Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1900-07-06

tuese aAu OCAef proofs OF weakness,
with many misgivings. They had
never seen the like of this convention
before, nor has 81 any one else. It be-
tokens certain disaster.
Lest the Reform issue might not be
sufficiently raised by the prominence
given Senator Young, the convention
marked it with big R by putting on
the ticket for railroad and warehouse
commissioner Judge Mills Of the old
board and Miller Of the Duluth and
Iron Range railroad. The people will
accept the issue with big A.
The state Republican conven ton
"endorsed" the national platform. {"
Which parts, Quigg's, or the parts
Grosvenor says were suppressed? And
by the way, that juggling may account
for Tom Reeds kicking. Tom may not
know one part from tother.
While the railroad and warehouse
commission has been pressing on to see
where it should take action in the in
terest OF the people, and in the dis
Charge Of sworn duties, the railroad
companies have emphasized the COM
missions efforts by the cry that the
commission is actuated by political m o.
tlves. 1t is comfort to know that the
roads recognize the nature of the issue.
The commission asserts that a railroad
corporation is a public servant carrying
on public function. Its only interest
IN the property devoted by it to the use
OF the public is financial interest. If
it is permitted to charge rates that on
the whole will enable it to keep intact
its capital actually invested and to earn
just and fair returns thereon, it has no
further rights or duties in connection
Herewith. 1t is not for railroad COM
pany to determine what policy it will
pursue toward it's patrons-the public.
The policy is to be fixed by the public
for the welfare Of all. In this state it
has fixed a policy by a statute which
prohibits determinations against per-
sons, places and commodities.
The commission is determined to en-
force the law against determinations.
This is, OF course, an attack on the pub
lie policy, Or, more correctly, political
policy which the companies have here
tofore been permitted to dictate, in
spite of the law. The companies utter.
ances through the press prove conclu-
sively that they understand the issue.
1t means the clipping Of their political
claws. It means that an honest effort
will be put forth to make them the
servants of industry. Now they are
the masters of industry and Of politics.
By their scurrilous attacks on the COM
the companies have betrayed
the weakness Of their cause. If they
are exercising no unlawful powers the
courts can be depended upon to protect
them. By their present course they
prove conclusively that they would
rather try their case in the newspapers,
owned by themselves, than in the
courts, owned partly, at least, by the
people. The commission is satisfied to
rest its case with the courts. That be-
ing SO the people themselves can judge
whether the railroad companies or the
commission stand on firm legal ground.
Speaking of the drouth, river ship
ping as we'll as crops is injured, as
Diamond 10 boats cannot reach st.
Paul, the river being lower than known
in 40 years.
Every saw mill in Minneapolis is
closed, but the lumber owners keep
right on making prosperity, by raising
lumber prices.
And speaking Of the thousands of
men out Of employment by closing Of
Minneapolis mills, there seems proper
tionately as many in the different lines,
carpenters, plumbers, plasterers. More
than so applications for places by car
penters were on file at union headquar-
ters last week..
This condition gives our home people
a taste Of what this trust prosperity is
in the many places throughout the
country in which the trusts, having
acquired some local factories, often the
principal, and many times the only
great industry Of the town, closes the
concerns and discharges the men.
While the hosts are gathering at
Kansas City the great leader who is
first in the love and admiration of the
people, is har vesting his five acres of
nice wheat by day, and receiving call
ers on the front porch in the cool of
the evening. We have private letter
from Mr.. Bryan's brother saying that
our leaders health is perfect The
Chicago Chronicle correspondent thus
speaks Of his condition on arrival from
his outing in Northern Wisconsin,:
mir. Bryan never appeared to DC in bet
ter physical condition nor to possess So
much vigor, vim and vitality us 1t is his
fortune to enjoy today. The gre; ias IS
OF the campaign against the single g,lo
standard trusts, militarism and imperial
ism will be undertaken by q leader calm
self-poised, serene and strong"
The Boer commissioners have re-
turned to Europe, having issued an adj
dress, in which they correctly state that
they find an overwhelming sentiment
in their favor in the United States
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