The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-08
EIGHT-PAGE EDITION


1sf AUE Eli xVIN
impressed with the justice and necessity Of the
bali that had been vetoed that no deter
mined to call the Legislature together in extra
session in order TO re-enact the bill. When the
railroad companies learned Of his decision they
waited on him and gave him their pledge
that they would voluntarily meet the reduce
uons contemplated in the wssson bill, and with
that understanding they were assured that no
extra session would be called. But the corpora
uons broke faith with the governor and made .
cut which amounted to only about one-half OF
the reduction provided Tor in the wasson bill.
The cut proposed here todsyshy the Anderson
bill Is little enough. and want TO tell you that
the people of Eastern Washington will be satis-
ned with nothing less. The majority report pro-
poses reduction that amounts To about 10
cents to;, sad ii you adops that report, we will
be obligef TO vo:c against the bin. We must 70
before the people on this measure. and want to
serve notice right here that II this bill II
amended una! 1t Is no. satisfactory 70 the people
OF the wheat growing section OF the state, they
themselves w.n speak when the time comes Ia q
way that may not be satisfactory to some OF the
senators he,e lAppausel
Senator kinnear. OF King. warmly sup
ported the bill as it came from the house.
saying:
established by this bill were just and reasonable
would not support it. and would not support
the bill II it did not contain clause which gives
the companies the right to appeal TO tho courts
II they deem the rates established unreasonable.
This provides a safeguard that makes il impos-
sible TO say that the bill will do anybody an IN.
justice. and il il amply provided for in section
three OF the bill. NJ. President. it seems to mo
that the railroad companies cannot su6er--it 10
impossible that an outrage can be perpetratcd--
with the courts OF the land standing between
the people and the corporations, because when
these rates are put into operation the railroade
can, II thcy think they have been treated un.
justly, go before the courts aud there have
the matter adjudicated. Even our coustitu-
tion has provided that no property can
be cnnnscatcd through any sort OF an injustice.
II the cuts proposed in this bill are unrcason-
ably great, then the companies can have re-
course 10 the courts. and there is not the
slightest danger that they will be treated un-
justly in any particular. regard this ~ . mild
measure. have looked into this matter very
carefd1iy since the Introduction OF the Waason
bill OF two years ago. and while this may not b
the proper way to control these corporations, ~
my friend Senator Clay pool Gays, while his COM
mission idea may be the better one, want to
call attention tu the fact that We have in this
state q better commission than any Legislature
could make. The Lord has given IN . grand
this state, which will always do moro toward
regulating freight rates than any other commis-
sion could. We do not care for commissou
here, and do not need 1t to get relief, but the
people OF the eastern part OF the state are de-
manding such legislation as will give them
the relief they must have. and this senate
cannot afford to ignore them. IL 10
only plain justice that We should help these
people ON the east side of the mountains, who
are not adjacent to our great competing water.
ways, which have given N reduction OF ireigh
rates OF from 30 to 10 per cent, 70 get their
products to market at . reasonable rata. This
bill will give the railroads . rate Of SlSA while
in the state Of Iowa the rate 10 only SLOT ton,
giving net profit TO the railroads Of washing-
ton over those Of Iowa OF n csutA Il ts 70 b
presumed that the railroads Of Iowa are making
q profit, for they have . commi mion In that
state and the railroads are not complaining. ].
too. believe In encouraging the railroads, but q
the same time where such plain showing -
this Ia made. tho people ought to have their
rights protected. II the senate sends IN amended
bill to the house at this late day 10 may mos b
concurrsd In and that will Be likely TO result In
NO legislation on this important subject and I
am In favor Of adopting the bill - It came from
the h0uso.
Senator Sergeant Of Pisrcs thought Il
quite outside the authority Of the legis-
laturs to say what rates should be adopted
by the railroads on certain commodities
and leave others Of equal importance en-
tirely o6 the list, saying:
Il 10 class legislation Of . dangerous kind. In
the minority report much has besn said abous
the Iowa freight rates, and thsy have quoted
from the RATES Of that state to show that there II
Q difference Of n cents In favor Of washinGton.
! want to say that the railroads can haul for
SlO7 In Iowa and make better prodt than they
can at the slsS rate provided in this bill The
conditions are different, for there they have no
mountains to climb and nothing but prasio %
haul ever 1t costs - much 70 operate train
OF fourteen or fifteen cars In this country . tt
does to operate one OF forty cars In the state Of
Iowa The sxpense Of keeping up The
road are about In the same propos.
tion. This applies TO both roadbsd
and motive power roquirod This bill
asks us 70 reduce the sas:s 2S psf
cont want TO ask you. Mr.. President, or any
senator here. 10 there any business In the stats
of Washington today that could stand . redue-
tion Of IS per cent and still livef ! think not.
and my knowledge Of railfoading leads me %
assert that this 10 An unreasonable reduction 70
attempt to force It to Stand. You must all ~
member that the matter Of operating railroads
Is q business proposition, and II II sentative 20
the same conditions and restrictions that would
affect any other business In existence In this
state. Another thing. the railroads that haul
out the wheat from the Eastern portion OF the
state get business only one way. They bring
car load OF " heat across the mountains and are
compelled to carry the cars back empty. Thisis
a matter OF considerable importance. and entails
great expense on tho roads. II must not b for
gotten. too. that this wheat crop must BE- moved
quickly The corn crop of Iowa can b taken
out at any time during the next eight or nine
months after il is gotten ready for market. but
the entire VT eat crop OF the Pslouse country
must be moved within ninety days, and this
means an enormous extra expense to the COM
panics The passage OF this bill - it came
from the house may benefit . certain section OF
this state temporarily. but in the end IL would
be found to be an injustice to the people Of the
state at large, therefore, hope the majority ~
port win be adopted.
Senator Smith replied that while IL Was
true that the conditions were more favor
able in Iowa than they we're in this state
for the operating of railroads, that fact had
been given full and due weight by the
minority in framing the report. He con-
tinued:
In lows the commission regulates sveFythinG.
while in this state We do not touch incoming
freight rates. We propose TO leave the railroads
with the exof bitant rates they arc nov getting
on everything except what comes out Of the
pockets Of the farmers of the wheat growing
section. and Say 10 you here, with no fear OF
contradiction. that the rates named In the mi.
nosity are reasonable and just, and We are will.
ing TO stand on thar proposition The
gentleman from Pierce ,5ergsarD has stated
that tho entire crop of wheat had 70 b
4 ant IN IN eosA