse-
quent reduction or failure of divi-
dends had taken away their credit
ind prevented them from securing
the capital needed to enlarge their
facilities to meet the demand. It was
thought wise, therefore, to take the
railroads into government operation
and control during the war. Thereby
It was possible to supply the capital
needed to run them and to create a
cooperation which the anti trust
law had prevented. So that their ca
pacity by reason of this was consid-
erably increased. The general result,
however, was most unsatisfactory
and furnished argument convincing
ito great majority of the people.
against government ownership and
operation. The republican congress
was determined to turn the railroads
hack and not drift into government
ownership, but there was much diff
ficulty in turning the railroads back
to privlte ownership and resumption
of operation In the condition in
(which the government left them.
This, history demonstrated that 1t
was not in the interest of shippers.
whether farmers or manufacturers,
that the rates of traffic be reduced
SO low as to embarrass or possibly
bankrupt the railroads, because such
result was certain to impose upon
all shippers costly delays and in
efficient handling. much more detri-
mental in the end than a mere in
crease in rates. In other words, it
was to the interest of all who used
the railroads to pay enough to pue.
them en- a sound financial basis,
enabling them to enlarge their ter
49,, 1-E LIT,
freight cars and their general trans
portation facilities. 1t was neces-
Sary, too, SO far as it was possible,
to make provision which should en-
sable railroads to avoid the numbing
strikes Of Stheir employees, because
strikes would paralyze their useful.
pess and damage the shipping farm
ers and manufacturers in the highest
degree and would embarrass the con-
Stunning; public to the point Of bust
ness disaster, and possibly to that
of starvation.
With a wealth of experience and
knowle dye which no member of con-
gress had in equal degree, Senator
Cumm.tns threw himself into the task
of framing legislation which should
meet the exigency in which the rail-
roads found themselves and should
enable them to resume their private
ownership and operation without
complete breakdown. He had tn.
assistance Of able senators of thu
same committee. and they devoted
themselves to the task with a non
partisan patriotic effort that de-
serves the highest commentator.
Senator Cummins was the chairman.
and he it was who was the chief
promoter and Trainer of this great act.
The bill his committee framed was
more comprehensive than the Esch
bill which came from the house. and
some Of the features of his bill he
was obliged in conference to yield to
the less ambitions views Of the
house committee. But in the end 1t
was a great constructive measure,
and more largely to Senator Cum
MINIS than any one member either of
the senate or the house is it due.
THE deocratiC platform excused
Mr.. Wilson for signing the Esch-
Cummlns bill, on the ground that he
was forced to do SO by the circun,-
stances. 1t is to be regarded as
republican measure, therefore, and
that party is to assume it's burden
and is entitled to it's credit. 1t has
not been In force long enough to point
to its effect as a complete vindica-
ton, but it certainly Is a great adj
vance over anything we have had in
the past. 1t Is novelty in that 1t
seeks TO do justice for the railroads
by enjoining upon the interstate
commerce commission Scompelling
rules in fixing rates that shall
make allowance for the cost
to the railroads for the trans
portation they furnish and d