The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-16
Urged in the Address of Grand
Master Jones.
MAIN SUPPORT OF TRUSTS
The National Grange Urged to Agitate
for the Construction of System
of Inland CanaIs-The Mic.
aragua Route,

convened in this city to-day with
Grand Master Aaron Jones of South
Bend, Ind, in the chair. Twenty-six
states were represented. While the
committees were engaged in their de-
liberations Grand Master Jones called
on Jaben Robinson, master of the do
minion grange of Canada, for remarks
and Robinson took up most of the
morning session, bringing the greetings
and reviewing the work of the year
in the dominion. The event of the af-
ternocn session was the annual adj
dress of Grand Master Jones, which,
together with the report of commit
tees, occupied the time.
Grand Master Jones began his annual
address by congratulating the grange
on the prosperous condition of the order.
He said the grange favored national
and state laws controlling trusts and
state inspection. On the subject of
transportation he said:
Transportation Is one of the most
important interests in our country, and
the just and equitable adjustment of
charges for freight and passengers is
of utmost concern to private and pub
lie welfare. There was IN the Unite
States 1S4,4S2 miles of railway June 30
1897 valued at $40, 635 ,00S,04. The EARN
ings of the railways in the United
States for the year ending June 30,
1897 as reported, s1,122. Gs,sr5.
This vast system of railways vas
built by authority of franchises grant
ed by the United Sla.,; and the sew
eral states. In the case Of The North
ern and Central Pacific railway large
donations Of land and the loan of The
nations credit was also given. and in
many other cases large donations wfrc
made by cities, toWnsa lips and counties
The franchises gave thesa @oIDnrations
power to condemn private lands. to
pass through farms, villages and cities,
destroying homes in country and in
cities, at prices fixed by disinterested
appraisers, virtually by the state. This
power was granted to them on the
broad principle that these highways
were necessary for the public welfare.
Under our advanced civilization this is
true but it is also true that private
and public welfare demands that these
roads be so managed as not to Cypress
the people or make discriminating
charges between citizens or localities
in freight and passenger rates, but
should give to all citizens the same
service for the same money. and that
this service should be reasonable and
just to shipper and carrier. When so
managed, railways are of incalcu!a BILE
advantage to the entire country. Are
they, and have they been so managed?
The Interstate commerce commission
have made investigation and / find in
their 18th annual report to the cIr-
gress the following on this poins:
Meanwhile the situation has be-
come intolerable, both from the stand
point of the public and the carriers
Tariffs are dsregarded, Determinations
constantly occur. the price at which
transportation can be obtained Is fluc-
IN oti in md OF - Elrot1 a a Y
ayers are distrustful of each other and
shippers all the while in doubt as to
| the rates secured by their competitors.
| The volume of traffic is so unusual as
to frequently exceed the capacity of
| equipment. yet the contest for tonnage
! seems never relaxed. Enormous sums
| are spent in purchasing business and
| secret rates accorded far below the
| standard of published charges. The
| general public gets little benefit from
| these reductions. for concessions are
| mainly confined to the heavier ship
| pers. All this augments the advantages
| of large capital and tends to the in
J. jury and often the ruin of smaller deal
| ers. These are not only matters of
| the gravest consequence to the BUSH
| ness welfare of the country, but they
| concern in no less degree the higher
interests of public morality.
1.-The conditions now widely prevail
by reference to Investigations of the
commission during the last year. These
! are not isolated and exceptional cases;
| their counterpart may be found in
many localities. The facts thus brought
| to light carry their own comment and
nothing said by us can add to their
| significance
| And again, the commission in the
| same report said:
| EVERY consideration of private JUS
tice and public welfare demands that
! railway rates should be reasonable,
uniform to all shippers and equitable
| between all communities. Until need
ed legislation is supplied that demand
| must remain unsatisfied and the com
| mission must continue to rest under the
| responsibility of duty which it is pow
| erless to discharge
| "As the law creating the interstate
| commission was largely secured by the
| influence Of our order, the important
| facts disclosed indicate the wisdom of
the order and the necessity for such
commission and for further legislation
| "If the railways Of the country were
properly and fairly managed, the peo-
pie would have equal opportunity &c
| compete for business, but as conduct
ed the railways are the main support
| Of trusts.
Our vast sea coast, our river nav!.
| cation and our great lakes have in
| service documented and undocumentad
vessels exceeding eight million ton
mage Nearly four millions Of tide ton
| mage is in service on the Mississippi
| river and its tributaries. On the great
chain Of lakes extending from Mime
| sofa to New York state sail more ships
| than enter the ports of Liverpool OF
| London More than double the freight
| passes through Sault Ste. Marie in eight
| months than passes through the great
| Suez canal in a year. Last year l6S.
| 600 600 tons of freight passed through
| Sault Ste. Marie. Our coastwise traf1e
! is of the same gigantic proportions II
| has been demonstrated that water
| transportation is much cheaper than BY
rail. On long distances freight can pt
carried by steam for one-quarter ane
by sail for one-seventh the cost by rail-
| In view of these facts, should not oul
| order favor the improvement of oui
harbors on sea and lake and keep oul
rivers free from all distractions ina
interfere with navigation? our RIVER
| billions of dollars