The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-11-01
A MOVEMENT FOR
LOWER FREIGHTS
A Demand From Southwestern
Minnesota.

80 te ..os
e r.
We have just received the follow
ing letter:
>AS MANKATO, Oct. 10, '93.
HON. IGNATIUs DoNNELLY:
DEAR SIR:-The REPRESENTATIVE
advertiseS you as about to commence
suit on the part of the farmers of
the northwest for lower wheat rates.
l hope yourself and your committee
OF farmers will embrace the southern
Minnesota farmers in your action.
The reason address you upon this
important interest is that i tried, at
one time, to assist the farmers to re-
duce the freight rate on wheat from
eleven and One-haH cents per hun
dred pounds, from MankatO to Min
neapOlis. We asked, in our petition,
for seven cent rate. The commit
tee was composed of J. H. Baker, E.
M. Pope, f. M. Currier and John
Diamond. Gent. Pope and Gen'l.
Baker commenced like cyclone in
this suit before the railroad commits
siOners, and opened up good strong
case. The roads called for an ad-
jOurnment; these three aforesaid
gentlemen accepted q reduction Of
one cent and half; making it ten
cents per hundred. This was one of
the most 1isgraceful acts ever per-
petrated upon the farmers in south
ern Minnesota; and alltthree of these
gentlemen have since died a political
death. Their action was endorsed
by the farmers of this county. This
ended my work for the farmer. I
have tried to revive this wheat
freight business again, but have not
secured the approval Of sthe farmers
of this county. l did write to the
attorney general asking him if he
would assist us. He gave assurance
that he could, if we would make
case against the Southern Minnesota
railroad and the Sioux City, and the
Northwestern roads and the St.
Louis railroad. / have had several
gentlemen ask me to bring another
suit before the railroad commission
ers; this decline to do. But l hope
for grand up-raising of the farmers
upon state and local interest. Mr..
John Cruise advises me to write you,
and see if you and Mr.. L. G. Long
case for the farmers in this section.
Yours respectfully,
go JOHN DIAMOND.
COMMENTs: Mr.. Diamond is an old
war-horse, and we welcome him as an
aid in the pending fight. His idea is
a good one. The northwest is moving
for lower rates; and the southwest
should follow suit. Let our friends
in different counties take Elias
Steenerson's complaint, in a recent
number of the REPRESENTATIVE,
and use it as a model, and get up
similar papers; and let us all go in
and fight it out together. 1t may be
that the commissioners will do moth
ing; but let us at least give them the
opportunity; and if they refuse,
make our appeal at the ballot box
next fall. The republican party will
be responsible if the commissioners
turn deaf ear to the cries of the
suffering people. So, brother Dia-
mond, 60 to1w work and set thunder
and lightning blazing around the
heads Of these well-paid servants of
the people. Only those are slaves
who deserve to be slaves. The first
right of a freeman is to kick like a
steer against injustice.
And brother Diamond should be
more generous. Let US. close up the
gaps and all work together. Let by
cones be by-gones. I think he does
injustice to the three gentlemen he
names. If they helped to secure a
reduction of rates from eleven and a
half to ten cents hundred on all the
wheat which passes through Man.
kato they did a tremendous work and
deserve a world of credit. Gen'l.
Baker is somewhat cratic politically,
but he is a very able man; and much
allowance must be made for wounded
pride and disappointed reasonable
expectations. He supported the
democratic ticket last fall on the
tariff issue, but he is no doubt az
disguised with Cleveland's gold-bug
policy as any one. We need such
men. Our doors stand open to them.
LET him that is. without sin cast
the first stone.n As to Gen. E. M.
Pope we wouldsay that he is one OF the
ablest friends of the common people
in Miunesota, and has been for years,
prescribed and trampled under foot
by the corporations and the money
power for that very reason. And
Hon. sM. Currier established for
himse1fin the Legislature the repu-
tation Of an hon6F&ble, Raithful, able
worker for reform. Few men stand
higher in the stateS
Do not let usste4feach other to
pieces for the a1husemeht or profit OF
the common enemy. Wherever there
is merit in our ranks, push it to the
front; wherever there is fault, # It be
not due to corruption, let us spread the
mantle Of charity over it. Respect
the honorable ambitions of each 9th