The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-04-08
THE MORSE Law UNIVERSALLY
CONDEMNED.

rEaE WORSE LAW UNIVERSALLY -
CONDEMNED. ~.
The indignation Of the people as TINS tn,
raud becomes better understood, grows col
more and more intense. The IndustTi0t tul
Age Of Chicago says: -
The Minnesota Legislature, at Its recent ses =
,ion, virtually sold out to the raliroaas, anu ~! r
pealed all the legislation OF 1874, ana lel tne pr
people at the mercy Of the corporausns assn. pc
The roads had things pretty much thear Otc" ii,
scay IN that State last acinter. ~
The Farmers Monthly, III. Il. Young, So
Editor,) says q
The la,c itself amounts to nothing. The peo- 50
pie did not want a new law, neither this VIM lie
ter nor last, but they wanted the defects OF the
then existing acts remedied b. amendmen.s,;; =
rates it is sheer bagatelle, until some comPe- Il
tent authority tells us what are reasonable Il
rates This it is the duty Of the Legislature to
do, either directly or through commission :.
difficult task, if undertaken by honest, earnest t.
and intelligent men. v
The Zumbrota Independent says
Now it is not given to all of us to see given il
state Of facts in the same light, but it does ap-
near to us that in the new act passed this Win
ter, repeating the law OF 1874, the Legislature :
has relinquished its control Of the roads,
|
protection from railroad extortions, placed the
neople at the mercy Of the transportation com.
naniies precisely where they were when the
agitation commenced, and while apparently
trying to save SEINE provisions IN the new law,
tn restrict the roads, really suffered itself to be
cheated by the railroad lawyers into the enact
ment Of a mass Of .cords (Which mean nothing |
to the purpose -
Ex-Goy. Austin has addressed an able
l.ttar IN the Owatonna Journal, denounc-
: ing the Merse law. We quote the fol-
a lowing extracts -
!. But the railroad managers, While weddeo 70
the old system of high rates at non-cOmPetlng
7 points. and the blind and questionable prac,
/ tees Of drawbacks and determinations, are all
!, too cunning to rush madly and at once back 10
= these things which they know to be so obnox-
q ious to the public We are hrst TO see tnas ne
roads can be operated as much, or more to the
public convenience without legal control than
re wi h it, and the old order Of things caH oe
,e reached BY a campaign Of gradual approaches,
but reached it will be, and that tcithin the ne1t
eighteen months, IN my opino pm. Il ~ e1e t I
:. vast and complicated machinery, against the
e' Oppressive exactions Of which personal and
y, individual effort avail nothing. The power
n. and efficiency e the repealed act, though not
- legally dead, will for some time be manifested
is in the moderate and cautious course which the
I'm corporations will pursue, for they know that
nnblic opinion. when outraged, will not be
>" long in again putting on the forms OF law, ano
that it has once taken form which they founo
IA it for their interests to respect. Tney are anx
''u ions that it should take any other shape thar
Dol that.
has firmly established the principle OF otab
I'M control. We know now that the state mas N
ub- power, and has found the means VI enloiolI
It. This experience and principle have nc
ma been repealed by the Morse frauc, which pre-
the dict win not long disgrace our statutes
ust Gov. Davis has appointed Mr.. }. .
Randall, Railroad Commissioner unde
the provisions Of what is known as tn
KIT Morse Railroad law. The law does NJ
amount to much, and we imagine that tt
We. commissioner is at least as good as II
; IN law.-.-Mankdto Reriew.
wing In your issue of the 10th OF March "
the expressed hope that Governor Dav
ana would not approve the Morse bill. !
.k ~' one here had any such hopes. The san
,el3 influences which reached the Legislatu
turn reached the Governor as well. He cou
IONS. have very consistently refused his a
to nroyal. He was elected on Z
n ,us. issue of legislative control.
nre- deed it was all the poi
but which ne made in his campaign speech
look, claiming that all other issues bad pa
,ne ed away, and that his competitor, and
'a sanr opposition party Of the State, could !
may be trusted to carry out the doctrine
viii his ..Modern Feudalism." He has n
, are given us specimen Of modern railr'
nave. fxddLeism'' which, with some OF
ment other exploits the past session, will m
next likely work repeal Of his political ex
anger ence as effectual as the repeal which
nbers has Just approved by signing the Nc
abortion.-St. Paul Correspondent
SEGA Radical.
~. The new Railroad Law passed by
Tls " Legislature last winter Is very
thing-for the railroad companies. I
dis ali like it. And why shouldn't they !!
3 are gives them the privilege Of doing at
tter,v as they please, which is all they
!. os ask.-AMstin Register. lInd)
-. THE Governor has appointed, as
ohoan road Commissioner. j. Randall OF
e out ma. no better appointment could De =
,cal or vet he is powerless under the law, NJ
neither work good nor evil, it is simI
ucceed .sfat take and we congratulate Mr..
dali on his good luck. In view OF
facts It is about time to enquire,
'~crIul has become Of the Grange infiue
'lucked Where is their boasted power An!
If We are in Orders. Charles Times q
Tamme The Mower County Irdnscr1Pt
: and We are not satisfied with the trial
OF the late [railroad] law, nor do we
on tent ing peoP'. :. 80 ,,-;,,st conrse q
nopoly, Wcu'u Pu.s. think the neon;,
ements ys1e- -. - 49, ~h.rue vae
halls, in ~. De,o.I sL r. Isor .hrr 5.nt -;
ONT, on .neI. SILL In-.s -scr;red hv the ,
Ter they 1n.1 : cn.ns 80 nsrt;ss CONCERNED
anu do not think any such evidence e.
- ~ Nor do the people think 20. It n
~ az mains for the Legislature to enae
I T;naa1s any charge for railroad service VI
in excess Of reasonable rates shall
possibly lna'c'.D. ~ ~ "a ~ 10 preve