The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1901-01-25
The Freight Rate Question.

which provides Tor the appointment by
the governor, the lieutenant governor
and the state auditor of commission
OF three members to be known as the
railroad transportation committee of
Washington. This bill has for it's object
the prevention of discrimination and
extortion in railroad charges and the
establishment of reasonable freight and
passenger tariffs, prescribes and author
ICES the making of rules and regulations
to govern the commission and the rail-
roads and afford railroad companies
and other parties adequate relief. Pen
alties are prescribed for the violation of
the act, and provides means and rules
for it's enforcement. The members of
the first commission will serve for two,
four and six years respectively, and after
that the members will serve for six years
each. 1t is proposed that the commits
sions shall be non-partizan. Each will
give bond in the sum of $4,000, and
each will receive salary of 81 600 Der
annum. Senator Preston had experience
with attempted rate legislation at the
last session of the state legislature and
being an excellent lawyer he has made a
further study of the subject so that he
is now we'll posted on the requirements
of such a law. While the bill ae framed
will undoubtedly receive the opposition
OF the democrats who are anxious to
have the governor appoint the commits
sion and have the power to remove the
members at will, there is every reason to
believe that the Preston measure will be
popular enough to pass both houses
though it might not pass over a veto.
There is really nothing that the gov
ernor should object to in the bill as
framed, for the state auditor and the
lieutenant governor are each competent
men and equally as capable as the gov
ernor to give valuable aid in the selec-
ton of good men. 1t is that that the
people are most interested in. The
farmers believe, as does Senator Preston,
that the railroad commission should
not be a political machine. It should
be strictly nOn-partisan and this it
would not be if the governor alone at
this time was to make the appointments
and have the power to remove at his
own sweet will. With the governor on
the appointing board, be has a voice in
the matter, and more than that he
should not, under the existing condition
of things, either expect or ask.
The question OF railroad legislation
is the most difficult that is to be met.
1t has been an important issue in every
session OF the legislature since the terri
tory was organized into a state, and if
one thing has been clearly demonstrated
it has been that no legislature can be
depended upon to reduce freight rates
This is true because the interests of the
eastern and western residents of the
state are opposed to each other GU mat
ters OF this kind. The eastern man
wants low rates on wheat to the Sound
and the western man is after low rates
on lumber and shingles to Chicago. Be-
tween the two stands the railroads
threatening to raise lumber rates to
Chicago if the wheat rates to the tide
water are lowered.
No one should recognize this condition
more than the governor and if he is
really in favor of giving the people of
this part of the state relief he will call
off the opposition to the Preston meas
ure which it is said he is organizing, and
join in the effort OF the better element OF
the Legislature to give the state rail-
road. commission, free from political
control, which can be depended upon to
digest the various questions which
arise and regulate rates for the best in
terests OF all the people of the state.