St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-09-24
A BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.

Much is said about the business abll-
fly" of Gov. MERRIAM's administration,
but the most industrious inquiry fails to
reveal wherein the governor has done
anything to make his administration
conspicuous for business ability.
What has he done outside OF his rou-
tine duties to distinguish his admins
tration? And what has he done inside
mediocrity Of talent or understanding?
The only specific claim that has been
urged i'll proof of the governors eXtraOr-
binary business ability is that he sue
ceeded in procuring cars last tall for
farmers who desired to ship their own
wheat, whereas in previous falls farm
ers had much to complain of on that
score. The fact is that an abundance
of cars, even all over-supply because of
the short wheat crop in the Dakotas)
and the present state administration
were eoincident as to time, and that is
the only foundation for his friends
claim in this regard. The Great North
ern road loaned 500 grain cars to
Southwestern roads to help move
their crops last fall, so plenti-
full were they. With any 9TH
er governor, or with 10 governor,
farmers would have been more promptly
provided with cars than ever before;
therefore, for Mr.. MERRIAM's friends to
urge the car episode as an evidence of
his great fidelity to the farmers inter-
ests is to confess that he has no valid
claim to their consideration OF support.
But. since it is through the medium
of railroads that the governor chooses
to ventilate his virtues, it is proper that
the same medium should be chosen
through which to ventilate his sins of
omission, if not of commission.
In 1856 the Republican party in state
convention pledged its faith to the
farmers of this state to lower the rates
of rail transportation to point that
would pay fair dividends only Oh cap
ital actually invested, and to relieve
productive industry from the burden of
tribute-paying to fictitious values.
At that time the claimed cost of the
railroads of the state was $4,000 per
mile, fully double their actual cost,
and it was to squeeze out some of
decrease transportation rates that the
Republican party pledged itself. The
administration of Gov. MCGILL came in
under that pledge, and during his
reign the claimed cost of the rail-
roads increased to $40, 9333 20 per
mile, and railroad capitalization in
the state increased S16,O95, Oi7.5
though only 1T miles of road were
built. In justice to that adminiStra-
ton, however, it should be said that
freight rates were decreased during its
existence. The earnings CD each ton of
freight carried were s1.52 for the year
ending June 80, 1888, as against Sl.64
for the previous year.
In 1883 the former broken pledge OF
the Republican party was renewed, and
an eminently business" administration
came into power. -
1t was said at the time, and never de.
MED, that the present railroad commits
sion was the creature of the railroads
that they appointed it; that that priv
lege secured to Mr.. MERRIAM the sup.
port of railroads, even of the Grea
Northern, with its Democratic 20 presi-
dent.
The only condition the rair Dads i'm
posed upon the commission was one O
mastery inactivity, and that the com
mission has shown marvellous fidelity to
that condition is abundantly proven
by its last annual report.
During the first year of Mr.. MERRI-
ANS business" reign, and that of his
railroad-appointed railroad commission
truly RAILROAD commission, but
not in the sense intended by the people
who authorized 1.-THE claimed cost of
railroads grew to s43, 697.O6 per mile, an
increase of 2,765.36 per mile, and rail
road capitalization in the state increased
S25.555.S22. though only 260 miles of road
were built. During the same time the
earnings on each ton of freight carried
in the state increased from 80 to 81 81,
and, as nearly $1,000, 900 tons were car
rled. the increased earnings took nearly
sl,2OO,000 from the already oppressed