St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-16
DIMENT rs.
His Bill Regulating Freight
Charges Recommended to

HIS Bill Regulating Freight
Charges Recommended to
Pass.
Mr.. Diment successfully carried his
freight rate bill from the house general
orders to the calendar. The measure is
not radical and in the authors own
words:
SIS the most liberal railroad bill III
troduced this session. 1t both raises
and lowers existing rates, and is only a
step toward final law on the subject
Mr.. Forbes-I would like to ask the
gentleman from Steele, how he knows
that there is any justice in these figures.
Mr.. Diment replied by quoting from
the annual report of the Manitoba road,
showing that the net earnings of the
road were so great that the rates fixed
by him could not be unjust.
The rate on grain to Chicago is ~
cents, while my bill allows 10 cents for
4 haul of the same length i'll this state.'
Mr.. Diment could not show similar
figures for the st. Louis and the Hast
ings & Dakota.
Mr.. Young-We should have further
evidence before us so as to understand
the bill intelligently.
Mr.. Hompe-The rate from st. Paul to
my home is the rate from New York to
st. Paul. If the legislature declines to
tackle the question, how can the smaller
railroad commission be expected to?
Mr.. Searle opposed the bill with
marked ability.
''AttemptS to pass such bills as these
have never succeeded in any state.
Minnesota has delegated such powers
to commission. whose duty it was to
regulate rates. Legislation of this nat
ure carried out becomes confiScation of
railroad property. To legiSlate capital
out of this country is folly. 1t would
Drecipitate a financial panic worse than
that which followed the downfall of Jay
Cook. Macaulay said of this country
that as long as land is plenty and cheap.
and population scarce, there is no
particular danger, but when New
England is as thickly popu-
lated as Old England and America
has built up her MancheSters and Birm-
inghamS, demagogueS will gain control
of the ignorant and disconnected: unjust
repriSals would be made upon accumu-
lated capital, and great national dam
ger arise. If measures of this nature
are killed predict that few years
will see New York, not Liverpool, the
clearing house of the world.
Mr.. SUMNER have paid so cents a
IT,.
Paul to hutchinson, and on which the
freight rate from Liverpool to st. Paul
was only 80 cents per hundredweight.
The amendment of G. X. Davis add
ing live stock and its product to the bill
was adopted. The Forbes amendment
allowing appeal to the railroad commits
SiODerS if these rates proved unjust was
also adopted.
MI. Willrich-This is a question for
the railroad commissioners to consider,
and if they have not the moral courage
to attack it we had better abolish the
whole business.
Mr.. HOmpe-The gentleman from
Stevens quotes one of England's great
est men predicting the ruin of this
country i'll a certain event. 1t is our
railroad monopolies that threaten to
throttle our free institutions: a system
that enables James J. Hill-a few wears
ago clerk on the wharveS of this city
to amaSS fortune said to be SO. OO0.-
OO0.
Mr.. Jacobson-It is the fault of the
railroads that there is hostility toward
them.
Mr.. Willrich's motion that the bill be
indefinitely postponed was lost. 1t was
recommended to pass. The chief pro-
visions of the matter are:
No rate or charge in excess of the rates
and charges hereby fixed shall be charged
collected or received for the transportation
or carriage of grain and its products i'll car
load lots upon and over any railroad line in
tits state, inclusive of all connecting end
lntersecting lines, viz: For carrying grain
and its manufactured products for distance
not exceeding 10 miles. 2Ia cents Der loo
pounds: more than 10 and not exceeding
% miles. cents per 100; more than 70 and
not exceeding 80 miles, cents per 100:
more than 30 and not exceeding rs miles,
& cents per 100; more than 10 and not ex
ceeding 100 miles: cents per 100; more
than 100 and not exceeding 125 miles
cents per 100; more than 125 and
not exceeding $50 miles, 8 cents
per 100; more than $50 and not
exceeding 175 miles, 10 cents per 100
more than 175 and not exceeding 200 miles,
II cents per 100; more than 20D and not eX-
ceeding 225 miles. II cents per 100: more
IMAM 20 ana not exceeding $50 miles, Is
cents per 100; more than $50 and not ex-
ceedlng 20 miles, IA cents per 100; more
IMAM 10 and not exceeding 300 miles, ID
cents per 100: more than 300 and not ex-
ceedIng 30 miles, 10 cents per 100: more
han 80 and not exceeding $50 miles. II
cents per 100; more than $50 and not ex-
ceeding 80 miles. IS cents per
100; more than 375 and not ex-
more than 100 miles and not exceeding 42j
miles. 20 cents per 100; more than l25 and
not exceeding $50 miles 2 cents per 100:
more than 100 and not exceeding 40 miles
- cents per 100: more than 475 and not ex-
ceedlng 900 miles, % cents per 10p Thai
switching charges from one railroad com.
pany track 10 another railroad company's
receiving track shall be 81 per car: and
where the distance is more than one mile