Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-15

collected $746,000 for carrying the crops;
the same year $3,250,000 was paid out for
wages.
The company paid into the state treas
ury last year 100000 in clean money or
equal to five cents tax on every bushel of
wheat carried. The company discrimi-
mated as to coal, wood, lumber and pork,
the necessities of life to the settler Oh the
prairie or frontier. 1t was the object to
help the new settler; he required assist
ance on coming into new country.
Mr.. Hill then illustrated his remarks by
the typical life of the farmer or settler,
showing why low tariff was made on the
articles necessary to his existence
and higher tariff on the merchandise.
He demonstrated how the country had been
developed by the railroads; last year the
Manitoba company had sent eightyseven
emigration agents to Europe. A special
delegation would be sent to the Amster-
dam worlds fair; advices have led to the
belief that this year from 1,500 to $500
families would come out. Since January
l an average of 500 letters per day had
been received from people seeking infor
nation. Each day the company sent two
cart loads of matter to the mail,
and yet more was being accom-
plished in Minnesota than out of it.
Mr. Hill referred to the immense tide Of
emigration expected, and he d8mOnstra-
| ted how the increase in the number of
| tons would regulate and decrease the
| tariff on freight. Last winter the Mani
toba dropped 10000 men Off the pay roll.
These men went to work wherever they
could get It'll was difficult to get them back
L.
$4,000 men up the road free.
He alluded to the tariff law in Iowa, say
ing that one man could make a single rate
! from Ft. Pierre to New York; such a rate
would kill the railroad interests of this
state.
The main complaint came from farmers
in transporting their wheat; from trans
portation of wheat the company had col
lected $746,00O; this year the company
would pay the state $3,000,000 in taxes.
The rate of the company was about one
seventh lighter than the tariff of Massa
chusetts.
In reply to aquestion Mr.. Hill stated
that there was no favoritism Or discrimi-
nation; the same rates had som etimes been
given for long and short distances, but
this was On account of local irritation.
No person secured lower rates for the
same distance than any other person.
Mr.. Hills attention was called to a
couple of freight charges on hardware and
cement, where there appeared to be dis
crepancies in the tariff. He explained the
discrepancies on local principles and he
then said that he thought the less legisla-
ton done with regard to railroads, the
better. He spoke of the financial troubles
in the East and called attention to the re-
cent big failures, saying that with legisla-
| ton there would be comparatively
no railroads built in the state.
Capital is timid, and if the legislature at
tempted to govern the railroads, the worst
results might follow. The companies
were very much in the condition of
1882; they were out of breath;
the least spark might bring on a crisis; it
had been reported that securities had re-
! Gently shrank five hundred millions of dol
lars; the speaker knew that a shrinkage of
six hundred million had taken place in
the last twelve weeks.
| He had been abused by a gentleman
from New York, man whose authority on
financial matters was undoubled, that
| mattels in that city were very
dubious and shakey and that any disturb
ance might precipltate the worst of evils.
In conclusion he said that if any dissat-
| isfaction existed it was with regard to
| grain; he would be pleased to have an IN
derstanding with regard to the matter of
| merchandise. He cautioned the commit
| tee to proceed slowly with regard to rail
| road legislation at this time, when the af-
fairs of the country are so unsettled.
Mr.. FRANK,
of Mower, did not suppose any class of
people in the state desired to injure the
railroads. But the people of the southern
portion of the state wanted the same rates
for short distances as for longer.
JUDGE CHANDLER,
of thu Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul
railroad, said his company owned
two lines across he state and two from
Minneapolis and st. Paul to the south line
of the state, and of course were interested
| in legislation. Il had been expected to
| have an officer of this road present to ex-
plain all matters in connection with the
management of the road, but he has been
! detained. The company would like to be
heard and if the committee were to hold
another meeting it should like to be
heard
Gen. Baker called attention to the fact
that the bill departed from the Massachu-
sets law, in cases where excessive charse s
are complained of, and the railroad COM
pany refuses to remedy the matter the
board of commissioners may fix the rates,
but under the provisions of the bill he
thought it very doubtful if the commits
sion would ever be called upon to act.
Gen. Baker further said he be-
!ieved the people of the state de-
manded some legislation at this
time, and he would suggest, if the system
of the bill was not satisfactory to the COM
mittee, that the Iowa system be adopted
| which he thought we'll suited to the west
ern country. The Iowa board is continu-
ally in session, and if extortion is found,
the company is notified, and the
evil complained of remedied, or
| complaint is made to the legislature,
but so far no road had ever accepted the
latter alternative. And he hoped if any
| additional legislation was had the member
ship of the board should be increased. The
provisions of the bill falls far short of
Massachusetts and Illinois in the matter of
statistics called for.
Upon motion of Senator Doran the COM