Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1904-04-21

sands to favored shippers ut the ex-
pense Of their competitors and the
public. Even IL shipper receives q
rebate. what assurance has he that his
competitor does not receive q greater
one? He is absolutely at the mercy Of
the secret rate Well has President
Roosevelt taken up the advocacy Of
publicity Of corporate management.
The character OF this business Ia
demoralizing alike TO the railway
officials and to the big shippers. who
secretly share in the spoils. Men al
the head of large manufacturing con-
Germs who join with the railroads for
mutual profit in evading and violating
| United States statutes and wronging
competitors In business soon come TO
have disregard for the rights OF
others in wider sense. Breaking
| the law or evading the law IN one par
| ticular fosters a spirit of disregard for
| law in other respects and begets utter
disregard for the rights OF the average
citizen outside the compact. Once
| embarked in this business the fore
most citizen Of the community will
not scruple to go to the limit Who
| ever stands in the way of the secret
rebate must 20 down. He regards
man as an enemy who advocates rea-
sonabe and equal transportation
privileges for his rivals and competi-
tors I'm business He will go to any
extreme in making personal and po-
litcal warfare upon him and would
apparently hesitate nj nothing to
achieve his destruction.
Roads Get Power Over shippers.
| When the power which the secret
rebate eXeTts over men is shown il
need not he marveled at that the rail
way officials are so reluctant to re-
linquish it. AS reported by the inter-
state commerce commission, they are
indeed ready TO violate the criminal
statutes, to doctor their books. to de-
stroy vouchers. 10 incur the risks Of
heavy fines and even Imprisonment,
in order that they may continue to
WELD over men OF influence In their
respective communities the control
which the secret rebate carries with It.
The large manufacturers of Wiscon-
sin are subservient to the railroad in
terests as evidenced by the meeting in
Milwaukee I'm January, 1903. when they
declared against increasing the taxes
Of the railroads and again when they
met in Madison and denounced Gov
ernor LaFollettc for his course in adj
yocating equal freight rates.
Governor LaFoII-tte Successful.
The wisdom and foresight which
lifts Governor LaFollette above the
plane of the politician and ranks hin
as sta tesman whose reputation mus
live beyond his day and generation
has been shown, among other things
by the orderly mai%haling of legisla
tive propositions SO timed al to com
mand steadfast public support. NJ
student Of recent history can fail tC
see the signif, canoe of this as he re
views the progress of the contest fol
primary elections from the beginning
of 1897, when the plan for the nomin
alton Of candidates by direct vote UNI
der the Australian ballot was pro
posed for the first time by the gov
ernor, down to the 23d day of May
1903, when he approved the law which
is to be submitted TO the people on the
Sth day Of next November; or the de
mand for the taxation of the property
OF corporations nj the same rate as
that of individuals from 1898, when
through his influence it was first writ
ten in the Republican platform, dowI
to the 18th day of May, 1903, when he
approved the law for the assessment
and taxation of railroad property al
full value and at the same rate as 9th
er taxable property; or the proposal OF
a freight rate commission withheld
when it would have jeopardized rail
road taxation, but proposed when The
time was ripe for its consideration hy
the great body of the thoughtful citi
zenship Of the state.
| Importance to the State.
The Importance of Commissions
Thomas report cannot be Oyeres
timated at this particular time. Whel
the people Of Wisconsin are about t
determine the selection Of a governor
for the ensuing two years, and th'
election of senators and assemblymeI
who are to constitute the Legislature
Of 1905. the result Of the investigation
reported to the present time becomes
a factor of tremendous consequence. |
is now beyond dispute that the rail
road companies owe the stare of Wis
consin large sums Of money withheld
from taxes paid in the form Of PEI
cent license fee upon the total amour
Of their gross earnings. That this hal
been withheld in violation of law, boil
state and fcdcral--that It has beer
knowingly and fraudulentg withheld
no sane man can Dispute. That III
ubiquitous system Of discriminating be
tween shippers 10y secret and favored
rates and rebates Is q practice OF lonl
standing by the railroad companies
cannot be successfully controyerted.
| Inx.xtipatfnu should Go Rack 30 Year