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

there 10 accept the lnVlthtlOn 10 DC ~ euis
meeting. II II were not for the influence or
the law over the railway companies We couid
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 tn cancil the en-
gagemcnt. Here Mr.. Baker explained why
the Commissioners travel so much by special |
stating that the law compels them to visit
every station of Importance In the state' WIN.
i'm n time. These number several hundred ana
i'm order ~ accomplish the work they were
obliged 10 call upon the companies for extra
transportation. He then said: This Is neces-
sary under the law you made tor MS to exc
cute. We are compelled to adopt this NODE
OF travel for the rounds cannot be made by
the regular modes Of travel. We come here
not To speak but In the capacity OF hearers.
We have never received any complaints from
this section of the State If there be matters
thar should be adjusted 1t Is your own fault
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 n 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 it's workings. The most import
ant issue Is that of free. open and competitive
| market This Is especially true in the north
| ern part az the State rhe law has given the
| people this To II large degree. The results are
| very gratifying Under the law any company
| or indy idual can establish u warehouse ana
/ receive the benefits of transportation, etc,
| which the rev measure provides. Under the
old system this could net be done. because
the larger companies had a monopoly OF the
trade and prevented such being done. The
Commissioners are a court of appeal. and
there has been but one case 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 tho old law. The Grain Law Ia Il
good one, but not as free from imperfections
as the railroad law. We cannot remedy these
however. 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 10y the State. We receive very
satisfactory reports from all points I'm regard
In 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 MS that he never received as full
; weights before as since the new system OF
weighing was adopted.
Th,. 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 Oh all roads have been thoroughly re-
: vised II was Il 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 i'm securing q reduction Of
% per cent. On wood rates. | might recount
benefits over all parts of the State. 1t is ou
honest purpose to enforce the law and We
. want to hear from any and ali on matters COM
I ing under the Commissioners authority. We
: make carful record OF every complaint en-
tered to ms, and il goes onto the journal in on
o Office for careful and detailed consdcrati on
J. We have about one hundred jDurnalized nov
= and have obtained u successful adjustment o
5 fully half of these already. | wish to say ,
word ri ght here to farmers in reference t.
: organization. Every class in whatever pur
c suit make stand in their own interest Rail
= ways. bankers, merchants, and even the tariff
= men organize and move on to comm on Oh
l. ject. If the producers Of our country would
! initiate and stand together as ono man, thei
power would soon react on the whole country
y to the benefit Of themselves trust that thi
d can be done Ire General stated that he wish
O ed all those who desired TO make complaint
: or ask questions to- do SO before he took hi
seat and Il number of interrogations wer'
: propOunded:
What per cent are railroads making ol
their actual vaIueT
= TO this question Mr.. Baker said: All thu
n means we have of knowing this is the state
e ments of the companies themselves. From
I these we learn that all railroads in the Stat,
= are paying expenses and making interest OF
j the alleged cost. Til, Northern Pacific road
u is the least profitable as yet. 1t has paid I'm
= tercst on the value thus lar, but is likely t.
] reach crisis soon when it cam I do so
@ There is but one road in the state which is &C
S cumulating Il surplus over its expenses ant
q obligations and that is the Manitoba. Las
. year this surplus was $1,000, and this year Il
= is Coz We are negotiating with this com
pany for reduction Of rates SD that this sur
= plus will go into the peoples packets steaC
= of the Golfers of the company. We propose t.
!. insist this reduction aud have notified the
+ company to that effect. We will investigate
their schedules of rates to see on what com
I mOdt es this reduction can be made to best
= benefit the people. I am inclined to think
A that it will be made upon outgoing freight
I We know nothing of the cost of railroads, but
! believe the railroad stock of the State to bt
{ heavily watered. Have heard the amount OF
e waterad stock estimated at SlO0OUO,OV The
: law does not give Us authority TO investigate
A this h nee we have no definite knowledge
e TIE law compelS the several companies to tilt
Il sworn statement of gross ana net earnings
] with the Commissioners ana this is all we have
a To judge from. 1t is our purpose to lop of
, this immense surplus.
WHY was Southern Minnesota exempt
o from the benefits of the grain lawr
e The speaker replied that he is not aware that
e such is the case. He does not understand Il
c so. In establishing grades, these were fixed
d for the whole State, but No. hard was calcu
d ated for the extra hard wheat raised IN the
y northern part and No. Northern for the larg
4 er portion of the wheat raised in the southern
i part We raise wheat here which is a hart
. variety. but not equal to the hard raised furth
4 er north. hence the latter grade was made to
e cover this. In commencing their work the
y Commissioners visited all parts of the State
for the purpose OF understanding the interest:
5 OF every section, and venture to say that nc
g one interest was so thoroughly investigated
! as this matter Of wheat grading The hard
n wheat of the north had to he protected as wei
q as the varieties of the south. | know fron
o experience that we are not making success
t of wheat raising and know that much of oui
d so-called soft wheat is rated as hard in the
. leading markets, but we have no control ovel
e the large marts of the world
3.-Can any individual ship AT the same rates
n as a general shipper
I Yes, and If such privilege is not granted you
y should make complaint to the Commissioners
5 and they vii investigate the matter
a 4.-Is the rebate system abolishedi
r Mr.. Baker sald: The law does not justify any
8 rebates and if any exist, il Is kept secret
}. We shall investigate this matter of secret re-
e bates. We propose to bring parties suspected
v under oath. The railway officials have been
Y questioned and they deny the existence of any
+ rebates.
+ Col. Smith asked whether the Commissioners
, were fully decided that we can not raise No.
Hard wheat i'm Southern Minnesota.
!. Mr.. Baker said they are not, and propose to
investigate this matter still closer Mt country
, points As a starter in this line of work they
recently dcputized j. A. James, Esq, to ira
6 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 & Co. to This fact,
and they ut once notified the Commissioners
that heir man was raising the monarch of
tiades 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
. rlw IN hn IN m I'M In