The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-07
Continued Frem .sixth page.

pool market than No. l northern, Chica-
go inspection; the average for the year be-
ing three cents in favor of Minnesota in
JSpectien. throughout the crop year No
northern Duluth and No. ] hard Du-
luth have uniformly been quoted higher
than the corresponding grades, No /
northern Manitoba, and No hard Mani
tOba. This gratifying result has been eff
fected by enforcing the same standard
of eXceilency upon grain inspected 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 1 shall offer no
comment. I will only add that these re-
forms in the grain service have been ac-
complished without any increase of eX-
penditure. On the contrary. the expense
Of the service during the crop year. JUST
closed, under Mr.. Reishus administration,
was $2,2O1.7S less than the cost of the
service during the preceding year of Mr.
Clausens administration.
REGULATING RAILROAD RATES.
In. the matter of the regulation Of rail-
road rates, the commission since its re-
organization mas proceeded as expe1i-
tiouSly as possible. The first and most
important question demanding the atten-
ton of the board was the grain rates in
in the southwestern part of the state
The rates on grain from that section of
the state to Minneapolis and Duluth has
always been maintained at figure that
seemed to me eXorbitInt and such was
the judgment of the commission. Early
in the year a hearing was ordered for
the investigation of these rates. After
full inquiry and repeated conferences
with the several carriers in that part of
the state, the commission promulgated a
schedule which reduced the rates to 172
railway stations of the SIX roads which
run through the Is counties of the Second
congressional district, and in four ad-
joining counties. The reduction per hun
dred pounds runs from AZ cents down on
flax seed, cents down on wheat and 2
cents down on coarse grain. The rate on
wheat is reduced cent at forty sta
tons; cents at 20 stations; cents at
26 stations, and in fractions between and
under these figures at other stations. On
haX seed the reduction Is 1 cent per hun
dreG at 26 stations; cents at II stations;
cents at II stations; 4 cents at 35 sta
lions, and from u to AZ cents at the
other 20 stations. This reduction put In
force by the commission is only from To-
cal points to the Minnesota terminal mar
kets at Minneapolis and Duluth, but the
railroads have now adjusted their Chi
cago rates to the new Minneapolis and
Duluth rates. so that the rate reduction
applies to both the Lake Superior and the
Lake Michigan markets. A careful COM
Dutation 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 100000 per annum, which is a
sum much in excess Of the state taxes
collected from those counties. It would
pay the $324OO0 of county revenue taxes
that it takes to run the county govern
ments of the counties affected besides. 1T
would pay the charge of $56, GOO for the
care of the poor, and still leave a sur
plus of $4,000 for the road and bridge
fund. l mention these details simply to
indicate how important and how far
reaching the question of transportation
rates is to a community.
ANOTHER QUESTION PENDING.
Another question relating to merchan
disc rates Is row pending before the COM
mission. What the outcome will be of
the hearing now in progress no one can
tell a this time; but OF one thing I am
assured, and that is, that the present
commissioners will take no action that
will be unjust unfair to the legitl-
mate claims of the interests involved. 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 afforded to any other COM
1nunity in the state engaged in the same
line of b Jsiness.
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 today. I confess that
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
wealth, industry and prosperity of this
state, and 1 might say of this whole