Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-26
MAKING FOOLISH THREATS.


The political desperadoes employed
by the railroads TO overawe aud bull
doze the Nebraska legislature are in a
fair way to bring ON a rate var that
will cost the railroads millions where
they are now asked TO pay thousands
in the shape Of taxes. The threat that
the railroads will. if compelled to pay
their just share of taxes as contem-
plated by the constitution, retaliate by
raising their freight rates, is most fool
ish as well as idle.
John n. Baldwin of Iowa and his as
sociate bulldozers may not be aware
of the fact, but 1t is nevertheless true,
that the freight rates in Nebraska are
more than 80 per cent higher than
freight rates have been in Iowa these
many years. When the Legislature of
1891 passed the Newbury bill, estab-
fishing the Iowa freight schedule for
Nebraska, the bill was vetoed by Gov
ernor Boyd on the ground that II was
unreasonable to require the railroads TO
carry freight in Nebraska as cheaply as
they did in Iowa, where the population
was more. dense and commerce much
more extensive. In this position Gov
ernor Boyd was sustained by public
sentiment.
When the Newbury bill was passed
for the second time by the house in
1893 the fusion members of the senate
were ~admonished that the re-enactment
of the Newbury bill would be futile be-
cause the governor would be compelled
to veto II as unreasonable and unfair
to the railroads. Thereupon the demo-
pop, senate revised the Newbury bill by
giving a margin of 80 per cent in favor
Of Iowa. In other words, the maximum
freight rates in Nebraska were placed
at 80 per cent higher thar the maximum
freight rates established in Iowa by the
republican commission and sustained
by the republican courts. In this shape
the maximum freight bill of 1893 was
approved by Governor Crounse and still
remains the law of Nebraska.
The decision of the supreme court Of
the United States does not ~invalidate
this law. 1t merely declares that under
conditions existing in 1894 and 1895,
when Nebraska had been devastated by
drouth and the Nebraska railroads had
scarcely any traffic, the reduced rate
was unreasonable. But the supreme
court distinctly intimated that under
changed conditions with heavy traffic
the maximum rate law Of 1893 would
be sustained as valid. The foolish
threats which Mr.. Baldwin and his fol-
lowers are now making to raise Ne
braska freight rates will simply rouse
this state to a fever heat against the
outrage to which they have been sub.
jected for all these years, and when the
people of this commonwealth are fairly
aroused they will find a way of forcing
the public carriers to treat them with
fairness.
The threat Of raising freight rates In
case taxes are increased was made in
Michigan last year. but up to date has
not had the desired effect. The rail-
roads in Michigan paid in 1902 more
than $1,30O,0O0 above the amount of
taxes paid by them the year previous
and yet they have not retaliated. In
Michigan as in Nebraska they have
charged all the traffic will zeal and
with that they are content.
AS a general proposition the barking
dog does not bite and the yelp of the
railroad canine at Lincoln is not likely
to frghten Nebraska farmers.