The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-01-06

and warehouses a M Stations ana sIQlnCs
with necessary side track and switching &C
commod ations. for the same. Years ago II
was the custom among railroad compaaies to
give exclusive privileges 70, or to discriminate
in favor of particular elevator or warehouse
men, While in most cases The railroads have
now abandoned this policy, yet there are still
traces of the old evil in some quarters. A
notable instance is that of THE Farmers
Warehouse Association of Farwell. Minnesota,
VS. The Minneapolis, st Paul and Sault Ste
Marie Railway company" described in the
report of the ilroad and warehouse COM
mission of 1891 on page l5 This association,
having first applied for leave to erect grain
warehouse on the right of way at the station
of Farwell; viii h application the company,
without just cause, denied. then erected the
warehouse on their own land contiguous to
the right of way, and have ever since,-now
more than three years, been yainlS endeav-
oring to obtain the necessary side track
facilities for the same. Such conduct on the
part of the railroad company. aside from
mere technical law, is unjust and irIi ating in
the extreme, and tends TO keep up Il state of
feeling between the producing and Carving
interests of tae country, that ought not IN
exist. The railroad company, in thus obstruct
ing and defying this rig lteous claim of the
association, obstructs and defies the state for
back of the humbleSt farmer. in case of this
kind, ought to stand the whole dignity and
power of the state. 1t is not for railroad com
panies to say who ought, or ought not TO have
warehouse and side track facilities. All
should be put on footing of equality All
discrimination should be eliminated to the
end that untrammeled competitions one of the
best regul ators, may be secured and main
tanned. To entail the duty of maintaining
grain elevators upor the railroad companies
as has been contended for in some quarters.
would tend to give them monopoly of the
hI1Sin u mr. hing Ii 40
far from desrect Bile. In view of all these facts.
to which | have called your atteution, | can
not forbear to earnestly recommend that you
devise and enact lie sislation that viii promptly
and effectively furnish the necessary relief
and redress in all cases of this nature.
While Minnesota is rapidly developing her
vast mineral resources, and is fast beco ming
a great manufacturing state, it is still in pur-
suit of agricult ure that large plurality of her
people are engaged. In those section where
dairy and diversified farming prevails, fair
profits, as rule, are secured and the farmers
are quite prosperous. But where wheat is
still the chief crop and main reliance, there is,
owing in part to the diminished and infe ior
yield of 49,. and the unusually low price sup
efinduced By glut in the wheat market, arts
ing from the large surplus of the great crop
1891, and large winter wheat crop OF 1897 some
depression, though none of serious character
OAiSto. w I'm dl average WI edt cIop, AoG "a
ceeding eleven bushels per acre, and an aver
age price, not exceeding fifty-five cents per
bushel, it is evident that our farmers are TO
some extent laboring under more than or
binary disadvantages, and deserve more than
ordinary attent on 1T our hands. Under these
circumstances, it is our duty, and should be
our ambition to keep the eXl'e nses of our state
government, in all its branches. at as low
level as the needs of the pubic service will
JUSTIFY. And we should rep:eSS and eliminate,
as FAR as we can, all that savOrs of sinecurlsm,
wherever 1T occurs or wherever it may be
evoked. And above all, we should, at this
Juncture, refrain. except in cases of urgent
necessity, from inaugrating or entering upon
penditure of public money. We cannot give
our farmers a better yield nor better prices,
but We can, at least, aid them to make the
burdens OF government rest more lightly ON
their shoulders.
My predecessor has administered the affairs
OF state economically and with great tact and
wisdom and has placed the public service on
sound and legiti Il ate footing. for which he
deserves the gratitude or all friends of good
government. l hope may be aOle to approx
rate the high standard of public administra-
ton which he has placed before US.
And now, as you and l are about to enter
upon the discharge of the duties assigned to
US, may we be imbued with that wisdom,
which is from on high, and may our labors,
under tie blessings of the benign Providence
rebound to the greatness and the goodness
of our state and common country.
X