St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-03-05
THE CHANGERS LAMENT.

No Consolation From the Rail-
road Commission - Minnesota
Freight Rates.
The railroad commission yesterday adj
dressed letter to Gov. Merriam. from
which the following explanatory ex-
cerpts are made:
We are in receipt of copy of a reso-
luton adopted Feb. 20, 1890, by the
Grant County Farmers alliance, which
was forwarded to you by the secretary,
and which you have transmitted to US.
The resolution states that the rates
charged for the transportation of the
products of that country are almost pro-
hibit0ry-that the farmers and mer-
chants are equally oppressed by the up-
equal and e >Orbilant rates now charged,
and it requests the interposition of the
governor and the railroad and warehouse
commission to readjuSt such rates. par
ucularly OH wheat and lumber, and
make them conform to the Sched-
ule adopted by the railroad COM
mission of Iowa. This commits
sion does not know, in what
respect the rates mentioned in the reso-
luton are unequal. If there are I'M
equal rates III force upon the railways
of the state the same are in violation of
law ana would be corrected by the COM
mission whenever or wherever the same
are brought to its notice. If the Grant
county alliance, or any citizen of the
state. has complaint TO make upon this
point it will receive the early and
earnest attention of the committee, will
be carefully investigated and, if we'll
founded, will be speedily corrected.
With reference to the other state
ment of the resolution. that the rates
are almost pronbitOry, that they are
oppressive and eX0rbtant. and the re-
quest that the tariff on wheat and lum-
Der be red uced to the standard of
the commission makes the fol-
lowing observations alike for your
own information and for the
study and consideration of the farmers
of Grant county who compose the al
lance:
The distance from Elbow Lake to st.
Paul by the so-called 500" road is. 40
From Elbow Lake to st. Paul by the
From Hermann to St. Paul by the Mani
tora road 1t Is. ............... ........ no
The rate on wheat from Elbow Lake,
Hermann and Ashby to st. Paul is l217
cents per 100 pounds.
The rate on wheat, under the Iowa
schedule for an equal distance, say 175
miles, is 10 l5-l0O cents per 100 pounds
a difference in favor of the Iowa rates
which amounts to l 3l-l00 cents per
bushel. If the Iowa rate were put into
effect in Minnesota the farmer in Grant
county who raises and ships 1000 BUSH
els of wheat would have in the course
OF year a little over $l3 less freight to
pay on his product.
We do not desire to be understood as
saying that the freight rates IN this
state do not require attention and con-
SideraJ on at the hands of the commits
sion. In a new and growing common
wealth like this the subject demands
constant care and scrutiny. and the
commission welcomes suggestions in re-
latiOn thereto from any and all quarters.
Tie power now assumed by the state
must be iudiciously exercised. and not
abused; no injustice in either direction
can lie long tolerated or perpetuated.
| 1t is to be remembered that no reduc-
tons in rates can be made which will he
ultimately maintained that are not
| founded in strict justice alike to the
roads and the public.
Our object in this communication is to
bring much that has been said. and is
being said upon this subject, to the test
of truth. and to ask of producers and
shippers careful and impartial cOnsid-
GRAFTON Of all the facts bearing upon the
question.