The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-01-12


ing purposes throughout tho State IL
acnve. and that they believe Miuue-
sofa 10 making rapid strides towards becoming
nracticsble way to encourage the growing iutsres,
IN this now departure Of our agriculture. believe
a most effective way in which such encouragement
sociaiious In their annual exhibitions. Tho State
should grant them liberal appropriations and the
people should encourage them by their personal
presence. recommend an increase Of the appro-
priation TO tho State association to SIS. 900 per
annum. and alike amount to DO distributed 70 the
couu,y societies.
encouraging forestry. In that connection COM
mend tho suggestion that the State assume the ex-
pense OF printing considerable edition OF a revised
manual ut instructions for tree culture, and for its
free distribution TO those who seek information.
Tho American Forestry congress Is expected TO
hold its next meeting in St Paul next August Ii
pie. Ths uss Of the rooms Of the capitol are ten
dercd ~ far rs they may DO serviceable, and II
seems proper that the State Forestry association
b. provided funds at least sufficient for the manual
referred 10. and for their incidental expenses In
connection with the expected meetina
RAILROADS.
Tho vast aggregations Of capital concentrated
within the control OF the monster corporations OF
tho country within the past few years, ore sug-
estivc Of danger and possible disaster to the vital
less ard the holder defiance Of corporate power,
sSp-cia!ly represented by great railroad corpora
tions, must ultimately be met and restrained by the
sodaton and absorption the entire railroad system
OF the country is rapidly passing under
che -. oSn,Ioi o, Of few m, men who ma, may
thersby WELD greatly injuro the material interests
III entire communities OF people. The knowledge
that such power lies In the control Of these huge
feeling OF dlsouiet and disrust. not dismsy.
among the people. Willis We recognize the fact
that these corporations confer great benefit upon
ths country, that they mighty In their influence
for the spread aud development OF our civilization.
and should receive the cordial support of public
sympathy IN tne exercise OF their reasonable and
legitimate functions, vet they should their part
feel that they the servants and not the masters
of the public: that ike the citizen, they are
arnenabls u laws whose majesty at once affords
thsrn protection aud commands them TO respect It's
res,rain's. They should be reminded that they
creatures Of the authority Of the State: that has
endowed them with valuable franchises ard eIor-
nous subsidies, and that il affords them that pro-
foctioi and enjoyment Il possession which gives
TO all property its greatest value. They should be
impressed with the fact that their legitimate re-
sources are wholly derived from the patronage OF
tho public, aud that their proper and legal relation
10 the public can only be maintaiued by dispensing
exact justice to every individual aud locality with
which they have To deal
That tho State has power to exercise control,
within reasonable limits. over these corporations,
~ principle loag since established aud that 1t has
iot exercised slch control to greater degree Is due
20 the patience and forbs arancs OF the public.
While the authority Of tho State should bs e1er-
Ssed with tho utmost care and prudence, aud all
given tie amplest protection, yet they should be
placed lpdsr such restraint and accountability
rs will guarantee the people equal protection OF
.her rights and secure prompt redress Of every just
cause of complaint. The State has been slow 10 lay
Str restraining hand upon corporate power. The
polcy has prevailed to grant corporations the
largest liberty consistent with public rights, but
BOO free exercise of that liberty has sometimes
taken the form Of lcerss aud tho interests OF tie
public have heen ignored as though they did not
exist Indeed. recent events suggest tue necessity
p laris iation tn has fr1p
sarh other.
The war Of rates" that was lately inaugura.ed be-
sween the rival sy.t ms operating in the Northwest
Developed some features in the policy Of railway
management TO which public attention had not be-
fore been specially directed. The question % ter
tito; Il rights has become an essent al element in
She economy Of railroad management. With the
rretensions and the assumptions CT an autocrat, n
saiiroad manager publicly asserts the right 70 con-
sro the territory his system OF roaus tragee, and
gives notice that it mast not 10 trespase-s 2pon
under penalties that luvolre disaster to the bus-
Interests o. the country. Corporations have
bee rns 10 such IN extent n law unto themselves.
that continued. urrestraincd indulgence in the i'm
EuDi,ics they assume, will IN time subject the
country to domination against which the people
will rebel
The subject OF legislative action imposing re-
sraints upon the management Of railroads ~ ous
that Should ccmIrand your earnest and c@Teiui at
.sutior Tn, fore gong considerations are not srg
gsst.d ctog sther b. thu atti uds of the corpora
tors ey Ii - or operating in this State, bu; they
nrh apVicshs in m )ittied form 10 the question as
The very abb. ami comprehensive repor; Of the
,ailroal commissioner VIII furnish you much val
nibs information obtained by thorough research
and industrious inv 3 iga ion. HIS exhaustive dis
cGsol II the raj road problem in It's sever lnases,
Presented Al this rime covers many sugg. stiols
of much practical value. HIS recommendation ara
numerous. AVID of a character that point toward
progress in the solution Of this complex problem.
The cas>idcat on If railroads upon tho basis OF
Income. and the Establishment OF a"boaGd OF con-
gru," to tx rates cf transportation, limited by a
maximum for each class and fixed by law, would,
believe, provide remedy for IN $50 complaints Of
discrimination and extortion to which the commits
sioue:s attention IA being constantly called.
recommend such legislation as will embody this
principle II NAV be said that legislation Of some
what Ike character some years ago was disappoint-
Eng in its results. TO this may be answered that the
Conditions are greatly changed. Then the railroads
Of the Stat. were struggling against adverse crciim-
Stances. Many Of ths N were practically bansrunt;
their lives were largely located In sparsely popGla-
ted or wholly uninbabted districts, and in
Soma without income sufficient 10 meet their
exrens:,. decade has wrought wondrous
chang in orr rai!roas rs in ali other material in
-errs;s Of the Stale. They are now, tn hardly an
reception, wea thy corporations, earning dividends
nd carrying a surplus in their treasures. The
wilderness they traversed has been occupied by
SopG.Ous communities; their tonnage hat increased
6gh:-fod. and their equipment Is taxed 10 its
Stmost to do The business pressing upon them. The
legislation q 1871 was crude aud iil-consdered.
The saine principle embodied In provisions COM
pretending a more enlightened understanding OF
the question, e:inei by the experience OF decade,
would provo y success where II was failure ten
years ago.
The railroad commissioner recommends that tel
'a7h companes be placed on the same basis os 10
Inspection, surveillance and taxation: that sleeping
car companies now uutaxed, be required 10 report
10 him aad nav taxes on basis Of income: that mn,e
elrou Q egis atiCn he ha t. Com railroad com
pa - to erform tn 'ir du y common cirriersib
the shipment OF irain; that railway commission
composed Of lie governor, auditor and railroad
oo,um s,oner for purposes OF appeal AMI mors i'm
portant sstionS lbs established. and that more
power he given the commissioners office rail-
way companies for the enforcement OF existing
laws r, Gul,tions affecting railv avs. The rea-
sn"s for eac Of these and other Recommendations
a. the report will appear In his elaborate exposition
OF racs subject.
During tho wear closing with Doc /, 1882 there
were con stiucted 53l S7-lO0 miles of new rail-
way. mixing total Of 3.7I9 1900 miles within
IN lroads Of the State is given at so.
an average of S43.931.l2 per mile. The total
amount given TO these railroads by the people OF
Minnesota in lands and bOuds on . cash basis, as
es mated by the commissioners, Is $40, 4S0, 700,
an average OF S..a,33l per mIie.
Tho earnings IL Nil lines in the State for tho year
ending Juno 80. we're: From passengers, ST.
8l6,alS.I4; freight. $l3, .G97.43: miscsi-
laGeous, SS30,27I5S: total, Sic $500. J %. 10.
Total operating expenses, SlO.22I ,753. 80. Az
&3.O6e 80. There wers O.9G2. 1913 passengers
carried aud 5,SS3. 100 tons OF freight transported
during tho year.
The following statement shows the amount of
taxo, pad 10 ghc State b. ralroal companies since
1864:
isl3............. .....-..........-.... lV,119 %
lotf..... lBJ,bD vi
. .o.Ilo ~
sto' Ivl %
lS.T................. ............ l6l. 100 %
1878. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. cO0,l7l "a
TIA A A