River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-04-11

/ What should we think OF labOrer who
I should ask more for one DAYS work
| than for two-a farmer who should
demand more for half load of wheat
than for a full load-a man.
ufacturer charging more for one ma
chic than fo- greater number. II
seems almost absurd to talk about it. Ii
costs something to run cars. Every
turn of wheel is an added eNI nse.
And yet the railroads want to charge
more for fifty miles than for one hun
bred, and are to-day carrying ireights
through our state more than 400 miles
for the same or less than they charge
you and in this state for 100 miles
1t was this outrageous system of dis
elimination that caused the insertion
of the long and short haul section in
the interstate commerce act. Why,
along the line of the road on which
live, the Chicago & Northwestern, men
and villages and cities have been
ruined, because, owing to discrimina-
tons against them they could not COM
pete with the great centers of Minneap-
oils and st. Paul. The Interstate law
has corrected many of these abuses,
and aided, beyond computation, the
producers and small shippers and trad
ers at interior points. Many of the
heavy shippers, especially in the larger
places, complain of this, and you must
know why 1t is because they are
given, and i hear it intimated that
some of them are given now. special
rates and rebates, and other favors the
general public do not enjoy. This is
why they opposed the inte' state law,
and why they oppose this bill. both of
which forbid drawbacks and rebates,
special rates and unjust
There is where these circumstances and
resolutions come from, from men and
companies that have received in the
past, and hope to receive in the future,
| special favOrs at the hands of railroad
companies. why, said Judge Howe,
do you suppose these great concerns,
like j. l. Case & Co. for instance, are
afraid of the railroads. No. That's
not what's the matter. The railroads
are afraid of them, and want the priv
ilege, unhindered by law. of giving
them any favors they please so as to
control their trade.
ITO hear the railroad attorneys and
lobbyists talk one would think this long
and short haul section was some new
idea, some dastardly scheme TO wreck
the railroads and ruin the people. Yet,
as matter of fact, it is copy, word
| for word. of the Interstate act,-a
law framed after more study and with
4 greater care than any other law on our
national statute books. A committee
of the United States senate, composed
of the ablest men and most learned
! lawyers in the nation, spent nine
months in taking testimony from all
classes of business men in every section
of the Union, and presented this law as
embodying the ripest experience and
! highest wisdom of the country on the
railroad question. 1t was passed al
most unanimously through both houses
of congress 1t received the vote of
every member and both senators from
this state Our junior senator told me
/ Just before this legislature met. when
he was last in Wisconsin, that if bill
was introduced to repeal the Interstate
commerce law that it would not get
two votes in the senate of the United
States. And yet railroad attorneys,
favored shippers and weakened legis-
lators tell us it is an outrage to offer a
/ bill with such a provision in it, and
that if passed it would bring disaster
alike upon the railroads and the public.
Don't you believe it. 1t is not true.
Senators, let us not be deceived by
such idle talk. Let us stand like men
on our feet and look this question
squarely in the face.
"In the consideration of any matter,
be it public or private, it is the part of
wisdom to consult the experiences of
others. So let us now, as this great
! question confronts us, the correct solu-
ton of which we all earnestly desire to
sec, look at what other legislatures
have done, and see if we can safely
follow in their footsteps. / will quote
very briefly few extracts from late
reports of the railroad commissioners
in several OF the more important states
| both in the east, west and south. OF
Illinois / have already spoken. In
Massachusetts the law has worked to
the satisfaction of all. The United
States senate committee says: In con-
clusion, it may be said that the COM
mittee made special effort, by inquiries
| among all classes of the community,
TO ascertain the popular judgment in
Massachusetts, as to the working of the
commission, and that not a whisper of
complaint against its methods was
heard, nor was there found any indica-
ton of dissatisfaction in that state with
/ the operation or result of the existing
system. The commission in Massachu-
sets is the same as proposed in this
bill.
1.-The following is the report from
New York: During its brief existence
/ the commission has beeu called upon
to deal with important questions affect
ing the great commercial interests of
tie Empire state. The illustrations
that have been given of the results ac-
complished warrant the conclusion that
the interests of the people are better
protected than they were before the
| creation of the commission, and that
substantial and satisfactory progress
has already been made under the exist
| ing system towards the effective regu-
lation of the railroads of New York
"Here is what the commissioners of
Georgia saw: We think that it can be
/ Justly claimed that u fair and impartial
review of the work of the commission
in carrying out the purposes of the law
| by q reduction and equalization of
rates that were in force by the railroad
companies at the time of its passage,
will show saving to the people of
/ Georgia. annually, of a sum equal to
the fun amount Of their annual taxes,
while the healthy financial condition of
the railroads does not indicate that they
have been injured thereby
The Alabama commissioners say:
The administration of the law creating
the commission has given, so far as we
are advised, satisfaction in the main to
the railroad companies and to the
! people
The South Carolina commissioners
report: In the early part of our work
much time was required TO investigate
and adjust complaints against the rail-
roads. Each month these complaints
have diminished, and now but few
reach this Office. This confirms the
! experience of railroad commissioners
generally. viz, that they promote in