The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-06-30
AN IMPORTANT OPINION.

AN IMPORTANT OPINION.
w. S. Wells, President Of the
Forest Mills Company, alleges that
ne has been purchasing and shipping |
wheat from Benson, on the Manitoba
road, tor the past season as an indie
pendent shipper, but is now denied
the further privilege, except upon
he deems unreasonable,
and appeals to the railroad Commits
sioner for relief. General Baker re.
views the relations between tho ship
per and the operators of railroads in
submitting his opinion, which is of
great interest to the wheat-buying
and shipping interest in the State.
The situation is briefly this: There
are now two elevators in Benson on
the Manitoba track, receiving and
shipping grain according to regula-
tons. In addition to these W. II.
Wells has warehouse ut that place
of 10000 bushels capacity, not OH the
track, but upon his own ground. He
is an independent buyer Of wheat,
desiring the privilege of shipping by
the carload on cars furnished by the
company on their sidetracks, loading
from wagons. Mr.. Wells has enjoyed
this privilege for some time by the
assent of the company. They have
notified him, however, that they no
no longer desire him to ship wheat
under these conditions, claiming it to
be an inconvenience which has caused
the company to "make a general re-
gulation applicable to all such places
in regard to size of elevators and
warehouses" and location of the
same. Further, that they do not
"deem his request that to furnish
him with cars OH side track in which
to load from wagons in bulk, in any
respect reasonable or proper" AS IA
condition that he be granted the
privilege Of further shipment over
their road, the company require that
he shall build an elevator of 10000
bushels capacity. or more. Oh their
(the company's) grounds.
For the arbitrary and unreasonable
demand, Gen. Baker justly and con-
cisely tells the Manitoba company
that they, as common carriers, can
not discriminate against the individ-
ual shipper in any such ma nner. and
proceeds pointedly to show the In.
consistency of their position and the
fallibility of their demand. He says
that mot only should the indepen.
dent buyer be encouraged by equal
shipping privileges, but the farmer
himself should have the privilege of
loading car and shipping it at any
time" The position here taken by
the Commissioner is one that com.
mends itself to the people generally
ana sooner or later such measures
will necessarily have to be adopted
by the operating lines of railroads as
will grant such privilege to the farm.
er, or legislative action will force 4
compliance. If local prices do not
justify the producer in selling his
product to home dealers, under the
coersion of the Manitoba road, he
would he precluded from exercising
the right to ship to eastern markets
at anything like reasonable transpor-
tation rates, and thus left to the
mercy of greedy spectators.
Mr.. Baker proceeds in his opinion
to say that railroads aught to hav,
no interest III the matter other than
to receive Il reasonable rate for trans
portation. To force shippers to built
elevators would make monopoly O
the whole mode of shipping, and il
effect would cause few men to owl
all the elevators" The tendency il
this direction is already too strong
and observable, and if allowed t,
continue unchecked, will develop,
into monopoly Of such gigantic pro
portions as will place the produces
entirely within the environ of un
scrupulOus ring combinations. 1t il
a threatening imbroglio upon on
agricultural interests that cannot b,
too severely condemned or prompt.
eradicated.
That the people have rights which
railroads are bound by statute regu
lations to recognize, oftentimes ap
pear to be entirely overlooked or al
least disregarded by these corpora
tions, and while arbitrary and I'm.
reasonable demands are often made
by them and gracefully acceded to by
the people, yet forbearance viii
cease to be virtue, and the right:
of the individual will be not only
requested at the instance of railroads
but they will be made to feel that 1
just demand for equal rights is in
fallible and must be acquiesced in.