Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1903-01-22

In Wisconsin the railroad companies
fix freight charges without any con-
troll, regulation, or limitation in any
manner by the state Several tables
are presented and the governor adds:
Thus it will be seen that when all
classes are included the average dis
elimination against Wisconsin shin.
pers, as compared with Iowa, is 80 ITO
per cent.
The comparisons with Illinois in one
table are limited to cattle, hogs, sheep.
grain, hard and soft coal and the dis
ordinations against Wisconsin are
81 21-100 per cent. in the rate on cat
tie, 81 40 on hogs and 10 $40 per
cent on sheep. The rate upon grain
is shown to be higher in Wisconsin
than in Illinois by q $40 per cent
Grain includes barley, corn, oats and
rye. Upon hard and soft coal the com
putations show discrimination
against Wisconsin, amounting to 20
$40 per cent upon hard coal, and
SO ITO per cent. upon soft coal.
1t has heretofore been urged in op-
position to the enactment of a rate
commission law for Wisconsin that it
would arrest all further construction
within the state, stop improvements,
injure manufacturing, prejudice agri-
cultural development. seriously harm
business interests, and generally re-
tard the progress of the state. Iowa
has been held up as a warning exam
/ n IN Of
/ ing a similar law, and it has been de-
clared that she has suffered through
| all the years under a rate law that has
greatly interfered with the growth of
her manufacturing interests. Yet dur
| ing a period of twenty years the an
| nual increase in the value of the cap
! ital invested in agriculture and man
| ufactures amounted to $32, 100000 for
/ Wisconsin and over $59,000,OOO for
! Iowa. Iowa leads Wisconsin in the
| average yearly increase by almost two
| to one. The industrial progress of
| Iowa certainly canont be said to be
| retarded since the railroad commits
| sion was established in that state. On
the contrary, her development seems
| to have been specially promoted and
that this should be the case is only
reasonable in view of the special adj
yantages with which she has been ia
VOred in the matter of transporta-
| ton charges .-advantages of which
the industries of Wisconsin have had
the great misfortune to be deprived
! because Of the failure to secure legis-
latton which would have placed Wis
cOnsin upon an equal footing with
| Iowa
In 1880 the amount of capital invest
ed in agriculture and manufactures in
Iowa was $l53 for each 800 in Wis
consin; in 1890, Iowa STAG, Wisconsin
500; in 1900, Iowa $l7O, Wisconsin
$11O The progress Of Iowa over Wis
Consin is very marked, equaling about
- per cent.
The duty which COnfTOnts this leg
islature respecting this phase of rail
road legislation is tWo-fOld: First, to
enact a law creating a state railway
commission with full authority to act
in the premises, and second, to so ad-
wise the representatives of Wisconsin
in the United States senate and house
of representatives by memorial, and
in such other way as may tend to i'm
press them with this Importance that
the business interests of Wisconsin
demand that the oft-repeated appeal of
the interstate commerce commission.
For authority to regulate rates and
prevent determinations should be
promptly given to the interstate com
merce commission.
1t may be quite as we'll for us to be
admonished at this time that OppOsi-
ton to the establishment of a commits
sion to regulate transportation rates
will not be limited to the corporation
and their lobby agents before the leg
islature. They will be able to summon
to their support every shipper in Wis
consin who is receiving some special
, favor for concession from the rail
roads, or who has assurance which
will give him exceptional rates and
advantages over his rivals and COM
petitors in business for the future.
! The shippers will be able through or
gained effort to make their influence
felt as a commanding one, but it is
we'll for us to remember that we stand
here representing the interests of all
the people of Wisconsin, the thous-
ands of merchants and manufacturers
who are not receiving special rates
and concessions. and the hundreds of
thousands of producers and small ship
DpTs who are NpiDg grossly WTOngCd