IOWA. 



445 



lish beyond question the fact that the animal 

 tissue is assimilated by the plant, and acts as 

 a real food, enabling it to produce a greater 

 number of larger seeds, and to store up a 

 greater quantity of reserve material. 



IOWA. The Legislature of Iowa assembled 

 at Des Moines on January 14th. Governor 

 Gear was inaugurated a few days afterward. 

 In his inaugural address he sets forth the re- 

 sults of the regulation of the railroads by the 

 State. A previous General Assembly enacted 

 a law controlling these railways in their 

 charges for the transportation of passengers 

 and freight. The constitutionality of the law 

 has been affirmed by the United States Su- 

 preme Court. The principle of the control of 

 railway and all other corporations created by 

 and under the statutes of the State is based on 

 a natural law, and pertains to the State in her 

 sovereign capacity, and can not be surrendered. 

 It therefore follows that the application of the 

 principle becomes simply a question of policy. 

 Eailway and all other corporations engaged in 

 public business should be controlled by statute 

 in such manner as shall work for the best in- 

 terests of both corporations and State. While 

 corporate property should be rigidly compelled 

 to bear the same burden of taxation and re- 

 sponsibility to law that the State exacts from 

 the individual, it is also entitled to equal pro- 

 tection, in all its rights, to that which the 

 law accords the citizen. It should be the set- 

 tled policy of the State, says the Governor, to 

 encourage by wise and liberal legislation the 

 investment of foreign capital within her limits, 

 which is so much needed for her growth and 

 development in the future ; and all legislation 

 that may affect this future should be wisely 

 considered. Every dollar of such capitc^l, 

 whether invested in railways, manufactures, 

 or any description of corporate property, is an 

 addition to the taxable property and perma- 

 nent wealth of the State. The tariff law has 

 been in operation something over three years, 

 and ample opportunity has been given to ob- 

 serve its operations ; and it therefore devolves 

 on this General Assembly to remedy its de- 

 fects, if any have been developed. Some por- 

 tions of the State favor the law as it is, while 

 other sections ask for its modification, on the 

 ground that their products are taxed more for 

 transportation than they should be, and that 

 the law, in its present form, is a discrimina- 

 tion against their interests. These different 

 opinions in regard to the law are the results 

 of its workings in different localities, and this 

 condition of affairs demands your careful at- 

 tention as to the proper remedy. If on exam- 

 ination the law should be found to work in- 

 justice to any portion of the State, it ought to 

 be modified, or some different application of 

 the principle of control should be resorted to, 

 in order that the producing interests of the 

 State, which are the basis of her prosperity, 

 may be harmonized and protected. 

 Mr. William B. Allison was elected United 



States Senator by 20 majority in the Senate 

 and 41 majority in the House. 



In the House the following resolutions re- 

 lating to financial questions were introduced 

 and referred to the appropriate committee : 



e it resolved by the Senate and House of Represen- 

 tatives of the State of Iowa, That the act of Congress 

 demonetizing the silver dollar was procured without 

 any demand being made therefor by the people, and 

 was a measure for the benefit of capitalists and spec- 

 ulators in gold, injuriously affecting the industrial 

 and commercial interests of the country ; and said 

 act, by withdrawing an important factor of the cir- 

 culating medium, has largely contributed to our pres- 

 ent financial difficulties. 



2. That silver being an American product, and as 

 much of the nation's wealth exists in its silver 

 mines, the unrestricted coinage of this metal into 

 legal-tender money would open a wide and highly 

 remunerative field for American enterprise ; arid by 

 making the standard silver dollar a lull legal ten- 

 der for all debts, public and private ? a permanent 

 and much-needed addition to our national currency 

 would be supplied. 



3. That the strictest observance of national faith 

 does not require that the Government bondholders 

 should receive payment otherwise than according to 

 the expressed terms of the bonds and the laws under 

 which they were issued. 



4. That the legal-tender notes of the United 

 States constitute the most convenient and substan- 

 tial paper circulation that has yet been devised ; and 

 said notes being now nearly at par with gold, no 

 necessity for their retirement and redemption exists ; 

 and any further contraction thereof, under any pre- 

 tense, or for any purpose whatever, would tend to 

 increase our financial embarrassments and still fur- 

 ther oppress the material interests of the country. 



5. That while the convertibility of our paper cir- 

 culation into coin at the will of the holder is a re- 

 Bult that should not be abandoned or lost sight of, 

 resumption, in the absence of silver as one of the 

 means therefor, is impossible, and resumption should 

 not be attempted until the silver dollar is restored 

 as a standard of value with gold, and the nation's 

 industries are fully prepared for its consummation. 



6. That the judgment of the American people and 

 the soundest principles of public economy alike de- 

 mand that the financial policy of the Federal Gov- 

 ernment should be adjusted upon the principles of 

 the foregoing propositions, and by such policy re- 

 newed vigor will be imparted to individual and pub- 

 lic enterprise, financial confidence restored, and our 

 rapid tendency toward bankruptcy and ruin effec- 

 tually arrested. 



7. That our Senators are hereby instructed, and 

 our Representatives requested, by their votes in 

 Congress to maintain the principles announced in 

 the foregoing resolutions. 



The Committee made a majority report em- 

 bracing certain resolutions. The first declared 

 u that it is the deliberate sentiment and 

 opinion of this body that all the interest-bear- 

 ing obligations of the United States may be 

 paid in gold or silver coin of the standard 

 weight and fineness provided for by the law 

 existing at the date of such obligations." This 

 was approved withont amendment. The sec- 

 ond declared "that the coinage of the 412 

 grain silver dollar, provided for by the act of 

 1837, should be restored, without limit, as the 

 unit of value in the United States, and that it 

 should be made a legal tender in any sum for 

 all debts, public or national and private." 

 This was amended by adding the words, " ex- 



