St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-04
BOUNCED BY BAssEH.
he Thinks Selfishness Inspires the
Railroads Policy.
MAHOMET TO THE MOUNTAIN
The City Should Stand Alone and the
Roads Will Come
10 It.

The board of trade, instead of dis
cussing the MacCauley report, which
advocated more conciliatory policy on
the part of the city, listened to an
opinion on the other side. Maj. J. B.
Bassett represented minority of the
same committee. He is very positive
in his views and in this instance made
4 very positive report. 1t was all inter-
esting document, and, beginning with
the old st. Paul and Pacific, showed that
railroad companies had Systematically
and pcrsistently ignored Minneapolis in
every possible way. He secuted the
idea that city of the size of Mime
apolis should be called upon to offer in
idea that railroad companies were
actuated by any but selfish mo-
tives. But q few of the roads
had shown any disposition to do justice
to the city, although they got the bulk Of
their business here. These roads did
not come here to build up the city, but
simply because there was business for
them. He did not contend that the adj
vantages accruing to the city and the
railroads were not mutual, but declared
the city had done its full share in aiding
and assisting the roads. The railroads
we're not charitable institutions; they
built their lines to Minneapolis to fur
ther their own interests. "lf their i'll
terests vii! be better served by their
leaving" said Mr.. Bassett. ''they will
do so, and not stand upon the order OF
their going" He knew of but one road
that objected to building its own
bridges, and that one had received
60, n,,I 0-f
more trouble than all the rest.
to help it build its bridges. When the
city wanted to bridge the tracks at Lyn-
dale avenue, where it had no street
when the railroads were built, it paid
for the bridge itself. That was right
and the railroads should be held to the
same principle. The city is now pay
ing interest on millions Of bonds for the
benefit of these roads, the state has
given them large tracts of land and all
possess valuable privileges here. Their
valuable holdings of real estate here
are exempt from local taxation and so is
their personal property. 1t would seem
that in view of these things the reason
able demands of the city ought not to
provoke the roads hostility. Mr.. BaS-
Sett had never discovered that the roads
at the present time did not treat us as
we'll in rates and service as they did
ST. Paul and other cities, nor had he
found any of the hostility on the part of
port. He claimed that Minneapolis had
been more liberal in its railroad policy
than Milwaukee, st. Louis and other
cities. 1t would be dangerous tOform
precedent by building bridges and
maintaining them for the roads. The
ST. Louis was fighting its case from one
court to another to tire the city out;
now that they were in the court of last
resort, he believed the North Siders
would be the last to advise giving up.
The great danger to a city like Mime
apoliS is not railroad hostility. but bur-
densome taxes. Every effort should be
made to reduce these. A compromise
would mean increased burdens. He
preferred to W AIT until the roads could
be forced to do what is right and just.
The entire tenor of his report was of
this character. and he concluded it by
Offering the following:
Resolved, That this board is not prepared
to recommend the city to make a compro-
mise with any railroad whereby the city VIII
be required to assume and share any OF the
burdens which, i'll justice and by law, the
railroads arc required to bear.
There was short discussion. in
which Clay MacCauley offered resolu
ton supporting his own. OR the minority
report, and commencing "the sugges-
ton of the report that some measure be
sought by the legal representatives of
the city and the railroad companies do
ing business here by which there shall
be an equitable division of the expense
of providing for the proper crossings of
the city's streets and railway tracks,
The decision was that more light was
wanted, and the discussion was contin-
ued one week,