Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-10-08
'sa.ssa '-7--'.7- 49, - = - -
TRANSIT RATES.
The Railroad Commissioners Against
Transit Rates--Their Report.

The Minnesota board Of railroad com
missioners have made public their report
in the matter OF transit rates--a subject
which has been very widely discussed, and
in which buyers, sellers and shippers
are deeply interested. The proceedings
taken are based upon complaints
filed with the commissioners by eiti-
zens OF Carver, Mcleod, Renyille, Chip
pewa, Swift and Big Stone counties,
Mimi, against the Chicago, Milwaukee
& Sc. Paul railroad. These counties are
dependent upon the Milwaukee road the
necessary transportation TO get their grain
into market, and they claim that the sys-
TEN ofpressn transit rates is a burden up
on them which should not be tolerated by
the state The commissioners take position
against the transit rate systen,-as at pres
ent enforeed-nnd declare that the shipper
must be given the option ofhaying his grain
1 carried to Minneapolis at a reasonable
! freight charge, or OF awaiting himself OF the
/ privilege OF the transit rate through to Chica.
/ go or the East The commissioners do not
| abolish the transit rate at all. 1.-THE shipper
and the railroad company agree upon terms
| the transit rate system can be carried out AS
1 isnow being done The effect the order OF
! the commissioners is that the Milwaukee
| and other roads, having Chicago or Eastern
I terminal facilities, cannot force the shipper
| to pay freight charges to Chicago, but al
I lows him the privilege to pay only for car
| riage to Minneapolis. The railroads affect
/ ed are thus compelled to give a reasonable
| local rate on grain, which Is not done under
/ the present order Of things. The only
( roads affected by the commissioners order
1 are the Milwaukee and ST. Paul, Minneapo-
/ lis & st. Louis Omaha aud Duluth roads,
| Gen. Becker is Of the opinion that the
farmers along the lines OF roads tributary
/ 10 81. Paul, Minneapolis and Duluth will be
| benefited by the decision OF the commits
! sioners. For some time past the people
/ have been demanding an abolition OF the
| transit. They desire TO ship wheat at
| reasonable rates to terminal points with
/ out being compelled 20 bill the same
through to Chicago. The only way In which
/ the railroad companies can eyade the
| ruling, in order TO retain the ship.
/ nents through to Chicago, after the
/ grain has been sold at Minneapolis
4 or st. Paul, will be by competition. This
! will Of course, be beneficial TO the shipper,
/ by giving him lower freight rate 10 that
! point. In his opinion the decision, II com.
| Piled with, win be OF benefit to st. Paul,
| Minneapolis aud Duluth. Grain which here
| tofore could not reach Duluth will do 80
now. The claim set up BY the railroads. that
| the transit system has done much to build
| up tho milling system appears TO be indis-
! pUtable; but, on the other hand, the farmer
has suffered, The shippers have been
Obliged to protect themselves from an
accumulation OF rebate ireights, and the
only way in which this could be done was
to reduce the price Of wheat. The railroads
may refuse to comply with the decision OF
the commissioners, but in that case the
law viii be appealed To, II that is not
strong enough the legislature, at its next
session, viii be called upon to exact a law
| sufficient to meet the emergency The com.
missiouers, in considering the matter, had
/ in mind the relief OF the farmers from the
| burdens that had been imposed upon them
| by the railroads. They had made an effort
10 secure free trade in grain, which they
/ hoped would be successful