St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-05
Over Five Hundred Com
plants Considered During
the Past Two Years.
Cases Satisfactorily Adjusted
and a Good Showing for
the Territory.
The Board Asks for Increased
Power and Recommends
Innovations.
Elevator Men Who Evade the
Law Are Given a Lively
Shaking.

The Dakota railroad commission will
soon have its fourth annual report ready
for distribution. The report is COM
plete, and shows The board has trans
acted a vast amount of business.
Among other things, the commissioners
say:
The duties imposed under the act
creating the board are varied, and
while the commission has accomplished
much of which it may speak with graft
itication. changes are expected by the
public which, under the existing law,
are impossible. That every citizen of
Dakota is deeply concerned in the rail
road interests of the territory, is so pat
ent that it would seem unnecessary to
urge the legislature to so amend the law
that the commission may more FUZZY
represent the interests of all and ac-
complish results which may lead to a
better understanding and more SatiStac-
tory relation between the railroads and
property in the territory. every farm,
every improvements, and all that per-
tains to the material interest of the
masses is dependent to large degree
upon the railroads, and it is important
that the law should be so eQualized that
it will protect the interests of all and
prevent unjust discrimination against
any. In all countries the railroad
is THE GREAT FACTOR
in the development of the country, but
nowhere does it WELD such a powerful
influence as in Dakota. With the vast
unoccupied prairies awaiting settle
ment, with the millions of acres of the
the most fertile and productive land on
earth still unpfoductiye because of the
absence of the brain and Drawn of the
settler, with numerous cities and COM
mercial centers springing up in every
section of the territory, it is indeed es
Sential that the laws regulating these
corporations should be SO framed as to
guard the interest of the settler and
the railroad, and as nearly as possible
to deal out even-handed justice to the
public and to the corporation.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
board is not given the power necessary
to the satisfactory adjustment of all
and its patrons, it has given all COM
plants CAREFUL consideration. and in
nearly every case have its requests been
promptly complied with by the railroad
managers. Remaining. as it has in
many cases, an advisory board, with
the power of final Judgment it has met
with gratifying success in the adjust
ment of the differences which 1t has
been called upon to consider. In nearly
every case where the commission has,
after careful consideration, made de-
mand that wrong be righted, the COM
pany has been prompt to acknowledge
its error, and although many complaints
have been beyond the jurisdiction of
any tribunal outside of the courts, the
great majority have been such as to
command careful investigation and de-
cisive action.
In submitting this report the board
wishes to call the attention of the gov
ernor and legislature to the fact that al
though at first the grain warehouse law
passed at the last session of the legisla-
ture appeared to be imperative and of
little avail, it has given the board vast
amount of labor, which the commission
ers feel has been productive of much
good. The regulation of the elevators
and warehouses of the territory is SEC
ond in Importance only to the proper
regulation of the railroads, and in many
instances it is the paramount issue. OF
the complaints, adjustments and recon-
mendations the report will treat here
after.