St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-04
dignity and subyersive of the sovereignty OF

seiect leW, alued In creating combinations or
rings OF SPECTATORS to the gross injury of
the masses of the people and violatiye of the
spirit II not the letter of existing laws. and
which acts Gf really perpetrated) call for
the immediate enactment of q law for their
suppression and the summary and condign
punishment OF the perpetrators if repeated
And
Whereas, it is impossible to arrive at the
knowledge of what is required TO be done in
connection with this subject, or how fairly TO
determine the questions involved in the con-
troversles which have arisen between the
people and the railway companies. until "A
tnorough understanding of the entire matter
mas Deen first obtained; and believing il 10 be-
tne DUTY OF the Legislature to acquire such in
formation for its intelligent guidance and
predicate thereupon such legislation as i'm
It's judgment, shall seem necessary at this
time in order that exact justice may be done
to both the people of the state and the COM
pan1eS; now therefore be it
Resolved By the Senate and House OF
kepresentativeS-FirSt thaJ the judiciary
committee be and it is hereby directed to coll
lect tuil aid complete information concern
ing:
First-The actual cost of construction and
length in miles of each of the several rail
roads i'll this state, together with amounts
paid for rights of way, depot grounds. etc.
Second-The value OF the rolling stock,
real estate and other property respectively,
oI eacll Vi the companies.
Ihlrd-The salaries paid to the several Of
fcers. attorneys agents, etc.
Fourth-'lhe number of persons employed
IN their offices, depots, stations. shops, and
on their lines of roads and the amounts paid
to them per year, together with all other
operating expenses, interest, taxes. fines.
damages and any expenditures incident to
the conduct of their business.
t1fth-The bonded Indebtedness of such
company. with the amount received for such
bonds and the rates of interest they bear;
also the sums aud character OF floating
debts, il there be any.
SiXth-The amounts of stock each COM
pany has issued; the times when and on
what accounts such stock was issued and
the amounts and kinds of the considerations
received for the same; to whom the stock
was issued and the names of the present
holders; also the dividends paid on the
same since Jan.1, 1889.
Seyenth-The number of acres and average
value per acre Of lands granted by the state
or general government, and the amounts Of
bonuses of money or property received from
the state, counties, towns. or villages.
Eighlh-The description of contracts made
By the COMPANIES with their patrons. and
whether differences i'll terms and rates. for
carrying freights or passengers are ever
made and if So the reasons why such dis.
examinations are made.
Ninth-Whether any of the directors man.
aging officers. or agents of the companies are
directly or indirectly interested III the ship
ments or freights or passengers over the lines
VI IOuNlS WIFI WHICH lueN nave oUclNl con-
nection. or over lines allied to these through
associations of business interests; and
whether their being so interested is ever in
huental i'll securing To such directors Oiii-
GERS, or agents, or their business associates
favorable determinations.
Resolved, Second, That such commission Is
hereby empowered to send for persons and
papers, and (at their opton) to require that
such information or any part or IL shall be
given under oath.
Resolved, Tn ird. That, based upon the in
formation obtained as herein provided, the
Judiciary committee shall prepare a bill for
an act Tor the better regulation of the opera
ton of railroads and conduct of the trans
portation business in this state, and publish
statements of the same for the information
of the public
Resolved, fourth, That it is desirable to IN
clude in one law all necessary legislation for
controlling the operation of rail- Dads in the
state; that such laws shall be Just and equi-
table in every particular and easy to under
stand. and that under its provisions the busi-
ness of the companies shall be made known
TO the public, in order that there may be no
further occasion for diStrust nd mlSrepre-
sentation, nor for those animOsities now eX-
listing between the public and the COM
panies; and the committee is directed to- use
their utmost endeaYors TO frame Il bill that
will serve this purpose and effectually guard
the interests of all classes of citizens without
imposing hardship upon the companies
Resolved, fifth, That the said board OF rail-
way commissioners be instructed to report
upon each point named within thirty days.
Discussing the Measure.
After the secretary had read these
resolutions Senator Mayo took TIE floor
and made a carefully prepared and
able address on the subject. The rail
road legislation of the state from the be-
ginning down was detailed, and the
history of the vast land grants and
bonuses was narrated in manner that
demonstrated that that venerable doctor
had made the question the subject of
careful study. The depreciation in
land values and the diminutiOn of the
farmers profits lie attributed i'll great
measure to the Determinations of rail
roads and their attempts to earn divl-
dends on false capitalization. The
question of railroad control was the
pressing one of the hour. and to legis-
late wisely the senate must have in
formation as to the exact status Of
things; therefore he asked for the pas
sage of the resolutions.
At the conclusion of Senator Mayo's
speech, Senator John Day Smith took
the floor. and in a sarcastic manner
asked the senator from OlmSted to state
whether he was not one of the incOr-
porators of the Duluth, Red Wing 20
Southern railway, and how many times
he had gone before the people OF
Rochester with propositions to bond the
city for that road.
IL am not one of the incOrpOratOrs Of
the Duluth, Red Wing u Southern"
answered Senator Mayo with dignity.
II was one Of the incOrpOratOrs of
branch line projected to give us relief
from the oppression of one mighty cor
pOratiOn."
Senator Keller offered an amendment
changing the work of investigation from
the judiciary committee to the board of
railway commissioners. In advocating
this change the Stearns county states
man declared that he was heartily in
favor of the resolution, but the work
would require so much time that it
should be done by the railroad COM
missiOners. Mr.. Keller who by the way.
is becoming one of the hest off-hand
takers in the senate, made so many
points in his speech that his amendment
was subsequently adopted without a
dissenting voice.
Pending the adoption of this amend
ment, a recess till 3 O'Clock was taken.
Took the Afternoon.
Promptly at o'clock the lieutenant
governor called the senate to order. and
after calling Senator Davis to the chair
retired for a time. The discussion OF
the morning was resumed. Senator
HOmpe taking the floor and heartily adj
vOcating the amendment Of Senator
Keller. AS the resolutions were pre-
sented he could not support them. lie
thought amendments were needed. He
was also opposed to that section proyid-
ing for a state railroad examiner.
After lengthy discussion, taken part
in Senators McIIale, Mayo, Da Due and
Dohnelly, the amendment of Senator
Keller was adopted, with the condition
that the railroad commissioners be re-
quested to report in thirty days. Sena-
tor Tawney opposed certain features of
the resolutions, and thought that bill
framed on the lines suggested by them
would sequestrate property, and that
he would not vote to do. The
discussion then waxed warm over
these resolutions, and it was
only subdued by an amendment offered
by Senator Stevens, turning charges