The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-03-08
THAT MUCH DISCUSSED BILL.
Senator Pope Has a Tilt With q
Legal Gentleman.

The senate committee on railroads Tues
day evening gave hearing on the legis-
lalion asked for by the railroad employees
clubs providing for appeals from the tar.
lit rates and fares that may be fixed by
the uilroad commissioners when such
rates are unreasonable and will impair
the ability of the railroad companies TO
keep their lines in safe operating condi-
ton, to pay their employees substantially
the present wages and to earn fair re-
turn on their property. There were
several representatives OF the railroad
employees club present, including l.. g..
Boody, an official Of the organization,
and p. w. Locke, its attorney. The two
gentlemen mentioned conducted the
case in favor of the bill Mr.. Body
presented figures TO show that notwith-
standing that during the past year the
railroad traffic has increased in the
State, there has been a decrease in re-
ceipts in consequence of the adverse in
fiuence and action of the railroad COM
mission, and that IA result of this de-
crease in receipts the railroads had dis
charged thousands of employees and re-
duced the wages and liner. ased the hours
of work of others
Mr.. Locke made speech in favor OF
the bill. In the first place he denied
emphatically that the men who wefe
asking for this legislation had any great
railway corporation behind them, as he
intimated had been insinuated in GER
tain quarters. 1t was question of
bread and butter with these railroad en-
ployes whether this bill was passed or
not. Mr.. Locke made some statement,
TO which Senator Pope replied that he
had been informed to the contrary by
the attorney general. There was some
technical pointinvolved, and Mr.. Locke,
warming up, advanced toward the sena-
tor and made the following unjust re.
mark:
That is a pretty answer TO come from
a brave man who won honor In the de-
Tense of the Union. 1t is a pretty an
swer from such a man. 1t Is the answer
OF a shyster lawyer and a political trim
mer.
General Pope is no coward and pretty
plainly gave Mr.. Locke TO understand
he wanted no more of that sort of argu'
ment. 1t looked for moment as
though there might be a personal en-.
counter, but the Mankato representa-
tive put brake on his temper and re-
sumed his seat to Whit at cigar unit
his time for talking came. Then, witt
one final Whit at the cigar, he arose and
started off on speech, but as the
hour was very late he did not say quar-
ter of what he intended 10 say, for lac
was cooked and primed for the occasion
The statements that had been made
the senator claimed. bad been made un
der misappre hension of the facts. The
claims that the railroad commission had
reduced rates and that in consequence
of this reduction the roads had been oh
liged To reduce the number Of employees
and entail hardships on the working
men was without Foundation. There
had been no reduction made by the
commissioners, except of the milk rate
which amounted TO but trifie, and up
on the grain rate, which was equalizeC
between Fargo. Moorhead and Duluth
All other reductions had been made by
the great law of competition which
none could evade. The senator ar
gued from the opinions of prom
inent railroad men that railroad commIs
sioners were necessary and constitution
al. Legislatures had been compelled or
account of the greed and reckless o
railroad corporations 10 compel them t.
do what was right and lawful. For HIM
self, he had never asked for a reduced
rate, but had always said, "Let the rail
roads make their own rates. provided
they were equal"
It was now IL o'clock at night, anC
Senator Pope considered it advisable t.
wind up his argument.