Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-01-08

AnG TRANSCRIPT
IA. HAYWOOD. IN, ~ f.,,a,.ese.
-AusTlN. lt1NN:~
THURSDAY MORNING. JAN. l. 1874.
Tho Legislature.
This body organized and eommeuees
bus;n-ss IN the Capitol last Tutsd.y
A.id, stv~ tie ,per'ui local Liquidation
shat my b. required. there 10 but on
s;ng's .uhjecs Of pressing importance
to b considered. Transportation and
it, collateral ,ssuee. will b. the ONE en-
crossing s1.me cf tie 'es''o". We 'ay
collateral ;.sses because these ore q
v.r;cus. and ~ intricate ~ {" constitute
the chief difficulty in tn" way Of . sat>
istac,ory' adjustment. At present two
great public ;n.e,sa.s,-equa' and mo-
.u.l, when rightly considered, but a.
crc,.ive and hostile under jealous IN
Aucuces,-nesd ~ Be promoted. aud
their relations to DO more elesrly d.
fined. W. refer to the producing
and transporting interests. To
tho extent to which any 10
c.l;ty carrie. production beyond ito
necessity for homo consumption, it il
20 far dependent upon transportation
for 4 market. and whenever carrying
facilities At. provided, in excess Of the
temporary demand fur their employ
u~nt, they mus. inevitably exact h'yh
e. ,ose. than would b either reasona
bic or necessary, were they employed "a
the fall ex,en. Of their capacity. II
By tho exiveneies of public service
. soldier 10 required to keep himself
constantly under arms, it matters little
whs,her he he in barracks. or in the
field; he cannot employ bio leisure "a
his own pecuni.ry advantage; aud o"
more can a railroad company. having
Invested it, capital in construction aud
equipment, for the aeeon'mod.''o" OF :.
.p.rsely settled State. With but limited
production in excess If home de'oa"d'
a.;st,,o it, tore. aud operate IT. line
ual.'s upon = fa'r estimate OF ''' '"oa'
a bssisesa, It Be psruitssd to ssses.
,-o.onobk charge for carrying. Both
the public and the corporations eoneeds
the justice Of making the rates propor-
tioo.l to the amount Of business DINE.
But just here is the point Of diver
g.nes. The producer "s*'t ex:'ort bis
products. For this purpose he h*' no
choice Of agencies Therefore, the
railroads make their owa terms, aud
ot&en quite regardless Of every interest
<zeep. ts-ir Own. Of this the people
.cou>pa.aa, .od " d''ubt whether fair
minded men consider their complaints
unreasonable. Ii .elf:detence the CON-
,,uies quote the terms Of their char-
ssr., behind which they think sh'o'-
:.sl,es ;mpr.gnab's.
In this attitude DO tho railr.ad cor
.pora,i"ns Of Minnesota stand to-day.
and claim right under tho franchises
derived from tho State, to regulate their
schedule Of rates upon the basis of
their estimate, Of what the producer
can afford t" pay. They do not seem
to be anxious up,n the quessi"" OF,
A.wh.t !. rirht?" They are solicitous
mainly u ascertain just ho'o "ssrh they
COW charge without melting the people
to open rebellion. Meeting them just
here, it is the plain duty Of the '''e's.
l.,ure. representing as it does, every
both Of capital and labor. -
to dr6ne their powers. and limit their
7privilcges, =. t" give them ls.sl status,
consistent with their importance ~ an
element Of sovereignty, aud the rsla'
ton which @hey sust.in to the other
material interests of tho State. First
.of III there should be made Z distinct
~nunciat;on of ,his Wholesome doctrine.
viz: That corporations can "'ver rise
to tie dignity IF primal, Or elementary
;~,e,..s.--,hut, being ere"ted BY tie
.osere'yn po'eer Of the State, to MEET
tie ex;ye"c;es IF p&y';co< Development
and tia ;"crea'~ cfpop*lat;o*, Thy are
only .4L.;'i"ry to the accomplishment
Of the pu,po.es IF ,he;, creation. o"d
may therefore b> modified or dissolved
at the pleasure Of tie people.
If the truth Of this proportion b.
conceded, but little remains TO be
done, and the work Of regulation will
be easy lsut it is not con" ded. and
il riU not be. It is.a foundation priu.
ciple, which-'noe established ~ q
basis for railroad seyislation-~i'l
sweep away tho while sysse" Of m''
nopoly and fraud. which is to-day tn.
universal characteristic IF railroat
management hence it, recognition y
the fundamental law Of corporations
will be stoutly opp'~sd
We shall look anxi,urly, during til
winter, FIR some evidence that tn
people are ftiy represented in tn
present Legislature.
6aAMEEuL-That citizens spon ou
southwestern frontier are sa6ering 70
tho most common necessariss OF life
while ws. in the enjoyment, not aton
Of ito comforts, but many Of it, luxu
sies-are looking upon tho calamity