Morris tribune., 1886-02-24
MEETING THE COMMISSIONERS.
ding to announcement there
ling of the citizens OF Stew

els Wlttl tAlO AtUAAto"a "s@~s
| Warel commissioners ut Morris,
i'm Hall, one week ago TINS
3 :. The meeting was largely
.,led. Men were present from ev-
cry village and township in the coun-
| ty and all were thoroughly In earnest.
r.. ]. Hall called the meeting to order
and Darlington Phelps was chosen
chairman. Gen. Baker was intro
duced. He spoke briefly OF the oo-
jects of the meeting. He also spoke
of the railroad and grain laws passed
by the last legislature, their beneficial
effects, the work of the commissioners
under those laws, some Of the amend-
ments needed and closed by calling
for an expression of the sentiments
and wishes of the people present In
regard to the matter. He also indi-
Gated that individual complaints
against the railroads would receive
their careful attention. Gen. Becker
was called for and spoke in a clear,
vigorous way, regarding the under
lying principles Of railroad manage
ment, AS the railroads are indebted
to the people Tor their franchises,
without which an existence would be
an impossibillty, the people have the
right to govern aud control the rail-
roads after they ARE brought into ex-
istence. This rlght the people have
for years neglected 10 exercise. AS
the railroads have grown rich and are
growing richer by their methods OF
extortion and as they are laying such
heavy tax upon the people as to
make successful agriculture almost,
if not quite, an imPossibility, the
speaker thought it high time that the
people were asserting themselves, and
demanding the service Of the railroads
at reasonable rates. Gen. Becker's
remarks We're heartily applauded.
Gen. Barrett was then called for
and made an extended speech. He
was listened to with marked atten-
ton and was so heartily and repeat
edly applauded that it was evident he
was expressing the sentiments of the
people of the county. He complained
! first of the tendency of the railroads
to force all grain and business to st.
Paul, Minneapolis and Chicago, when
the natural outlet is at Duluth and of
inadequate railroad accommodations
except in the one direction of the
three cities above referred to. He
next spoke of the exorbitant rates
charged by all western roads and of
the absolute necessity for sweeping
reductions upon all classes of business.
Here Mr. Murdock was called upon
and gave in clear way the sys-
tenn of the Minneapolis mlllers in
handling grain and indicated the
manner i'm which the present grain
law must be amended to meet their
peculiarities. He also pointed out
some of the reasons why the board of
commissioners are not working more
rapidly and stated that in order to be
effective the board must have greater
power given it by law. His remarks
should be perused by the future law
makers of the land.
Hon. H. w. Stone was next called
upon to speak. He said that he knew
of no particular grievance but thought
that all had general one. He also
stated that railroad rates should bear
some relation to the volume Of busi-
ness. That the greater the amount of
freight transported, the lower should
! be the rate. That what was a reason
able rate ten years ago, when the
! country was new and the business
light, is an exorbItant rate now and
| that what would he a reasonable rate
| now, will be IN excessive rate five
wears from now. Mr.. Stone said that
the high rates which it was necessary
| to charge. years ago, are retained TO a
great extent now and that there
should be a general reduction in pas
senger rates and in freight rates upon
all classes of goods.
E. w. Randall was called for and
spoke of the necessity for a reduction
in freight rates upon merchandise
brought into the country as well as
upon grain and other kinds of farm
produce sent out of it, and urged that
while demanding the latter, the for.
mer should not be forgotten. Every
pound of sugar, tea or coffee, every
suit of clothes or piece OF dry goods
and every article of farm machinery
or other needed supply is increased in
cost to an unjust and unreasonable
extent by the tax levied by the rail
road companies. Mr.. Randall also
spoke Of the necessity of the estab
; lishment, by state authority, of sim
pie and uniform system of classified
tion by which it will be impossible
for the railroads to classify a small
tread power threshing machine th'
same and charge as much for trans
porting it, as for steam threshin.
outfit of the largest size and perform
ing similar acts of injustice.
Mr.. Emerson was called and gav'
some of the abuses which affected tin
business men of Hancock and init
mated that there had been serious
cases of discrimination at that point
Hon. J. d. Good, being called for
gave some portions of his experienc
with the railroads In way whicl
perceptibly increased the demand TO
radically reduced railroads rates.
A resolution was passed demanding
a sweeping reduction in rates and an
: other thanking the commissioners fo
their visit to Morris, when with fe'
welI-timed remarks Gen. Baker close
the meeting. He said that the com
| missioners were In full sympath