The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-10-25
RAILROAD FREIGHT RATES.
A FOrcible Appeal to the Farmers
to Attend the Hearing of Mr..
SteenersOn'S COMPLAINT.

SteenersOn's Complaint.
EDITOR REPRESENTATIVE:
am "rattled" again, L have asked
the question: Why is the price of
wheat so low? The answer / get is,
scarcity of money. 1 ask, Why is
sugar so high? Ans. Scarcity of
money.
In looking over the annual report
of the railroad and warehouse COM
mission of Minnesota for 1889, on
page u l find, average rate per ton
of freight per mile carried on respec-
tive roads for ten years, entire line,
la cents" Total average in Min
nesota, 1.21 cents. On "Chicago,
Milwaukee and St. Paul, 1885, LOOP
cents. In the one article of freight
-wheat-frOm Bird Island to Mime
apOlis, about 80 miles, / find for the
past fourteen years it has been 81
cents per bushel, which find by my
application of arithmetic to be more
than double their average as above
reported. I know of no other class
of freight that can be handled and
carried more cheaply by railroad
companies than wheat. Will our
railroad commissioners, give us an
explanation of this apparent extor-
ton upon that class of freight?
If there is an extortion on freight
rates on wheat it occurs to me it
comes directly out of the pockets of
the farmers.
recently read a speech delivered
at Mansfield, Ohio, by Mr.. Thomp-
son, of Springfield in that state, in
which he states there are but three
ways of getting a dollar-"by gift,
by earning, or by stealing it," Now
If the G. M. & St. P. r. r. Co. by
their own report show they have not
earned that excess of freight charg-
edit certainly was not volun-
tarily given to them, so by Mr..
Thompson's reasoning they must
have stolen it. If so they are rob-
bers to that extent. Will our rail-
road commission stand by them in
their stealing? Should not steps be
taken to force them to disgorge, or
stop their stealing?
see recently a statement that the
railroad companies of this state have
received in lands donated and bonds
and gifts by towns, counties, etc.,
over $40, 900 per mile for every mile
of road in operation within the state.
Have also seen the statement oft
repeated, and never contradited,
that there are not 100 consecutive
miles of railroad within this state
that has cost over $40, 900 per mile all
complete. Also that the average
bonded Indebtedness of railroads in
this state is about 81 900 per mile.
Will our railroad commissioners in
their next report clear up this mat
ter and show tne people of this state
that the railroad companies have not
obtained all this by fraud, and that
passenger and freight rates are now
upon the legitimate basis of actual
cost and running expenses. 1t occurs
to me that if their reports and above
statements are true, there has been
considerable jugglery going on, and
that it is high time reports should
correspond with facts and plain unx
vanished truth be given to the pub
lie.
For one see the great Importance
of earnest men all over the state re-
spending to President Donnelly's
call to meet in st. Paul at the time
of hearing of complaint of Elias
Stevenson so all who see the impor-
lance of fair hearing can be fully
posted upon the matter. II we are
difadent and leave question so i'm
portant to us all to be fought out by
one man who simply can receive but
his share Of the benefits should he