Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-01-22

presented by them to the legislature,
be passed promptly, and that there
may be no uncertainty he says that
measure creating a state board of as
sessment to determine the value of
railroad property, and applying to
railroad companies and other public
service corporations the same rate of
taxation which other taxable property
pays in this state. will be promptly APP
proved by the executive, if given the
opportunity. That the tax commission
should constitute a board of assess
ment, in whole or in part, the govern
or has no hesitation in recommend
ing
The governor notes that since legis-
lation has been pending in this state
to require railroads to pay their pro-
poTtionate share of taxation, freight
rates for Wisconsin have been in
creased, indicating forehanded deter
mination to be prepared against legis-
lation to equalize taxation. 1t be-
comes apparent at once that legisla-
ton compelling the railroads, and
other public-service corporations, to
pay their proportionate share of the
taxes will fail utterly in its object, de-
clares the governor, unless it be sup
plemented with legislation protecting
the public against increased transpor-
tation charges.
Control of Freight Rates.
While it has been commonly under
stood that the railways of the country
have overridden law, and, in a meas
ure, controlled legislation, it is doubt
full whether any considerable number
very recently had any conception of
the enormity OF the wrong which they
have suffered in discriminating rates
at the hands of railroads throughout
this commonwealth. In Wisconsin the
railroad companies fix freight charges
without any control, regulation, or
limitation in any manner by the state.
Several tables are here presented and
the governor adds: Thus it will be
seen that for class the Iowa shippers
are favored to the extent of nearly 40
per cent. For two other classes the
difference amounts to over 40 per
cent, and is in no case less than %
per cent. When all classes are includ-
ed the average discrimination against
Wisconsin as compared with Iowa is
SO 7-10 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 ITO on hogs and 10 5-10 per
cent. OF 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 compu-
tations show a discrimination against
Wisconsin, amounting to 23 $40 per
cent. upon hard coal, and 33 ITO per
cent. upon soft coal.
The tables will be scanned in vain
for single station at which the trans
portation rate is not higher in Wiscon-
sin than for a corresponding distance
for like service in Iowa. The amount
of the overcharge in Wisconsin is pos
itively startling, says the governor. In
no case is the rate less than Is per
cent. higher for Wisconsin than for
Iowa. In several cases it is nearly 70
per cent higher, and the average is
but fraction less than 40 per cent.
higher. When it is remembered that
the producers in Wisconsin, Iowa and
Illinois must sell their products in the
same markets, and quality for quality
at the same prices, it is manifest that
the people of Wisconsin are laboring
under great disadvantage. The fig
ures establish the exact measure of in
justice suffered by our people at the
hands of the railroads of Wisconsin.
Stated in plain language it means that
upon all kinds of manufactured pro-
ducts, upon merchandise and farm
products the shipper in Wisconsin
pays from % to nearly 40 per cent.
higher than the shipper in Iowa where
transportation charges are controlled
by state railway commission. 1t
means that in comparison with Illi-
nois, we pay in Wisconsin on cattle
hogs, sheep, grain, hard and soft coal
from 10 IL to 81 per cent. more than
the people of Illinois, who are protect
ed from excessive transportation
charges by a state railway commits
sion. Now it can be taken as conclu-
sive tina. the transportation charges in
Iowa and in Illinois are high enough
to give the railroad companies at least
a reasonable profit upon the railroad
business in each of those states. Moth
ing is more certain than that the rates
for each of those states yield to the
railroad companies a reasonable net
return upon all their capital invested;
otherwise, they would not operate
their roads under that rate. II the
rate afforded them less that reason
able profit, they would at once appeal
to the courts to increase the rate. 1t
is the settled law that neither the leg
islature nor a railroad commission
clothed with power to fix rates can
compel railroads to accept less than a
reasonably profitable rate for all SER
vices as common carriers. Therefore,