Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1885-12-09
An Unfair Division.

Stations for The labor Of different
classes of people, that there is any
thing wrong. Comparisons, however,,
are interesting and suggestive. Here
in this Northwest the ones who have
done the hardest work, and the ones
who have done most in changing the
wild prairie into productive fields, are
the farmers. They have borne the
burden and the heat of the day, but
yet very few of them have been any
thing like literally rewarded. y MAJ
jority of the industrious ones have
made a good living and a few have
acquired competence, but none have
grown rich, and some have igno-
miniously failed. On the whole, far
mers have been but poorly paid.
There is another class of people,
with whom results are widely differ
ent. All have grown wealthy and
are now enjoying the best that the
land affords. We refer to those own
ing and operating railroads. North
western railroads have always paid
large dividends to stockholders, big
salaries to officials, and are piling up
wealth steadily and rapidly. Does
not this indicate an unfair division of
profits? Are not the transporters re-
ceiving too much and the producers
too little of the proceeds of the pro-
duce of the Northwest? Is there not
something wrong, In a region
like this, where bountiful govern
ment has given each settler farm
who has wished one, that the money
lender should be in such demand, and
that the capalist by
means of mortgages, is getting such
a firm hold upon large proportion of
the settlers, and that at the same
time the railroads should be boasting
of their immense and ever-lncreasing
earnings, and of stocks that remain
at or above par, no matter how badly
watered? This is almost wholly an
agricultural section, and if 1T is true
that the transportion companies, by
excessive charges for carrying pro-
duce to and merchandise from the
principal markets, are imposing such
a heavy tax upon the people as to
make successful agriculture an inn
possibility, it is time for vigorous
remedies to be applied. The railroads
owe their franchises, without which
their very existence would be an I'M
possibility, to the people, and for this
reason the people have Alright to regu-
late and prevent the railroads from
becoming their masters instead of
their servents. The people are be-
coming aroused and in small degree
are regulating transportation matters
now, but there is much more to he
done. Railroad officials seem to
have the impression that in the
management of their roads, they
are responsible only to themselves
and to their bond and stockholders,
and are acting accordingly. tits now
high time that they are made to
recognize the fact THAT they are re-
sponsib,e to the people.
w. S. Gilbert, in the London Times,
says: "For my part, 1 could never
quite understand the prejudice
against burglars. An unarrested
burglar gives employment toinnumer-
able telegraph clerks, police officers,
railway officials, and possibly also to
surgeons, coroners, undertakers, and
monument masons. AS soon as he is
in custody, the services of a whole
army of solicitors, Darristers, judges,
grand and petty jurymen, reporters,
governors of jails, and prison warders
are called into requisition. Really,
the burglar does more good than
HARM"
Duluth is commercial necessity.
1t is Minnesota's only lake port and
to it we must look for the power
which is to infuse competition into
our markets. Anything tending to
build up and strengthen Duluth, ben
efits the entire Northwest and any
thing which Injuries Duluth, also in
jures the Northwest. Should Mime
apolis, with her Millers association,
ever succeed in crushing out the
Duluth market, by building and con-
trolling railroad lines, it will be q sad
day for every farmer and business
man in the country. Were it not for
Duluth competition, nothing more
than starvation rates would ever be
paid for grain. This whole country
should be loyal to Duluth and give it
a hearty support in every way posi-
BILE. rf..r
The annual report of the Board of