The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-24

pOrtant Subject That Has Come
Before the Railroad Commission
With the Exception of the Steen-
ersOn Rate Case - Flour Rate
Committee Has More Work.
Attorney General Childs returned
yesterday from Duluth, and said that
his presence at the hearing in the ore
rate case was merely of an advisory
nature, and that the state would not
be drawn into the case until the COM
mission reached decision. If it was
decided by that body that the present
rates We're too high. and they ordered
reduction, his position as attorney
general would be to enforce the finding
OF the commission through the courts
In discussing the matter, Gen. Childs
said that the case promised to be the
most important rate case ever brought
before the railroad and warehouse
commission, with the exception of the
Stevenson case, which perhaps effect
ed more people, as the farmers were
more numerous than the mine own
ers; yet there was every probability
that the ore rate case would be fought
just as vigorously by the corporations
as the STEVENSON case was.
When the commission convened again
on Tuesday it would take a trip over
the two roads. consuming about two
days time when the hearing would be
again resumed. The object of taking
trip over the road is to make a per-
sonal inspection of the road and the
amount of labor and material which
had been used in its construction. One
Of the strongest points made by the
defendants Is that it would cost $15,-
100000 to reproduce the roads, and that
the business done would not warrant
the reduction Of the present rates with
out working great hardship on the
railroad companies. The commission
will go into this question at length be-
fore determining upon the validity of
the claim interpOsed by the corpora
tions
1t is not unlikely that the commits
sion will take testimony elsewhere than
Duluth. The railroads have put up an
other defense, claiming that in a few
years the iron mines in the northern
part Of the state will become exhaust
ed, which would render useless their
railroads. and consequently a dead
loss on their investments. The COM
mission will probably return to the
Twin Cities and take expert testimony
on this question. Some authorities
claim that there are sufficient mineral
deposits on the Vermillion and Messaba
ranges to last for a hundred years,
While other experts contend that the
supply OF iron ore will be exhausted
before another decade has passed.
amount of business done, by the roads
will depend largely the decision Of the
commission.
The plaintiffs in the action contend.
on the other hand, that the railroads
and the mine owners have entered into
a fraudulent combination to keep the
rates up. and that the mine owners get
a rebate on every ton of freight upon
which they pay the present rate of 80
cents per 2,240 pounds. The interest
which the state has taken in the case
Is occasiOned by the large amount Of
mineral lands owned by the state, and
which, it is claimed, have not been de-
veloped because the rates were so high
tfat they could not compete with the
corporations who were in the inside,
and who made profit out Of the rate
The commission will probably sit in
st. Paul next week.
Gen. Becker was the only commits
sioner who returned from Duluth yes
terday. Commissioner Kingsley went
to his home In Austin, and Commits
sioner Mills went to Moorehead The
commissioners will return to Duluth
Monday night.
"The investigation is one of the most
thorough ever made" said Gen. Baker.
Each side is going into the merits Of
the case to the fullest extent. mass
of testimony has already been taken,
and yet the case is not half finished.
We shall be at least two weeks more
on it, and then it will require good
deal of time to arrive at a decision.
We must examine every bit of evil
dence submitted, and 1t will be difficult
to form an accurate judgment. Two
opposing experts will swear exactly op-
posite each other, and we must decide
which is correct The case is exciting
a great deal Of interest in Duluth; the
court room is crowded with spectators
daU -