The Red Cloud chief., 1891-04-17

Gov. Boyd vetoed the maximu.
freight rate bill ON the day the legisls
tuSe adjourned The house passed !
over the veto, but it failed In the sen
ate. In the message the governor said
There are some provisions in the bill
that I admit would be of benefit TO thl
farmer; for instance, the rate on live
stock in the eastern part of the state
and which I would gladly sanction snf
approve" The governor continues:
In my judgment there 10 not . mile Of rail-
road vest Of the sixth principal meridian.
except the trunk lines, that 10 pay ns its run
ming expenses TO day. The products OF oul
state In some form are almost entirely con
sumed In the east and must be carried upon
inter state rates These interstate rates
upon srain particularly are but very litti<
above the Fsics from Iowa poInt& Thess
rates VIII not be reduced by this proposed
iaw. and may. and car. b very materially
advanced BY the railroad companies In self
defense and for self preservation; In fact
they could be sdvanced more than twenty
PER cent. under this bill
The Railroads could. and no doubt would.
raise the inter state rate on grain This
could be done by aboiIshihs she through
rates and applying 20 the state line rates the
figures provided IN this bill On she grain
that would be shipped ont OF Nebraska In
one season the railroads In this way, under
the tariff could Increase their revenue over
q million dollars, All Of which would come
out OF the sgricu!turist The loss TO the rail
roads would be on the thousands OF other
articles In which the farmer IL only indi-
recsiy interested Our state to prosper and
our farm.c 60 live must on these out bound
- -ra..y -. ...-ly a. v.AAahlA
on a parity with Iowa In this the railroads
OF late have done well by US. and II Ii not safe
10 force them to retract by unfair pressure
on our part
After giving it as his opinion, from
the best evidence in his possession, that
the prevailing impression hat the rail-
roads Of the state are making a high
rate Of interest on watered stock is a
mistake, and showing the net profits Of
the roads by sworn statements in the
auditors Office, the governor says:
In view of such facts the proposed reduc-
ton Of 20 TO 80 per cent in Nebraska rates
could not. in any probability, be upheld in
the courts. II Is unfair, unwise and suicidal
on our part The railroads pay more than
one seventh OF the .axes of this state JUS
tice to the peoples interest demands that
they should be encouraged and induced to
continue to help In the upbuIldIng Of our
state.
The object OF legislation should be to do
the greatest good TO the greatest number
without INJECTING hardship on any. and
while l attribute tho best Intentions and mo
tiyes to the farmers and supporters of this
bill, yet lam forced Into the belief that the
act WAS passed without giving to the Qucs.
tions involved therein that close and careful
consideration that their Importance de-
mands.
II Is true that the railroad corporations
have. In many instances. exact-d unjust
tribute from the people. This abuse of
power should be corrected by proper legis-
latiOn. but Legislation should stop at the
correction of the abuse; IL shOuli not ex-
tend to the infection Of injustice on the cor
po%ratlons. .
The governor says he would gladly
approve a bill fixing maximum rates
live stock, grain, lumber. coal and
other commodities in which the agri-
culturist is most directly interested, but
this bill reduces and fixes an inflexible
rate on thousands Of articles in which
the farmer is not interested, and by
making an exceedingly low rate at
on the western border of the
enables Colorado, Wyoming and
Dakota To obtain a rate about
per cent below the present estab-
lished tariff rate, and profit at the ex-
pense Of the railroad interests of Ne
braska.