Willmar tribune., 1899-10-18


character of legal strategy and keen
ness, but it certainly also presents
the strongest features for public con-
tempt for our statutes. 1t is clearly
and openly an attempt to evade the
responsibilities OF the law. 1t is al
so most signally an effort to tire out
and cripple the opposition by dis
tance and delay. It's a repetition
OF the old, old story: just keep the
case in the courts until you tire out
the opposition by distance and de-
lay.
While confronted with these almost
disheartening obstacles, Mr. Steener-
son nevertheless stuck to the ship,
and the decision of the Ramsey coun-
ty court was appealed to the Su-
preme court. The latter court ap-
parently did not weigh the compa-
Mes expert testimony in the same
scale of public policy which the dis
trict court had used, and remanded
the case back to the lower court; the
decision being practically a victory
for the commission. And there, kind
reader, the celebrated Steenerson
case is now.
1t was commenced in 1894, and by
the close of 1899, in about six years,
1t had proceeded as far as a district
court on a remanding, Now, it
hasn't entirely run the gauntlet of
legal obstruction yet. Oh, no! not
by good deal! When next taken
up by the Ramsey court, the order
of the commission will probably he
approved in it's entirety or else at
least in a modified form. Then the
companies will appeal to the State
Supreme court on some technical
ground. and finally, when beaten
there, they will appeal to the Su-
preme court of the United States.
That, Mr.. Editor. is the "rocky road
to Dublin" still in store for the order
of the commission.
1t will require. at least four years
more to bring this matter to focus!
Ten years! One-th:rd of the averag ge
human life! And that, dear reader,
is what Reform Lawson holds out
as hope to us under Il reform admin
istration.
He says that if l have "griev-
ance from Overcharges," to complain
to the commission. Ye Heavens!
What a philosopher dear Vicky has
developed into! With what osten-
tation does he deal out his supply
of Popocratic wisdom! Why, he
throws out chunks of political ad-
vice with the liberality of a modern
sage! "Go to the commission, if you
have a grievance" says Lawson!
What welcome advice; what a valu-
able suggestion! Go to the commits
sion, present your complaint, spend
thousands in prosecuting the same
(besides Il lot Of time and energy),
and then wait ten years for q de-
cision!
Oh, isn't that grand! What a wise
man we have in the person of the
Tribune sage! And to realize the
fact that we have him right in Kan
diyohi county! Beware, beware ye
denizens of Willmar, lest this prince
of latter day sages does not wander
away and we lose his Invaluable ad-
lnOnitions! And then come forward,
ye honest tillers of the soil, you who
know and believe that freight rates
are too high, and profit by Reformer
Lawson's advice. Present your CO.. M
plant to the commission! That will
fix the whole trouble! Now, who do
hear laughing? Don't get gay, Mr..
Farmer. This is Vic Lawson's adj
vice that he solemnly gave me July
5, 1899, and he ought to know. Isn't
he the editorial oracle who dishes up,
periodically, popocratic brain-food to
All indulgent public? No, no, Mr..
Farmer. don't get gay.
What Mr.. Lawson says must he
the proper thing to do! How could
he be refOrmerif he made mistakes?
How could lie be a refOrmer and do
wrong? He left the republican party
because of it's wrongs and mistakes.
He is now enshrined with the glory,
the wisdom and the rectitude of lat
ter day reform! He addresses us
humble, wandering, wayfaring citi-
zens as one of the benefactors OF
mankind. And this is what he con-
descendingly advises us: Go to the
commission If you have a grievance
from overcharges.
But, kind reader. please permit me
to amend Mr.. Lawson's advice. Be.
fore you even formulate your com.
plant have a care as to your ,physi.
cal makeup. Get examined by a
competent physician tc determine
the probability of your living to see
the end of your case. If you are over
thirty, don't commence monkeying,
because the average human age is
only 80. 1t requires a young, healthy
person for a sacrificial lamb. Per
haps our genial reforiner. Lawson,
with our populist county attorney
Los guardian at litem, would be will
ing to offer up>his '.'life, fortune and
sacred honor" Be also sure, dear
reader, before you start proceedings,
to get your life insured with apaid-
up policy. . sssszsss 4 .: