612 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



Motion submitted and carried unanimously by rising vote. 



Mr. Doran : In regard to securing the money tbat Mr. Thorne 

 suggested for the employment of rate experts, etc., the only 

 way to do that is by an appropriation from the state. Let's 

 get it big enough so that our state can be adequately repre- 

 sented before the Interstate Commerce Commission. You want 

 just as good talent as the railroads have, but it is not fair that 

 you fellows should pay for getting all these good rates for the 

 other people of Iowa. 



Mr. Dawson: This matter is of too much importance to every- 

 body in Iowa for any one organization to assume the cost of 

 fighting the battle. The proper method, in my opinion, is that 

 the money should come out of the general fund of the state of 

 Iowa, and that all property should pay its share. Our taxes 

 on farms in northwestern Iowa have been excessive ; we feel that 

 we are paying a great deal more in some cases than we should 

 be. If we can get the succeeding legislature to correct the diffi- 

 culties that we are laboring under now, and get the burden of 

 taxation distributed equitably on all classes of property, then 

 the state of Iowa can levy taxes sufficient to do all the things 

 that are necessary without overburdening anybody. Having done 

 that, they ought to make an appropriation sufficient for the 

 Iowa railroad commission and the Commerce Counsel to do the 

 work that they find necessary in order to protect our interests. 

 It ought to be sufficient, whether it is $50,000, $100,000 or 

 $200,000. The work is too great for any one organization to 

 undertake, even one so zealous as ours. It is not the Corn Bell 

 people 's business alone ; it is the business of the people of Iowa. 

 They ought to pay it, and I believe they are willing to, if it is 

 levied proportionately. 



Mr. Olinger: I think the gentleman's remarks are timely and 

 good, but this plan reminds me of a man who was taking his 

 colt out to train him for a race when the race was on. This 

 question of settling the rates is for immediate consideration 

 and the coming legislature is none too soon to get a bill passp't 

 or this appropriation increased, and then take up the tax ques- 

 tion afterwards. To get it before the house. I would move that 

 the president be one member of a committee, and that he select 

 the balance, as many as he sees fit, and those whom he thinks 

 would have influence, to put this matter squarely before this 

 legislature. 



