The Bemidji pioneer., 1900-10-11
The Whole Thing a Deliberate Deception.

of freight shipped, and that, therefore,
the proposed rate was burdensome and
confiscatory. Recognizing the force OF
the answer. and having known all
along that the roads would refuse to
comply with the order, the commission
4 notified the southwestern roads to
come into conference and agreed
4 that they would abandon every effort
4 in the direction Of a reduction, and
make no attempt at changing the rates
4 or classification If the roads would
/ agree to put in force, out of New Tim
and three or four other towns, which
the commission named, a. rate which
would be the same as that then in
4 force out Of the distributing ceIrters
1 st. Paul, Minneapolis and the Mime
i sofa Transfer. In. order that a clear
| understanding Of the case may be had,
lit should be stated that the roads ship
ping out Of ST. Paul last year handled
six billions pounds OF out-freight. That
| which could be shipped out Of New
Ulrn In any one year would not exceed
| five hundred thousand pounds. What
| the commission, therefore, asked, was
not that there should be any general
reduction in rates, but that the roads
should agree to specify as distributing
| points certain number Of favored
towns, New Tim always being the first
one named, and that those favored
towns should be given the same rate
on shipments out as that which was
then in existence at the distributing
points where freight was handled by
the billion pounds. N.
The commission pleaded with these
roads to make this concession, submit
ting the names Of towns which they
desired to have added to the list of
distributing points. These towns We're:
Saltwater, Duluth, West Duluth, Fer
gus Falls, Moorhead, Crookston, Red
!, Wing, Winona, Mankato, Albert Lea,
Rochester, Faribault, New Ulm, Litch-
field, Austin, Little Falls and Hast
ings. In the various discussions at the
differences between the commission
and the representatives Of the roads,
the commission gradually Withdrew,
name after name Of the towns submit
ted, until ii finally came down to the
point where the commission had
|
of an amended list OF additions to the
distributing points. as follows: New
Uln. Austin, Rochester, Red Wing,
Albert Lea, Mankato and Winona.
This revised list was the one upon
which the commission made its final
stand, and which the roads had sub
stantially agreed to accept, with the
distinct understanding that no further
conditions be asked by the commission
during the present fiscal year.
Now let the interested shipper set
himself to the task Of ascertaining just
what benefit would accrue from the
CO. ~. Of tie ey.c,..iic1s rssade by the
colnnl.- Let it be understood to
begin with, that there is not reduc-
ton OF one cent in million pounds of
freight contemplated in the general
plan of revision All that is asked is
that the roads add the seven towns Of
New Ulm, Rochester, Austin, Red
Wing, Mankato, Winona and Albert
Lea to the list of distributing points.
That would give to the towns named
the same rate on OUTRIGHT that Is
enjoyed by st. Paul, Minneapolis and
the Minnesota Transfer, and it would
not affect by one single penny the rate
on freight shipped to those points
from any other point. Tn other words,
the shippers Of the towns named
would have the benefit of the reduced
rate on brick, paints, oils, dry goods,
clothing, boots and shoes, groceries,
barbed wire, iron, nails, machinery
and furniture, shipped from those
points to other points within the state.
How much of that class Of freight
would be shipped out Of New Ulm,
Rochester and the other towns incIud-
ed in the list? Not enough so that the
difference would pay the postage on
the correspondence between the ship
per and the consignee in the ordinary
course of business. All Of the goods
and merchandise upon which the re-
sduced rate applied are shipped from
the existing distributing points, name
sly, st. Paul, Minneapolis and the Min
nesota Transfer, to the points which
the commission named as additions to
the list of distributing points. The
shipments out of these towns are in
cluded in, and covered by, the express
reservation in the commissions order,
where 1t says, as above stated, that
nothing herein shall be taken as pro-
posing a cancellation or modification
of any existing commodity tariff" al
most every article shipped out of these
towns is included under the cemmodi-
ty tariff, and, therefore, the rate on 1t
is fixed and unalterable by the specific
order of the commission itself. /
With this clear1y-stated showing of
the case, the commissions grand coup
collapses like a house of cardboard,
and is swept away as completely as
was the loud pretense of reform in the
management of the grain inspection
bureau and prison Irvine plant, when
Auditor Dunn fell upon them In his
Milaca speech. It was obviously the
purpose of the commission to manu-
facture political capital for the cam
paign, and it's cunningly- advertised
programme was arranged as thought.
fully as any other detail Of the Demo-
cratic campaign. The absurd pretense