The representative., 1898-01-19
W. RhHILLY'S REPORT
TO THE STATE FARMERS AL
LANCE.
lie ExcOrintes the Last LeEisInt ture
for Its Course on the Railroad
Question.
THE RESOLUTIONS THAT WE'RE
ADOPTED.

P. Fl. Rahilly of Lake City, men,
Der Of the committee appointed year
ago to secure a more rigid enforcement
of the laws relating to transportation,
read a paper, in which he detailed the
experiences CT the committee. He said
The last convention of the Farmers
Alliance Of this state, appointed a COM
mittee consisting of nine members, Of
which l had the honor Of being chair
man, whose duty 1t should be first. to
secure, if possible, some enforcement of
those existing laws relating to common
carriers, which might be regarded as
favorable to the farmers of Minnesota:
and, second, to formulate and present to
the legislature such measures relating
to the carriage Of farm products, as in
the opinion Of the committee, a sound
public policy might dictate.
In the fulfllment Of its mission the
committee at once visited the railroad
and warehouse commission and asked
that body to secure to farmers their
rights in freight and passenger rates on
railroads. The commission seemed to
believe that they had no power TO do SO
under the present law. Having become
satisfied, from the conduct and general
demeanor of it's members throughout
that the railroad and warehouse COM
mission was even worse than worthless
for all public uses, we directed our at
tention towards the legislature \ series
OF remedial measures were prepared and
introduced in the house
The bills were placed in the hands of
the different members of the house.
They were in time referred to the COM
mittee on railroads of that body |
made five trips to St. Paul and succeeded
In making arrangements to have q pub
lie hearing on these measures. Accord
ingly l appeared before the committee
on railroads, and after listening until
O'Clock in the morning to the arguments
of the railway attorneys gathered to Op-
pose the so-called Douglas bill, was COM
PEELED to withdraw unheard The next
meeting l was reinforced by NJ J. Cos
telo. We were informed by the chair
man that that body was very busy and
could only allot very short time 70
alliance measures a half hour was as
signed in which to present the merits OF
the five measures above outlined The
time was as fully utilized as its brevity
and the nature of the task before the
committee admitted OF.
But from the outset, indeed, before q
word had been spoken, it was plain that
the experience of the committee before
the railroad and warehouse commission
was to be duplicated, and that the meas
ures would receive like treatment It
was apparent throughout that there was
not shadow of possibility that the
measures advocated would receive any
serious consideration whatever On
the following morning the bills were re-
ported to the house adversely by the
committee on railroads. Mr. Donnelly
made gallant fight in favor of the bills
He pleaded that they should be placed
on general orders and be discussed and
amended according as the judgment Of
the house might dictate, but he pleaded
in vain. The measures were doomed
from the outset to a speedy and violent
death.
What ever the present actual condi-
tion of public sentiment may be regard
ing the common carriers of the state it
{c 10;
forces of official life today are organized
and amalgaEated in the great under
taking of preventing any change in ex-
listing regulations affecting railroads
and other great corporations. The
dominant element in our politics is in
conspiracy with them. The great ma
jority of the men whom the electors Of
Minnesota IN their wisdom placed in
power with the opening of last year
are their confederates. And while
there is plainly manifest spirit Of un-
certainty and unrest among even the
representatives of the corporations in
official life, the people can expect no i'm
mediate relief except such as the COR
their own interests to voluntarily grant
them.
1t may be considered presumption on
my part to suggest remedies for the
state Of things which is here portrayed.
l appeal to the farmers of the state
living on every line Of road, ut every
shipping point to get together and have
some one amongst them present car
Of grain for shipment to the agent at
your shipping point and demand Of him
to weigh your grain and issue receipt
to you for the number Of bushels so de-
livered. In case he refuses you do as
I have done secure a warrant for the
agents arrest.
1t is the duty Of the county attorney
to prosecute all such cases in the name
OF the state. Remember you support