The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-16
MINNESOTA WAY VS.. Mr. HILLS WAY

MINNESOTA WAY VS.. MR. dlLb Nv A1
As we'll attempt to set broken limb by
statutes as to adjust rates. You can legls-
late until the barn doors rot OF. -, The best
thing you can 40 IS 10 aoL as you ha'e nete
with the officials.
Those were the words President J. ).
Hill Of the Great Northern used In ad-
dressing the farmers of the Washington
Big Bend country last week. 1nasmuch
as there is strong agitation in Wash
ington for the establishment Of rail-
way commission Mr.. H1lPs remarks may
be taken as general protest against any
form of state interference with. private
railway management. If the farmers! and
other patrons Of railways. Mr.. Hill holds,
will only be courteous and obsequlous
and ask for changes In rates in a truly
proper and respectful manner, not for
getting the due number of bows and
'pleases." they will get better results
than when they invoke the power of the
state. 49,,
This is a very nice theory and as Mr..
Hill followed UP its PRONUNCIATION With
some very important grain rate conces-
sions many Of his auditors took 1t 1or
granted that the last word on this subject
had been spoken. But for the other side
and very different side, too, let them
read the history Of Minnesota Prior
to the creation of the railway and ware
house commission in this state in 1887
the railways were the masters. Since then
the people have been the masters. I'm
portant rate reductions. strongly op-
posed by the railway companies have been
brought about in several instances. and
the railways have been compelled through
legislative enactments and the orders OF
the commission to make innumerable
changes in their equipment and method
of operation for the benefit Of the public.
Some of these changes might have been
voluntarily granted, but judging from the
great trouble the commission has had,
with all the power of the state back of
1t, to effect some of them. it is safe to
say that the people would have freely re-
ceived little more than the rigid applica-
tion of the rule of +t-aI the traffic will
bear" would have permitted them 1t Is
true that the railways have, made rate
reductions without positive orders from
the commission but the most important
have come from negotiations begun by the
commission backed by the power to order
what was not amicably granted.
The railway laws of Minnesota, prece-
dents created by the acts Of the commits
sion and judicial support of the laws
and the commission have now made the
Minnesota railway commission, as the
agent Of the people and the state. su-
preme over railway managers. 1t can
and does regulate rates and enforce con-
venient and efficient service, subject only
to the judicial determination of the rea-
sonableness of it's acts.
One Of the great rate reductions gained
to the people of the state grew out OF
what is known as the Steenerson case
The commission made a sweeping order
reducing grain rates from the Red River
valley to Minneapolis and Duluth about
~ per cent. The railroads fought the
order to the end. but the supreme court
decided that the commission had power
to make general rates and that the par
ticular rates established by its order were
not confiscatory and were. therefore, law
full.
1t has now been definitely admitted b!
railway commission are prima facie rea
sonable. and that the burden of proc
that they are not rests upon the railwa,
commission. This has become a power
full lever in obtaining Justice from th
railways without litigation because the.
know that it: is impossible@to prove cha
rate established. after investigation b,
fair commission is unrea sonable.
Had it not been for the railway lawsanf
commission, the railways Of this stat,
would, whenever 1t pleased them, refust
to interchange traffic at crossings, thu
compelling shippers to use two side
Of q triangle. The absolute power of tn
state to compel such interchange has beel
established by the Hanley Falls "Y" cas-
which has been to the supreme court Q
the United States The Minneapolis & St
Louis Railway company, which fought thi
case, had no object in view except com
pelling it's patrons to use the full lengtl
of one of it's lines instead of giving then
the privilege Of diverting their shipment
at Hanley Falls to. the Great Northerl
The "Y'' has been built and traffic is in
terchanged. Other ''Y's" have been built
and will be built, r. in consequenc
of this decision. Here the le1
has given the shipper the right to de
mand the shortest route. to his destina
tion, even If that deprives the originh
railway line of long haul .-'-. :
There is every reason to believe tina
this inequitable and yexatious. .practic
would have been kept up Indefinitely ha
1t not been for the law and the commits
sion, Shippers could have begged for tn
concession aou their hands and knees 70
years. and they would have got nothing
- The Minnesota commission can compe
railways to grant reasonable Joint rate.
AS their selfish interests would at time
conflict with such a practice, it is un
reasonable to expect that they would al
ways grants them. This authorit
and the acts Of the commission under
have been upheld by the United State
supreme court in the New Ulna Cox
rate case. This decision also en-
powers the state commission to r.
ducs rates on given: articles eve
below what would be reason
able point for that article. alone, provide
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