St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-01
The House Spends a Day at
Work on the General Or
derS List.
A Favorable Report for the
Bill to Regulate Express
Companies.
Indefinite Postponement of
the Bill to Exempt ParSon-
ages From Tax.
Winston Election Law Par
TALLY Approved General
Business.

With 245 bills on general orders, the
house took fright yesterday and gave
the whole day over TO argument and
talking matches in committee of the
whole. Mr.. TurreIl made the motion
that this course be taken Immediately
after the prayer, and his motion was
adopted.
When the house quit work seven bills
had been acted on definitely. Two bills
were Indefinitely postponed, both orig
mating in the senate, One was Senator
Keller's bill to secure pure coffee or reg
ulate the sale of adulterated stuff. The
other was Senator Sanborn'S bill aiming
to exempt parsonageS from taxation by
vote of the people.
The most important measure recon-
mended for passage was II. F. GA. to
regulate ami fix charges of express COM
panieS. Mr.. Abbott spoke earnestly
for the hill. 1t had been introduced, he
said. at the instance of the Minnesota
Editorial ASSOCIATION and other citizens,
who have
For. Years Paid Tribute
to the insatiate greed of the express
companies. These companies had lev
led rates limited only by their own
rules, regulated only by their own eX-
orbitant desires, and the people had no
recourse. They must submit, and they
had submitted, until patience ceased to
be virtue. Eventually the long-sutfer-
ing people rose in rebellion, and today
there is a well-deEned demand that
express companies shall be controlled
and regulated in the same manner as
other common carriers.
Mr.. Abbott entered into statistics of
charges and percentages as between
the railroad and express companies. and
quoted also from reports Of congress
SiOnal investigating committees TO show
that the rates charged are unJdStly high
and huTdenSOme. His bill had not
been introduced to punish the express
companies, but because they are great
corporations which the people have an
inherent right and duty to control and
regulate. The attorney general had
examined the bill carefully, and pro-
nOunced 1t beyond cavil on any consti-
tutiOnal ground. In closing. MIR. Abbott
made feryent plea for the passage or
the bill, on the ground that the inter
eSts of the people and of the state de-
recommend the bill to pass.
Alleged TO BE ImpacticabIe.
Mr.. Tyler said he believed the bill had
been introduced i'm good faith and with
honest purpose. But from lifetime of
experience in the express business he
pronounced the bill unjust to the eX-
press companies, who, in his estimation,
mad done as much 10 develop the state
as any other corporation i'll its borders.
1t would be impracticable. as well as
unfair, to place them under control of
the railroad and warehouse commission,
which could know nothing of express
schedules or the conditions governing
their rates.
Mr.. Horton moved to amend Mr.. All
bolts motion, that the bill be recon-
mended for indefinite po5tpenement.
Mr.. Dunn protested against indefinite
pOstpOnement. For six years the ed
itOrial association had been endeavoring
to secure the passage of law to regu-
late CHARGES of express and telegraph
companies. The Abbott bill was not
entirely satisfactory, but it was a step
in the right direction, and should be
recommended TO pass.
Mr.. Cairns followed the line of Mr.
Tyler'S argument against the bill.
uncalled for.
Mr.. Fuller said, as an editor and pub
Usher, he could see little merit in the
bill and could not support it.
Mr.. ScOfield believed the bill could do
no harm if it did no good. He quoted
the prices OF express stocks TO show
they must be paying rich dividends.
A Useless Commission.
T. Tho
to place the companies under control of
the railroad and warehouse commission,
the usefulness of which he questioned,
even in its legitimate sphere. The COM
mission had simply furnished fat places
for three gOod-siZed, played-out politi-
clans. He objected to the bill also on
the ground that the commission could
know nothing of the express business.
Mr.. Mcguire said the same arguments
had been advanced against placing the
railroads under state control. While
the commission had not accomplished
all that was hoped for, it had done some
good, and similar good might be done in
the case or the express companies.
Mr.. Geissler said everybody knew
that express charges are eXorbitant,
and he hoped the bill would be passed.
Mr.. Greer wanted instances of eXor-
bitant tariffs cited. As the matter stood,
he could not vote for the bill. Mr..
Young followed with the statement that
he would vote for the bill on general
principles and consider statistics after
ward. There was a sentiment abroad
that express cOmpanieSneed regulation,
and the legislature should heed it. He
took exception 10 reflections on the rail-
road and warehouse commission as be-
ing entirely out of place.
NO Right OF Appeal.
Mr.. Wilson, of GoOdhue, expressed
the opinion that the bill might be ex-
tending the police power of the state
too far. The ramihcationS of the bust
ness were too great to be mastered by
railroad commission, whose dictum
would be arbitrary under the pending
bill. There was absolutely no right of
appeal, and for that reason the bill
would be held unconstitutional. Warm
ing to his work, Mr.. wilson said the
Republican party was being surely
sWamped by too many boards, created
by the legislature. The tenor or his
argument was against the legality of
the measure if brought to test in court.
Mr.. Cotton asserted the bill had no
merit whatever, but was dangerous
and Ubiquitous bill. He conceded in
the opinion of Mr.. Wilson that denial
of the right OF appeal made the bill
clearly unconstitutional. MIR. Cotton
further held that express companies are
not common carriers III the accepted
sense.
Mr.. jacobson dissected Mr.. Cotton's
arguments in a delieiouslY sarcastic
vein. He began in quiet tone of voice,
by saying he had heard the same argu-
meDts twenty years ago. When regula-