The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-11-15
Freight Rates Again.

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Freight Rates Again.
EDITOR REPRESENTATIVE: :
In your Forum of Oct. Is, Troop V.
Nilmah, in his comments on railroad
freight rates, among other things
justly says:
"It occurs to me that there has
been considerable jugglery going on,
and that it is high time reports
should correspond with facts, and un-
vanished truths be given the pub
lic"
AS an illustration of how easily a
we'll meaning public may be deceived,
l will present to your readers a part
of an address delivered by ex-Gov.W.
r. Merriam before the state farmers
alliance March 4, 1890.
Mr.. Merriam said:
"a careful computation, showing,a
constant diminution of the cost of
transportation of freight and passen-
gers during the last four years, based
upon the tariffs of the roads doing
the principle share of the business
in the state, indicates reduction OF
so large an amount as to invite at
tention. The average earnings per
ton per mile in Minnesota for the
year ending June Goth, 1886, were
$2.O1; the average for the year ending
June 30. 1879, was $1.52. The saving
to the people of the state during the
three years noted, if calculated upon
the entire tonnage of those years,
would aggregate $14, 1856, O1O.51. To
this must be added the further saw
ing in the rate of passenger fares as
fixed by the Commission, of $1,479,-
814.30, or in all over SIG, 200, 9OO."
He declares this has been brought
about by careful study of ways and
means, the influence of popular de-
mand and the application of improv-
ed methods.
In his report to the Minneapolis
Board of Trade, for the same year,
Secretary G. G. Sturtevant of that
body says, under Railroads and Trans
portation:
"AbOut the close of the year new
and more extensive organizations
have been formed and notices of an
advance in freight rates from the
northwest to lake ports and east has
been announced to go into effect Jan.
], 1891. The ruling tariff on grain,
flour and mill-feed from Minneapolis
to Chicago and lake ports has been
y cents per 1OO lbs. The advance is
to 123 cents per hundred, which is
looked upon as too great an adj
vance,"
And further on he says:
"a certain looking forward for
breakers was caused by the results of
last falls elections. This anxiety
was not caused so much by the de-
feat in so many states of the political
party previously in power, but from
the fact that the old granger element,
now called the alliance party, has the
majority in some state legislatures
and holds the balance of power in
others, and are thus in position to
dictate legislation. This element is
VIGOROUSLY inimical to corporations,
especially railroads, and if they car
ry out the principles avOwed by their
leaders, are liable. to pass some very
radical laws"
We have lately been Informed by
S. M. Owen, in Farm, Stock & Home,
that a further advance in rates has
gone or is about to go into effect, and
we may we'll ask, Will it stop now?
Another thing is to be noticed, that
in the fall of 1890 a reduction in Wa
ges of % cents to section hands on
railroads took effect. And now I am
told the Great Northern has reduced
wages Is cents more. paying section
hands 81 per day, and they pay their
own board.
If you should find this worthy of a
place in your Forum 1 will let the
readers make their own comments.
European governments are taking
possession of railroads and transpor-
alton; why should not ours? We
hear of hundreds of thousands of
laborers being idle; we hear and
know that we have an insufficient
amount of currency in circulation.
l may therefore be excused for ask
ing the following questions:
| 1.-If our congress would map out
few trunk lines from the ports to
the interior, and issue legal tender,
good for all dues public and private,
would the labOrers take it as pay for
their work, and. would the farmers
take it for their products?
II they would, why would this not
be honest money?
And may we not say, as long as we