The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-08-20

The Railroad Cumrnissi0neTs Of
Minnesota, Iowa, Wisc0nsfn ana
Illinois i'm Council 1t Dubuque.
The Objects Sought to be Accom-
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RkbO0ONAs 3
The Railroad Commissioners Of Min
nesota, Illinois and Wisconsin and the
Executive Committee Of Iowa, having
the same functions as railroad commits
sioners, met at the Julien House, Du-
buque. yesterday. The following are
the names Of the gentlemen who consti-
tute the Boards Of Commissioners for
the States named: Iowa's Executive
Committee is composed Of the Governor,
Secretary of State. Auditor and Treas
urer. Illinois Judge JAS. Steele, John
NJ. Pearson and N. H. Brown. Wis
consin-G George II. Paul, j. W. Hoyt
and J.tH. Osborn. Minnesota-W. r.
Marshall, A. j. Edgerton, J. j. Ran
dali. These Boards of Commissioners,
consisting Of three men. are appointed
in each State by the Governor. and by
the, above it will be seen that the neigh
boring States are represented by the
full boards Of each. The powers vested
by the legislature in these boards is
similar in all the States. though Mime
sofa grants more authority to the Com
| missioners than does either of the other
States. In that State the board fixes
the tariffs, the law requiring the board
to make schedule Of reasonable maxi
mum rates Of charges for Transporting
of freight and passengers. In the other
States the legislature fixes the tariff and
the board is authorized to see it en-
forced. The Commissioners have author
ity to prosecute railroads, subpoena wit
nesses in railroad cases, etc.
The four states of Iowa. Illinois, Wis
consin, and Minnesota, are traversed
and connected Iy the same railroads,
therefore it is desirable to make the re-
quirements similar in all these States.
1t creates confusion to have one set of
laws bearing on one end of railroad
and different set in effect at the other
; end. As these four States are SO inter-
woven by the same roads. the Railroad
|, Commissioners of each State decided to
meet and consult together as to the
best method of systematizin1 the rail-
road laws, and their own duty. This
meeting is only preliminary, in which
the Commissioners hope by free discus
sion of railroad matters, to determine
; the best method to be pursued in order
to solve and settle the whole natter.
l Among the questions that will be dis.
? cussed and the objects sought to be &C.
| conplished are the following:
First-Uniformity Of the fiscal years
Of the railroads in these four States. sc
that the roads will all make their an
;. nual reports at the same time.
: Second-The adoption Of the same
! forms Of report by all the railroads, IL
+ order to simplify the work of. compar
Q ing statistics in the different States
Q This is an important point.
0 Third-To obtain uniform classifi
q cation Of freights in these States. TIL
/ fact that freight is classified differently
by different roads creates confusion
that can be avoided by adopting uni
form classifcations.
y Fourth-To accomplish similar legis
> lation in these four States on railroa,
matters. Ea b,s
: At half-past two the Iowa represen
! tatives had not arrived, so the meeting
: was organized by selecting Mr.. Randall
: chairman, and Mr.. Hoyt secretary
Mr., Peterson stated the object of tn
e meeting, after which, at Judge Steele
: suggestion, the commissioners entere'
into an examination Of the railroad law
= Of the four States.