The Grange advance., 1873-11-05
5s$ From New York Tribune.
RAILROAD PROBLEMS IN MINNESOTA.

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.% From Now York Tribune 49,
PROBLEMS IN MINNESOTA.
LOOSE LEGISLATION TO ENCOURAGE RAILROAD
BU1LD1NG-THE PEOPLE WAKING UP-A
LAW PAssED-lTs LEADING FEATuREs-THE
LAW JUD1c1ALLY sUsTA1NED-soME OF ITS
-IMPERFECTICNs. .'. - ..' -
ST. PAUL, Mimi. Sept. 22.-Minnesota
has not yet passed that period which occurs
in the history of every new Western State
when the cost of building railroad into an
unsettled country, and developing new sg-
ricultural or mineral region, is counted by
the people, whether the expenditure be mon
ey, to be repaid at some future time, or the
REIMBURSEMENT of privileges and rights
which pertain alone to the sovereignty OF the
State. It is not strange, therefore, that
the statute books of Minnesota, like
those of mostssof the Western States, are
full of acts to encourage railrod building,
while those restricting companies IN the
exercise Of their franchises were, until the
passage of the general law Of 1871, almost
unknown. The majority of the charters
under which the railroads of this State are
now operating are not burdened with any
provisions in regard even to the rates OF
toll that shall be collected. The trainers
Of those laws took it for granted, l suppose,
that the companies would charge enough,
and public sentiment would not sustain
the enactment of any restrictions likely to
discourage the rapid construction of the
roads. These liberal State laws and the
equally liberal land grants given by the
United States have had their desired effect.
al, IL oG 1oto cd in 1RfE
and only 213 miles in 1865, the iron high
ways of the State stretched out, in 1872,
into more than 300 miles Of rich prairie,
mineral and timber lands, and bore to the
markets Of the world the wealth of farm, Of
forest, and of mine.
THE FIRST ATTEMPTS AT LEGISLATIVE CON
troll OF RAILROADS.
Although the right to collect taxes for
the service which they render has never
been expressly given to the railroad cor
porations Of Minnesota, no one has, OF
course, ever denied it, and, in making their
schedules, they have been governed only
BY their own interests and the natural ef-
feet of competition. The first serious at
tempt to limit or control them in the exer-
else of this implied right was made in
1871, when the Legislature passed an act
of which shall quote the substance. since
its passage, and the contests in the courts,
to which it gave rise, are important events
in the history of the fight of the people Of
the West against the encroachments of the
railroad corporations.
The act in question divides the freight
business of the railroads of the State into
five classes, fixes maximum rates for each
class, and makes it a criminal offense,
punishable by fine or forfeiture Of char
ter for railroad company to charge higher
rates than those fixed. On merchandise
of the first class, such as all kinds Of grain
potatoes, -four, meal, beef, pork, and
meats Of all kinds, when shipped by the
carload, the companies are allowed to
charge six cts. per ton per mile, for any dis.
tance equal to 20 miles or less. For dis
lance greater than 20 and less than sc
more than 5 cents per ton per mile. For
distances greater than SO miles anl less
than 100 miles the companies may charge
cents per ton per mile For all distances
greater than 100 miles, the maximum
charge must not be more than 81 cents per
ton per mile. Where the quantity Of goods
shipped at one time is less than car load,
an additional charge of 20 per cent may
be made The second class includes sawed
lumber, laths shingles, coal, and salt, and
the legal charges for the transportation OF
these articles are as follows: For a. cal
load, 20 miles or less, $40: for a distance
greater than twenty miles and less than
so miles, the railroad company is allowed
to charge in addition to the $40, Is cents
per mile for the carload if the distance
is greater than so miles and less than 10C
miles the extra charge may be 13 cents a
mile, and for all distances greater than
100 miles the extra charge may be IL cents
q mile. The next class includes dry goods
and other similar merchandise, and the
maximum legal charges are rs per cent.
higher than those fixed for the irst-class.
For the transportation of wood, IS miles OF
less, the rate fixed is SO per carload, and
an additional charge Of l8 cents per car
load per mile may be made for distances
between 35 and 60 miles and 13 cents pei
carload per mile, for all distances greater
than 60 miles. Passenger fares are fixed
by this law at not more than cents pei
mile. The above rates include all charges
for the storage or transfer of goods except
where they are allowed to remain more
than two days after the owner has had no.
tice to remove them. The law forbids any
discrimination against an individual or a
class of shippers, and attempts to strike a
blow at railway wheat-rings by directing
that The companies shall take freight from
any storehouse or elevator near its track
at the same rates that they take them from
their own storehouses or elevators.
THE CONsT1TurIoNAL1TY OF THE LAW.
The railroad companies made no strong
opposition to the passage of this act; their
attorneys held and still hold that it con.
flicts with the Constitution of the United
States, because it impairs the obligation Of
the contractaent into between the rail-
road companies and the State, when the
acts chartering the companies were passed