St. Paul daily globe., 1893-01-30
THE TRIBUNE IN KINDER
GARTEN.

questions. This is very proper frame
of mind into which our contemporary
has at last fallen. Its questions are
elementary, eomp0rtng with its needs
of information. The GLOBE, which has
been gathering information during the
years in which the Tribune has been
gathering wool, gladly imparts to its
up-river neighbor the data it asks for.
"What is an elevator" 1t is the
product of modern ingenuity applied to
the problem of reducing the cost of
handling grain, receiving it, storing it,
shipping it. 1t is the most rapid and
economical device yet found.
"What is raiIroad?' 1t is the eyolu-
ton of the carriers cart, just as the
Tribune Is the evolution of the news
letter of our ancestors. 1t has assumed
in the process of development various
functions which It's progenitor, the car
rier's cart, did not possess, because it
didn't need them. Its main function is
to receive, load and TRANSPORT the vari-
Gus products of industry committed to
it. 1t is quasi-public, deriving its vital
ity from public grant. 1t is its duty to
provide all those appliances which eX-
perience shows to be necessary for the
proper performance of its functions. Ii
it neglect to do so, the public, which
creates it, can compel it to provide
them.
''Is the elevator business an essential
part of the railroad businesS?" 1t is.
When Senator WAsHBURN built his
500 road he recognized this, and lined
his road with elevators built by his
company as part of its equipment.
They were subsequently syndicated.
The Milwaukee road built and now
owns most if not all the elevators along
some of it's lines. In an action brought
by the Milwaukee road to cancel tax
levied on its elevators, on the ground
that by permitting their exclusive use
and control by Il private firm they had
lost their distinctive character OF rail-
road property, ROSWELL MILLER, its
president. testified that the elevators
were a necessary appliance of the rail-
road in the handling of grain. On this
ground the tax was cancelled by the
court.
Having asked these questions -and
obtained the information it needs-the
Tribune proceeds to say, somewhat ir-
relevantly, eff the GLOBE can discover
that the building and running of rail
| way side tracks is a business as open to
the general public as the grain-handling
| business, and that the grain handling,
storing and cleaning involved in the
| elevator business is as necessary part
of the railroad business as is the build
| ing and using of side tracks, ii will be
| in position to know whether or not
the state can make the railroads build
elevators as well as side tracks,"
The GLOBE informs its contemporary
! further that it long ago discove red that
| the "building and running of railway
| side tracks is precisely as open to the
general public as is the grain-handling
business" and that neither is. For
illustration, 1t refers the Tribune to the
instance given i'll Gov. NELSON'S in
auguraI. 1t can furnish m any others if
| the Tribune wishes. The answers to
the questions given above should show
! the Tribune that the GLOBE has dis
covered that the grain-handling "in-
| volved in the elevator business" is las
necessary part OF the railway busi-
ness as is the building and using of side
tracks," The storing of grain beyond
| that reasonable time which railways
store other goods is not necessary
part of the elevator business, neither is
the cleaning of gram. 1t is an incident
of the private control of them.
Having taken its first kindergarten
lesson, the Tribune can now run out and
play that 1t is journal.