Willmar tribune., 1899-10-18

only in very few instances has any
relief been secured by their offices.
The Steenerson case was to he the
one great test, and what the result
is l have described above. In six
years they have arrived practically
at the starting point. And you, Mr..
LawsOn, with the air of a wiseacre,
tell us to apply to the commission.
Are you really in earnest, my es-
teelned reform friend, or is this only
a joke? II the former is the case,
then l tincerely pity your lack of:
knowledge of the commissions past
record. If, with a cruel joke you ex-
pect to cover up one of the present
administrations shortcomings, you
will most signally fail. We. propose
to hold you and yours to your prom
ises. Governor Lind, as the candi-
date OF the alleged reform forces, par
aded!up and down the state last fall,
and two years ago, as the great ex-
ponent OF popular control of corpor-
ations. He was not slow to de-
nOunce the aggrandizement of the
and he was equally eXpe-
'litious in laying the blame at the
doorsteps of republican administers
tiOns. In his demands for reform,
and his promises of the same, he was
by a lot of apparently
sincere papers, among them the Will
mar Tribune. But, just as soon as
the whole matter is forgot
ten by his excellency, and the reform
(?) press shout: *'Go to the commits
sion." What Lind. does is right and
what he doesn't DO is right also.
"rhe king can make no mistake,
ETC."
Mr.. Lind, Mr.. Lawson and the
whole reform gang knew that there
was a general complaint among the
producers ON account Of excessive
grain, coal and lumber rates. One
tlif1e OF investigation would have
convinced his excellency of the abso-
lutte prOpriety and justncss of this
complaint. Indeed, there is no doubt
that man of Mr.. Lind's astuteness
and ability long ago recognized the
business of such complaint and the
inability Of the railroad and ware
house commission to successfully
cope with the same. That Mr.. Lind
was aware Of this is proven by his
recommendation to enlarge the pow
ers of the commission. He fully real
lied the shortcomings of the COM
mission in their efforts to secure a.
reduction of freight rates. He also
knew that an effort had been made
10y the legislature in 1897 to pass a
bill arbitrarily fixing rates. He knew
that this would fix the matter, but
did he say Que word in his message?
Oh, no! Past promises were forgot
ten, past pledges were broken; let
the rate matter take care Of itself.
What did Lind care! He was elected
and the railroads had nObly sup
ported him. How could he too con-
sistently go back OH his friends?
Here was a reform involving the saw
ing Of a million dollars a year to the
people, and, in this case, the pro-
ducers in particular, but what diff
ference did that make to reform
governor? Ii he could get the legis-
lature to fight over an increase Of
railroad taxation, and over his "in-
sane" proposition, that might divert
their attention from the one real,
practical and essential reform that
was needed. While the Legislature
was wrangling over the governors
pet scheme to raise the mill tax,
amounting to about $40O, ,0O0p per an.
mum, the railroads stood back and
chuckled to think that this meant
the sidetracking OF all rate legisla.
ton, involving million dollars per
annum. The railroads grinned and
chuckled to see that they had such
an assistant in the governors chair
And all this in the great name Of re-
form.
The railroads were mOrtally afraid
of some such legislation. Nebraska
had started the ball rolling, and our
own legislature, in 1897, took hold O1
the matter in such manner as indi.
Gated what the future might bring
forth.
Every man who prominently iden.
tilted himself with this movement in
1887 WAS bitterly fought by the rail
roads and their tools in the conven'
tions and election of 1893. Every
railroad and corporation attorney
in the republican state convention
of 1893 did every thing in his power
to defeat Mr.. Douglass; but, owing
to the large convention, he pulled
through. The railroads had slated
another man. than VIM. H. Eustis
for governor. The old Clough pro.
railroad regime was to continue
under a new head. But the rank
and file Of the party rose up in
their might and smashed the slate,
smashed the machine and smashed
the corporation compact. They
nominated a man for governor who
would have been governor himself,
and whose policy as such wouldn't
have been formulated in some st.
Paul railroad office: 1t Is safe. to