St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-02-07
RAILWAY LEGISLATION.
What Col. Clough thinks About 1t.


road men. with the purpose of influencing
members Of the legislature, it was partial
failure, from the fact that majority of them
had taken advantage of the adjournment to
Monday evening to depart for their homes
Thus it happened that the attendance was
smaller than on Wednesday evening. The
railroad men, however, were present in good
force, the Northern Pacific road being better
represented than on the first occasion. At
Sis, DR.. Murphy called the assemblage to
order, and on motion of j. H. Drake, Repre-
sentative NJ J. Daniels, of OlmsIed, was
called to preside. Mr.. W. H. FL. johnson
was elected secretary, when Mr.. Daniels said
he supposed the object of the meeting
was to discuss the house railroad bill. Dr.
Murphy suggested the bill be read and dis
cussed by sections, but this was opposed as a
waste of time by Messrs. Drake and Bur-
lingane, and the suggestion was withdrawn.
Col. Clough. of the Northern Pacific, was
then called out. Mr.. Clough said he had
never read the bill in full aud therefore pos
sessed little knowledge of its entirety. He
had, however, heard Of some features of
the bill. He said all railroad corporations
were not only willing but anxious for
GOOD PRACTICAL. LEGISLATION
on this subject. They desired a competent
tribunal to examine complaints and rec
ommend redress, and what railroad
men have said with reference to this ques-
ton has been for the sole purpose of giving
members the benefit of their knowledge and
experience in the management of such prop
erty. This legislature enjoys the confidence
OF the corporations and the people. There
are some provisions in the bill which should
he carefully con onsidered before being enacted
in a law. The fact that such provisions
have been adopted by another state should not
operate to prevent careful examination to
see if they would work in this state. In so
far as the bill prescribes the duties of the
commission il creates, it is wise, but there is
a gap. Railroad companies are much
more powerful than the individual, and
therefore it may be well to give the
INJURED INDIVIDUAL POWER,
when the subordinate of the railroad COM
pany shall refuse to give him redress, to call
in the power Of the state, but the company
should be first given an opportunity to do
right before the state is appealed to. Nine
tenths of the wrongs complained Of by people
doing business with railroads are com mitte6
by irresponsible subordipates, and in direct
opposition 10 the wishes and directions of
the officers Of the company. The true course
in such cases is provision IN the bill that
the commission should hear all the facts and
first call upon the company before proceed
ing to legal proceedings. The bill he
thought defective in that it made no such
provision.
Mr.. Clough then read section Is, which
prescribes rules for receiving and shipping
grain. he especially condemned the pro-
vision requiring the company to take grain
when offered and load il into the cars. The
business Of the company is to furnish the
cars, leaving TO the shipper the matter Of
loading the same. He also said the entire
section was
VERY IMPORTANT ONE,
and was undoubtedly Incorporated into the
bill In response 10 the demand for what is
called free market. SO far as the North
ern Pacific was concurred, (and he believed
the same could br said of ali the other roads
In the state) It had no interest in any
elevator, and that they had no op-
position to the ireest kind Of a market
They desired the most stable Market mar
ket that SHOULD exist throughout the year.
He veuturrd TO say that the adoption and
operation OF the provision would infict loss
upon the state in one year Of more than a
million dollars. This loss would fall heaviest
on the smaller stations which had not suffi-
eient business TO keep warehouses open the
year round if left TO themselves. He asserted
that no living man had received any rebate
or other species of favoritism on the Northern
Pacific. IN this connection he mentioned
the case of Rhodes, of Little Falls, whose
charge that the company would not furnish
him with cars was incorporated into
the report of the railroad missioner. The
total wheat shipments from that point in 1888
was but 1900 bushels. But the people
wanted wheat market-aR elevator Ia which
to
STORE THEIR PRODUCTS,
an elevator kept open the year round. That
was what the company undertook to do for
Little Falls. Mr.. Sawyer, who had some
good stations,was required to put in 80, 900
bushel elevator there. he objected, but the
officers OF the road told him he must do It,
and be did at an expense Of $4,000. The
yearly expenses Of such an elevator are at
low estimate 81, 800. Mr.. Clougn then read
frUm the statutes Of the state Of 1878, TO show
that state supervision of elevators, aud pre-
scr5ing the terms upon which they
can be operated, that statute fixed
z cents per bushel as the minimum
for receiving, handling and storing grain.
In the contract With Mr.Sawyer he was limited
to that charge at Little Fails. Under this rate
Mr. Sawyer received in the year at Little
Fails 81 $40. Add TO that half cent per
bushel for cleaning, Is another sl75, making
an income Of about 81, 700, aud leaving bim
behind on tire business ABOUT 81, 900. Under
such circumstances be beld il was the duty
OF the company 10 protect Mr. Sawyer from
loss as far as possible, loss incurred largely
for the benefit Of Little Falls. He also argued
that fat ware houses would not satisfy the
people, as no market can be relied on but
one that has an elevator with proper clean
ing apparatus. Continuing Mr. Cough said
the statute IN question provided that
FLAT WAREHOUSE
could 2 Bot be erected alongside an elevator
erected By the railroad company, or until
the company refused - receive or ship all
grain offered. Now in the case OF Mr. Rhodes,
tue company made bin the proposition Il
be wouid keep his warehouse open the year
around ne should not BE iBterfered With, but
be would not enter into such contract, and
the company was compelled 70 call in Mr..
Sawyer aud stand By him. And there were
m4Dy such eases in tie state. and be main
tzined that the provision in the present bill
xbich would allow such fat houses TO be
be erected and only kep; oDsn according 70
The pressure Of business would be
DISASTROUS 10 TEE FARMERS.
He cited Mr. Sawyer As saying that with
state inspection aud the grades guaranteed.
be would sell kis elevators aud 20 into the
scalpiDg business. What vas wanted was
proper restrictions for elevators and estsb-