The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-07

the house yesterday, introduced a bill
nxlng what he thinks Is reasona BILE
maximum rate for the transportation
or farm products and cereals over rail-
way lines in the state. The bill relates
to a question of great Importance to
every shipper.
The schedules are two in number,
one devoted to cereals and one to coal.
Inc reasonable maximum rate per 100
pounds is fixed on a distance basis at
from cents for less than seventy-hve
miles up to 15A cents for less than 500
miles Graduations are made for ev-
cry Increase of twenty five miles The
coal rate per 100 pounds runs from 8
cents for less than twenty-five miles
TO 1872 cents for 500 miles or less
me reference of the bill involved the
house in a thirty minute dispute,
wrangle which for the second time this
week called attention to the light In
which some OF the representatives
from outside the cities are disposed to
view the committee on railroads
Speaker Jones first sent the bill when
read to the committee on railroads.
Il would move, Mr.. Speaker that the
bill go to the committee on grain and
warehouse" said Mr. Douglas. This
measure, true enough, concerns a ques-
ton Of rates, but it ALSO affects the
policy Of the railroad and warehouse
commission. The latter is really the
most important feature. The supreme
court of the United States has de-
clared that we have the power to reg
ulate the rates through our. repre-
sentatives, and this measure by it's de-
cision will present the question of
wisdom in making change"
Naturally the members Of the rail-
road committee objected. Representa-
tive Mercer spoke for them. Reference
to the grain and warehouse committee,
he would view as disinclination to
repose confidence in the railroad com
mdttee. If such procedure was to be
followed why not abolish the commit
tee and spread vote of censure in
the journal? He spoke with an in
jured air. declaring that as a purely
disinterested spectator he could hardly
understand how the bill could reason
ably be sent elsewhere than to the
railroad committee. Messrs. Jacobson,
Feig and Donnelly claimed in turn that
the bill came entirely within the prov
fnce of the grain and warehouse COM
mission. Mr. Lovejoy asked what the
grain and warehouse committee had
to do with rates, and Mr.. Donnelly re-
piled that the main question was one
of alteration of rates 1t was beyond
cavil within the scope of the grain
and warehouse committees consider
alton. Mr.. Douglas, as author of the
the latter committee, and out of de-
ference to his wishes number Of votes
swung over just before the ballot This
circumstance and the abiding faith of
the ruralists in all that the grain and
warehouse committee might do gave
the Douglas motion a strong majority
Oh the vote, and the bill was accord
irgly Endorsed to that committee.
This falling out between committees
over the Douglas bill added to the bank
committee episode, may possibly lead
to the forming of new combinations
in the house and to antagOnisms that
will seriously interfere with the dis
patch Of business Certain members
of these committees have openly de-
clared their purpose of getting even"
and are laying their plans accordingly.
With the combination that carried
it's point twice today on the floor the
following members are said to be in
touch: Feig, Dahl, Hicks. Douglas,
Jacobson, Undere ak. Grondahl, MoDon-
aid and Foss. Here is a strange and
inconsistent admixture of legislative
elements. If each member of the alleg-
ed combination proposes to vote for
the bill of every other member, and the
house Is controlled in this way, there
will be house legislation closely akin
to the crazy patchwork of the Populist
Legislature of Kansas.