Willmar tribune., 1900-09-12
ment of Hon. E. S. Reishus as chief in

,ment Of Hon. E. S. Reishus as chief in
spector, has been managed in way to
do full justice to all interests, protect
ing the farmer in his just rights by fair
grades and just weights, on the one
hand, and establishing the fxity and
reputation of the Minnesota grade on
the other. That individual cases of er-
ror have not occurred I do not claim
Such state of facts cannot be looked
tor III business so extensive as the
handling OF the crop contributary to the
terminal markets of this state. But I
am gratlhed to be able to say to you
ana to the people of the state that since
the reorganization of the service there
has not been a single instance of CON-
plaint, either from the East or from Eu-
ropean markets, either as to shortage
IN weight or grade, of single busllel
OF wheat that had passed through the
Minnesota service. Prior to that time,
and Under the administration of Mr..
RclshuS' predecessor, complaints from
Buffalo and from England, both in re-
gard 10 grades and shortage in weight,
were persistent and common Mime
sofas leading grade, No. northern,
Duluth, has stood on an average as
compared with the four leading compet-
tive grades in the Liverpool market,
two cents higher than those grades.
During the crop year closed, No.
northern, Minnesota inspection, has
ranked one to FIVE cents per hundred
pounds higher in the Liverpool market
than Ne. northern, Chicago inspec-
ton, the average for the year being
three cents in favor of Minnesota in
sDection. Throughout the crop year,
No. northern Duluth and No. hard
Duluth have uniformly been quoted
higher than the corresponding grades,
No. northern Manitoba, and No. I
hard Manitoba. This ratifying result
has been effected by enforcing the same
standard of excellency upon grain in
spected out OF the terminal elevators as
is applied to the farmers wheat when it
reaches the market. AS to the manner
IN which the farmers interest has been
protected, he is the best Judge, and l
shall offer no comment I will only
add that these reforms in the grain SER
vice have been accomplished without
any increase OF expenditure On the
contrary, the expense of the service
during the crop year just closed, under
Mr.. Reishus' administration, was
$2,2o1.78 less than the cost of the SER
vice during the preceding year of Mr..
Clausen's administration.
REGULATING RAILROAD
RATES.
In the matter of the regulation of
railroad rates, the commission since it's
reorganization has proceeded as expe-
dltiously as possible The first and most
important question demanding the at
tention of the board was the grain rates
in the southwestern part of the state
The rates on grain from that section of
the state to Minneapolis and Duluth
had always been maintained at figure
that seemed to me exorbitant and such
was the judgment of the commission.
Early in the year hearing was ordered
for the investigation of these rates.
After full inquiry and repeated confer
ences with the several carriers in that
part of the state, the commission pro-
mulgated schedule which reduced the
rates to 172 railway stations of the six
roads which run through the 18 coun-
ties of the Second congressional dis
tr;ct, and in four adjoining counties.
The reduction per hundred pounds runs
from ~ cents down on fax seed, 3
cents down on wheat, and cents down
on coarse grain. The rate on wheat is
reduced I cent at forty stations, cents
at 20 stations, 3 cents at 28 stations,
and in fractions between and under
these figures at other stations. On fax
seed the reduction is cent per hundred
at 26 stations, 2 cents at II stations, 3
cents at y stations, 4 cents at IS sta
tions, and from "a to AZ cents at the
0fI1or ckof TL:o
in force by the commission is only from
markets at Minneapolis and Duluth, but
the railroads have now adjusted their
Chicago rates to the new Minneapolis
and Duluth rates, so that the rate re-
duction applies to both the Lake Supe-
rior and the Lake Michigan markets.
A careful computation of the savings to
the farmers Of that part of the state by
this change in the rate, indicates the
amount to be in excess of $4oo, 900 per
annum, which is sum much in excess
of the state taxes collected from those
counties. 1t would pay the $324,ooo of
county revenue taxes that it takes to
rim the county governments of the
counties affected; besides, it would pay
the charge of $4,000 for the care of the
poor, and still leave a surplus of $4,000
for the road and bridge fund. I men
tion these details simply to indicate
how important and how far-reaching
the question OF transportation rates is
to community.
ANOTHER QUESTION PEND
ING.
Another question relating to mer-
chandlse rates is now pending before
the commission. What the outcome
will be of the hearing now in progress
no one can tell at this time; but of one
thing I am assured, and that is, that the
present commissioners will take no ac-
tion that will be unjust or unfair to the
legitimate claims of the interests in
volved. Nor will they consent to any
schedule of rates that does not afford
every community substantially the same
rate and the same fair field as is af-
forded to any other community in the
state engaged in the same line of busi-
ness.
CONDITION OF FINANCES. -
The finances of the state were never
in better condition than at the present
time, nor did its credit ever stand as
high as it does to-day. l confess that I
take some pleasure in referring to this
fact, in view Of the claim made by the
opposition two and four years ago that
my election as governor of this state
would ruin its credit and destroy the
business of the people. Thank God the
lkl. s~~1. xH =.