The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-10-26
REFORM THAT HAS FAILED.


When the voters of the state of Min
nesota go to the poles two weeks from
today, to cast their ballots, they should
not neglect to vote for the candidates
for railroad commissioners. The Re-
publicans have nominated for mem
bers of this commission three most
worthy men, in the persons of Jos. G.
Miller, Ira B. Mills and Q. F. Staples.
Their election will mean the restoring
of the commission to business basis
and a suspension of partisan political
work.
Each one of these three gentlemen
is we'll qualified for the position for
which he is named and if elected they
will serve the interests of the people
of the state of Minnesota instead of a
political machine, as is the case of the
present commission. Having charge
of the state grain inspection depart
ment, they will place it on business
basis in the interest of the farmer,
as it was originally, instead of
running it for the politicts here is in
it. as it has been conducted during the
past year and half.
Gov. Lind and the fusionists are
claiming what great things they have
done for the farmer and shippers
through the present commission but
the benefits they claim are not show
ing up very greatly.
One of their claims is that they have
saved $4OO, 900 to the farmers of south
western Minnesota by the reduction of
grain rates that was accomplished
more than as<year ago. ..----.---.- -.
In the first place the amount they
claim to have saved seems to grow
with time. When the new rate was
first made, they figured on a basis of
the past shipments, that it would save
about $3.50, 600 annually now they have
nearly doubled the amount -: =. -.
Now. as to sthe accomplishment of
this reduction. 1t was not done by
the present board, but was brought
about before it was changed to it's pre-
sent partisan makeup and when Judge
Mills was member, and it was
through his influence as much as any
other member of the board, that the
result was accomplished. And further
more credit for this reduction is due
to Senator Miller of Luverne, for the
work he did in bringing it about, than
is due to the fusion administration
for what it did.
Another matter over which a great
deal of noise was made, for political
purposes, was a general reduction of
freight rates through the state. There
was great flourish of trumpets as to
what was to be done and how the peo-
pie were to be benefited because they
had elected John Lind governor. There
was to be great reduction in long
distance rates, and a large number of
shipping points were to be given ter
minal rates that would place them on
an equal basis with the Twin Cities.
But after all the noise what is the re-
suit. The scheme for the reduction of
the distance tariff has been put to sleep
and for five or six cities it was given
out that terminal rates had been Sc
cured. But when theIwhole matter
came out, what was the real story.
Instead of terminal rates and great adj
vantages which Gov. Lind and his
partisan commission have been shout
ing themselves hoarse over, there was
simply slight reduction in rate on
some lines of goods going out, but not
cent on freight coming in and the
justice that jobbers and manufacturers
asked for on their large shipments in,
which is of as much Importance, as
their traffic out, was turned down with
a thud. As yet no order has been is
sued putting even this slight advant-
age in force. 1t has probably gone into
cold storage
Great is reform when worked in the
interest of the political preierment of
the Lind Rosing syndicate.
The best interests of the people de-
mand the turning down of The political
schemers who are now in command,
and putting men in powei who will
execute the will of the people, and
this the Republican nomirees on the
ticket are pledged to do.