The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-02-26

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the law over the railway companies we could
not have reached here to-day. Duties else
where prevented our taking regular trains all
the way through and had we not secured TINS
special we would have had Ia cancil the en-
gagement Here Mr. Baker explained why
the Commissioners travel so much by special
stating that the law compes them to visit
every station of Importance I'm the State, WIN
I'm n time These number several hundred ana
i'm order II accomplish the work they were
Obliged 10 call upon the companies for extra
TRANSFORMATION He then said: This Is neces- |
sary under the law you made tor MS to exc |
cute. We are compelled to adopt this mode
OF travel for the rounds cannot be made by
the regular modes of travel. We come here
not Ia speak. but In the capacity OF hearers.
We have never received any complaints from
this section of the State If there be matters
that should be adjusted. II Is your own fauit
that they have not for we can do nothing I'M
less complaint is made. We will answer all
questions frankly and freely. think the rail-
road law good one, much better now than
did when first enacted. There is no doubt
but what there is much good comes to the pro-
Queer out of its workings. The most import
ant issue is that of free open and competitive
market. This Is especially true In the north
ern part of the State. rhe law has given the
| people this To- large degree. The results are
very gratifying. Under the law any company
! or individual can establish warehouse ana
receive the benefits of transportation, etc,
| which the new measure provides. Under the
| old system this could net be done. because
| the larger companies had n monopoly OF the
! trade and prevented such being done. The
Commissioners are court of appeal. and
| there has been but one cas-" where the redress
| asked for 10y the Commissioners has been de-
| MED Without the free and open market the
| inspection of grain would be unimportant.
| Better prices are paid aud higher grades given
| than under the old law. The Grain Law is II
| good one but not free from imperfectiOns
| as the railroad law. We cannot remedy these
howe> err for We did not make the law. We
can make suggestions as our experience
prompts, but you must amend the law. The
grades are established by the State, and the
weighing done by the State. We receive very
satisfactory reports from all points In regard
Ia the workings OF the weighing system. We
do not hear OF so many shCrt weights as form
erly Senator Clark. of Benson, now dead,
who has been an extensive dealer in grain In :
formed us that he never received as full
weights before IA since the new system of
weighing was adopted.
Tn. most salutary result under the new law
is the abolition of the transit system Of rates.
the worst abuse in the whole traffic. The wood
rates on all roads have been thoroughly re-
: vlsed. IL was gigantic undertaking, but the
benefits have been very satisfactory. When
we approached the companies and explained
the situation they were surprised themselves,
and we succeeded in securing reduction OF
- per cent on wood rates. ! might recount
be netits over all parts of the State. 1t is our
honest purpose To enforce the law and we
want To hear from any and all on matters com
ing under the Commissioners authority. We
make carful record OF every complaint en-
tered to ms, and it goes onto the journal in on
D Office for careful and detailed considerati on
We have about one hundred jpnrnalized now
and have obtained u successful adjustment OF
fully half of these already. | wish to say a
d word ri ght here to farmers in reference tC
organization. Every class in whatever pur
c suit make a stand in their own interest. Rail
ways. bankers, merchants, and even the tariff
men organize and move on to comm on OBJ
: ject If the producers of our country would
initiate and stand together as ono man, theil
power would soon react on the whole country
To the benefit of themselves trust that this
D ed all those who desired TO make complaints
: or ask questions to do so before he took his
seat and number of interrogations were
propounded:
What per cent. are railroads making on
their actual value?
TO this question Mr.. Baker said: All the
means we have of knowing this is the state
, ments of the companies themselves. From
these we learn that all railroads in the State
: are paying expenses and making interest on
the alleged cost Tn. Northern Pacific road
, is the least profitable as yet. Ii has paid I'm.
rerest on the value thus lar but is likely to
reach crisis soon when it cam t do so
, There is but one road in tn state which is ac-
cumulating II surplus over its expenses and
obligations and that Is the Manitoba. Last
, year this surplus was $1,000 and this year II
is 81 .2On Coz We are negotiating with this com.
pany for q reduction of rates 81 that this sur
plus will go INTO the peoples packets stead
of the Golfers of the company. We propose t.
insist on this reduction aud have notified the
company to that effect We will investigate
their schedules of rates to see on what com.
modit es this reduction can be made to best
: benefit the people. am inclined to think
! that it will be made upon outgoing freight.
/ We know nothing of the cost of railroads, but
heavily watered. Have heard the amount of
waIered stock estimated at S00,0U0,0U. The
law does not give US authority To investigate
this nee we have no definite knowledge
: Tie law compelS the several companies to file
Il sworn statement of gross ana net earnings
with the Commissioners ana this is All we have
To judge from. Ii is our purpose to lop of
this immense surplus.
WHY was Southern Minnesota exempt
D from the benefits OF the grain lawf
: The speaker replied that he is not aware that
, such is the case. He does not understand II
, so. In establishing grades, these were fixed
, for the whole State, but No. hard was calcul-
ated for the extra hard wheat raised IN the
: northern part and No Northern for the larg-
er portion of the wheat raised in the southern
part. We raise wheat here which is hard
variety. but not equal to the hard raised furth-
! err north. hence the latter grade was made to
? cover this In commencing their work the
Commissioners visited all parts of the State
: for the purpose of understanding the interests
; Of every section, and venture to say that no
, one interest was so thoroughly investigated
as this matter Of wheat grading. The hard
! wheat of the north had to he protected as well
, a. the varieties of the south l know frem
D experience that we are not making a success
t of wheat raising, and know that much of our
I so-called soft wheat is rated as hard In the
: leading markets, but we have no control over
. the large marts of the world.
3-Can any individual ship nj the same rate 8
as general shipper
[ Yes, and If such privilege il not granted you
should make complaint to the Commissioners
5 and they vii investigate the matter.
4 4-Is the rebate system abolished?
r Mr.. Baker sad: The law does not justify any
) rebates, and if any exist, IL is kept secret.
We shall investigate this matter of secret re-
, bates We propose to bring parties suspected
, under oath. The railway officials have been
, questioned and they deny the existence of any
: rebates.
Col. Smith asked whether the Commissioners
were fully decided that we can not raise No. l
Hard wheat in Southern Minnesota.
Mr.. Baker said they are not and propose to
investigate this matter still closer ut country
points. AS a starter in this line of work they
recently dcputized J. A. James, ESQ, to ira
verse each line OF road in the State, to visit
|, every grain buyer and examine his system Of
grading. He has been refused this privilege
, In but one instance, and his reports portray
some peculiar facts. Along the line of the
Omaha road none of the wheat was being
graded No. l Hard, there being no higher
grade than Northern. Mr.. James called the
attention of Mcssrs Pcavy g. Co to This fact,
and they ut once notified the Commissioners
that heir man was raising the monarch Of
Hades along the line. Chief Inspector Burdick
was sent to investigate and reported the situa-
ton Just as Mr.. James had. Mr.. Peavy was
, then summoned, and when he appeared before
the Board was inclined to esurreptitious, but
| aI, tod