The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-01-15

0sstOos IOr ohIotcih2 the rights Of tOe
State which will claim the most marked
attention. He considers tho eoafsder.
alton Of corporations and the power
which through system of oentrslisa.
ton thoy are aba to exert upon those
who make and ex, cute the laws, d IT
war With the elementary principles d
our institutions. The producer il
granted 40 voice 10 determining what
shall be the rate Of tax upon his drops
for their transportation !; BY the oom.
bioing Of companies he il denied the
relief offered by competition and in 4
season when all the means Of transpor.
tation are crowded to their utmost o..
pacity an unjust advance Of charges is
made for ear1yisg his wheat to market.
Foreign corporations have absorbed al
but two Of our State roads, and dictate
their rates. Nearly every community is
oppressed By the greed aud unjust dis.
orim'nat,ops Of these companies. Gov.
ernor Davis has no doubt Of the oonsti-
tu.ionil'ty Of the act of March 9Th,
1871. prescribing maximum rate for
freight and passengers, which has been
violated, 10 every single provisioo, BY
every railroad company in the St.,e.-
He suggests that, IN view Of tho largo
public interests involved, tho State
should undertake the detection of VIC.
lations and the punishment of the VIC.
l.sors Of the l.v. ae refers to tho case
Of the Wiuoua and St. Peter Railroad
Company, 10 which the Supreme Court
Of the State propeaneed in favor Of tho
validity Of the law, but which Wa .p-
pealed to the Supreme Court Of the
United States, and suggests that 40
amendment be made to the law a it
nov stands which might Affect the f.
nal judicial determination of this ease.
Hs also refers to the clam made b.
Certain oompanle, that by the terms IT
their charter they are specifically en-.
powered to prescribe such rates ~ they
shall determine, and points cut that the
people have i. in their power to be r..
lieved from 90 complete subjug.,iop
through lawful nssos-that the same
power Of eminent domain which these
companies used in obtaining the right
OF way for their roads over the proper.
ty Of the unwilling citizen, gives the
State tie right to prescribe rates spo.
the roads Of the unwilling comp.ui 70.
de discusses the measure Of v.lee Of
the roads in such a case, and .dds
"The time is probably tar distant when
any such action viii be Necessary: but It
is veil for sAe people to know vh., Inn.
itlsss power they possess, ADD it will BE-
we'll tor the companies to pause and Con.
slider whether they will provok. into
action such powers n,w dormant and
10 reserve"
tie also calls assss'ioo to the manner
10 which some at tho railroad oomp.o.
les have eeaded Proper t.x.,ion-bo,h
the per cent Of their gross earnings,
and tho >as;s on lands, exempt While
10 Poaaes,,on of the railroad cenpaoy.
oo< "hich have legally and 10 fact
passed into the hsods Vt other parties.
de urges : thorough inves.igs.iou of
the management of every company 10
the State, with view'to increasing the
objects Of taxation to every practi-
cable extent, and thus slIevia,ing
the burdens DOW Ia: gely borne by the
farmers. be trrlher believes that de.
maod should be made for past.due tax.
es on there lands,
he urges that the investment of the
STAT: funds, and especially the School
10 I'D, be made with the greatest care
and surrounded with every safeguard.
The present policy Of investing the
School fund should be established BY
Constitutional amendment.
Our educational luterests have been
cared for With degree of Intelligence
aud liberality Of expenditure which
make them . matter Of State prlde.-
He suggests that such action DO taken
Is will enable graduates from the pub
lie and high schools to pass into tho
Freshman elsss of the State University
without examination.
He close" by calling the attention Of
tn" Legislature to tho sale BY the Uoi.
ted States Of the pine and cedar timber
on many thousand acres OF school and
swamp lands included in the Leech
Like and Red Lake Indian Reserva.
tions, which lands belong to tho State
(a'though u"surveyed) and which are
valuable only for their pine. The To-
dian title is simply that Of occupancy,
and the Governor recommends such
action on the part Of the Legislature n
will protect these important ic,erests Of
the State.
PRESIDENT GRANT has Withdrawn
the nomination Of Attorney General
Williams for Chief Justice Of the Su.
preme Court, At Mr.. Williams request.
1t was very evident that the Senate
would rot cop6rm the appointment,