St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-08


suggest, and provide the means by which in
spectors could receive the instruction required
to qualify them for their duties. 1t is no
! contemplated by such system that ever
load OF wheat shall be subjected to scientific
tests, but that the system shall be controlled
and directed by an intelligence that shall Sc
cure to the farmer Offering for sale the best
qualities of grain, such advantage as superb
or husbandry should always command.
RAILROADS.
Nothing will engage your attention of such
vital import TO very large part OF our popu-
lation as questions of railroad legislation.
Many reasons for action seemed to exist al
the last session, but although the subject IS
considered in committee, SO persuasive were
| the assurances that the railroad com panies
would voluntarily remove every just cause
oil complaint that nothing was done.
In less than a twelvemonth afterwards
under the intensified pressure of the same
and some newly developed practices, many
numerously signed petitions came up from
widely extended agricultural sections, asking
that an extra session Of the legislature be
called 10 adopt measures of relief against the
| oppression of railroad management. There
were controlling reasons against the recon-
Yening that boiy; out as | called their atten-
ton earnestly to the subject, so ! give it to
you as one which, in my judgment, can not
rightly be passed over.
Whatever reasons for complaint of dis
elimination or eXtortiOp there were two
Years ago are believed to exist TO day; while
the evil of certain other practices and rules
of management has disclosed its enormity.
| The assurances of the representatives Of the
companies to your predecessors that the in
terests of the farmers might safely be left to
their discretion has proved delusive.
As might be expected, those who manage
! the great railroads are intent. first and chief
J ly, upon subscribing the interests of their
| stockholders. They seek economy, profit
aud convenience in operating their lines
! Profit ane certainly convenience, some of
them think, will be secured as to freights,
| By large, frequent and easily regulated ship
ments under contracts with a small nulnbe
of shippers, and therefore their management
aims to encourage such. If this tends to
! build up monopoly at every station, or one
monopoly existing along their whole liue,
and making itself cruelty felt at every
station, that result is not, they say, part Of
their intention! they regret it If it is really
! oppressive, aud hope, it will not always be so,
and call you to witness that, at the very worst,
! their road is great blessing to the farmers.
! They tell you that wholesalers are accorded
an advantage in rates and facilities the world
over, citing the examples of individuals who
| have received nothing from the public and
are under no obligations TO the public, as
| precedent for company created by the COM
! monwealth to serve the common veal, and
| bound by law, as well as the logic of its crea-
| ton, not to discriminate, not to deal I'M
equally, mol to restrict its obligation Of COM
mon carriage.
Besides the practices above limited at, which
tend to establish monopolies by giving some
! shippers advantages over others, another eX-
/ lists upon some lines, in accordance with
| which an owner of wheat who wishes to send
it TO any point on the line, must pay the
charges for carrying it over the road. He
may then stop his wheat where he chooses,
and sell bis transit, or remaining freight
right, for what he can get. This is defended
| on the ground that the wheat, or its product,
must 20 by some sportation line TO that
terminal point, Chicago or Milwaukee, and
| that the company which first has it is entitled
to devise any possible plan to keep it, with.
out having, at any intermediate point. to
compete for its further carriage with other
rival lines. Every argument to Justify the
demand for payment for carrying grain to
Chicago, when the shipper ouly wants 1t car
ried 10 some intermediate point, would justi-
fy the exsction of transit rates to the sea-
board instead of Chicago, II the company
could possess itself Of the control Of q con-
tinuUus line thiIher.
Another rule by which producers have
! grievously suffered, is that adopted By some
roads TO receive no wheat upon its cars ex-
cept from elevators of a given minimum ca
] all. H.
! ton of that kind is necessary TO the proper
performance of their obligation TO carry the
! freight winch may be offered them for trans
portatiou with due dispatch; that elevators Of
az least the capacity prescribed are necessary
| for the expeditions handling and loading OF
the grain that the demand for cars when a
great crop is TO be moved, can scarcely be
supplied even wheu they are occupied the
least time in loading; and that by any other
manner Of handling the grain there would be
great loss In the service obtained from their
rolling stock. As consequence of this i'm e
possibility OF getting their purchases 10 mar
ket whenever desired, buyers, il Is said,
| could not maintain prices, aud farmers
would not suffer the loss.
Much OF this probably Is, or has been, true,
| and such considerations may be accepted as
Il sufficient explanation or apology for the err
ror of the companies In once adopting the
! practice TO rid themselves of an inconveni-
| euee; but they are not sufficient TO maints in
| II, after ii has been found 10 deprive the pro-
| ducers whom they were created to serve, OF
the competition among buyers which ought
| everywhere to exist, because II Is the natural
and only means 10 maintain Just grades aud
| fair prices. The duty of the railroad COM
/ panies as common carriers is 10 transport for
all alike, with reasonable dispatch aud at
reasonable rates. What are reasonable rates
and reasonable dispatch depends on the cir
cumstauce OF the case. but the obligation 10
carry for all alike is absolute under all cir
cumatances. No increased dispatch, no re-
duced yate to some, will justify any practice
which works discrimination, or a restriction
of his free right, TO any.
! The people look to you 10 adopt laws which
shall interdct aud terminate all these
/ practices. The details OF the legislation
which will accomplish It, will be yours to
elaborate. It is my duty to recommend that
| you aim to secure, at every station, an open
and unrestricted market, the right OF ship
ment for any and ALL without Partially or
! preference, and transportation for all without
/ discrimination at equal aud reasonable rates,
to any desired destination. The prosperity
OF the companies depends largely upon the
prosperity of the people along their lines.
You VIII not, therefore, evince hostility to
the roads by releasing the people from the
shacklrs of monopoly which fetter their
prosperity.
The producers Of our State have been great
/ " disappointed hy the failure Of the railroad
companies to adjust their tariffs the past year,
to conform TO the changed conditions IN the
general business OF the country. They just
IL complain that charges for transportation
are out OF proportion 10 the value Of the COM
mOdities transported. While prices OF grain
have declined to point that affords no pro-