The Irish standard., 1900-02-10

veto preventing that bill to become a
law is vindicated, is thus stated by Gov
ernor Lind:
Gas the law now stands the decision
of the commission, after hearing, is
prima facie correct, and the rate estab-
lished by it just and reasonable. The
burden OF proof, as the court we'll puts
it, is on the railroad company to estab-
fish the unreasonable and confscatory
character of the rate established.
"If the Miller bill had become law
the rate established in the first instance
would have stood as prima facie fair
and reasonable rate--for the law au-
thorizes the railroad companies to fix
rates in the first place and that which
the law authorizes to be done is pre-
sumed to be rightly done until the con-
trary is shown, and the burden of proof
would then have rested on the state at
all stages to show that the railroad
company's rate was unreasonable and
that the proposed rate was fair and rea-
sonable. This the commission could
not do, as all the evidence bearing on
the question is in the hands of the rail-
road company
Another very important point es-
tablished by the decision is that the St.
Paul and Duluth railroad, or any other
company, whose business originates in
the state, cannot be boycotted by the
other railroads. When the commission
made its decision in respect to the joint
rates from Duluth, the Minneapolis and
St. Louis company terminated traffic
agreement with the Duluth road, which
has been in force for years, and brought
coal from West Superior, in Wisconsin,
to supply the points affected by the de-
cision, claiming that by making it inter-
state traffic it was not subject to the
rates established by the state authori-
ties. They absolutely refused to carry
coal delivered to them by the St. Paul
and Duluth. Under this decision they
cannot persist in this course"
Commenting further, Governor Lind
says:
eff ! had signed the Miller bill, this
decision could not have been rendered
l hope that poor Miller. can now see the
matter in its true light. l have never
believed for a moment that he would
have fathered the bill accredited to him
had he known its inherent viciousness."
The brave fight which Senator Petit
grew is making in the senate, to bring
to the light of day such OF the iniquities
in the Philippine islands as the McKin-
ley administration has thus far been
able to hide, wins the approval of every
true lover of liberty. His effort to have
the contents of the Aguinaldo appeal to
the civilized world known, and the Fill
lpino chiefs statement OF his relations
with American officers of the consular,
navy and army service is specially com.
mendable. We have received copy OF
the appeal, as translated from the orr
gnal Spanish, and every honest man
who reads it will unhesitatngly confess
that if one-half that is recited there is
true, its publication should be prevented
at all hazards, for the salvation OF the
administration.
: The appeal is under the seal OF the
Philippine republic, dating from June,
1893, which succeeded the dictatorial
government OF which Aguinaldo was
the head, which in turn came from the
revolutionary government OF August,
1896. Thus, the Philippine government
which we have overthrown, was in ex-
istencc two years before the Cuban war
broke out, and when Dewey arrived at
Manila independence was nearly won
over the Spanish. Aguinaldo gives
with particulars his relations with
American officers and authorities, and
how at their request he came to Manila
and turned the Filipino forces into &C
tive allies on both land and sea. The
celebration of their independence Day
(our FourtlD, on June IL, 1893, was at
tended by Our officers and soldiers,
Dewey himself only excusing himself on
account of being busy with mail day."
This was true of the adoption of the
Philippine flag, which our ships saluted,
and numerous other convincing Incl
dents Aguinaldo asserts that independ
ence for his people was distinctly under
stood, known as we'll to Admiral
Dewey, and assented to by him, as by
all the rest. 1t is the clear deduction
from all the facts, that Americans and
natives alike had no other idea until
McKinleys proclamation of sovereignty
dashed the Filipino hopes to earth, and
precipitated the contest.
What a chapter this will be when
placed before all the people, conclusive
of the wickedness of the Mckinley
criminal aggression" And noticeable
is it also, that the "deniar' which Dewey
has made confirms in his own. words
that we are guilty of war on Our cal
lies" ior tile admiral says in the Lodge
letter:
81 never treated him (Aguinaldo) as
an ally except to make use of him and
his soldiers to assist me in my opera