The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-02-19
Minnesota Municipal and Commercial
League Discusses Schedule.
f. N. currier of Mankato Fayors
Strongly The iowa Idea.
Question of Home Government Is Gen.
sidered BY the Delegates
Successful Session of Organization
Held in st. Paul.

The upbuilding of small and prosper.
Gus cities in Minnesota as opposed to
concentration of population in one OF
two large cities was the prevailing theme
discussed by the delegates to the Min
nesota Municipal and Commercial league
which began. its first annual convention
at the st. Paul Commercial club yester-
day.
This theme ran through all the sub
jects discussed. Iowa, the state of small
cities, was often referred to, and in
President L. A. Rosing's address on city
charters, railroad rates and transporta-
ton the keynote was greater prosperi-
ty for small cities. There was no open
opposition to the larger cities, but the
sentiment was in favor of giving the
smaller cities the same advantages in
transportation and government as the
larger ones have.
The report of G. W. Cress of Cannon
Falls traced the work of the transporta-
ton committee of the league. There had
been a reduction of from to Is cents
per ton in rates on coal, which the rail
roads said would save shippers $780,
600 year. Lumber rates had been re-
duced from one half to three and one
half cents per hundred pounds.
J. B. Esbjornsson of Litchfeld led the
discussion and argued along the same
line as Mr.. Cress.
Former Mayor Currier of Mankato was
strong advocate of the Iowa distance
tariff. The railroads had made the COM
plant, when it was enacted in Iowa, that
it would bankrupt them. Yet so great
had been the increase in local business
among the smaller towns when stable
rates were put in, of SO much for so
long haul, no matter between what
points, that in no state were railroads
more prosperous than in Iowa.
A resolution was presented requiring
the Minnesota representatives in congress
to support legislation giving the inter
state commerce commission power to fix
reasonable rates on interstate shipments,
and to prohibit the railroads from charg-
ing higher rate for a short than for
long haul without first getting the con-
sent of the commission. The resolution
was referred to committee composed of
Former Mayor Currier of Mankato, d.
C. Griffith of Sleepy Eye and Delegate
Andrews of Mankato. The committee
was instructed to consider also the ad-
visibility of advocating distance tariff,
similar to that in Iowa, and the abolition
of terminal rates.
The question of transportation dis
elimination in behalf of large cities
was discussed by President L. A. Rosing.
Railroad rates are tariff on production,
he said, by means of low terminal rates
industries are forced to locate in score
or less cities in the United States. The
concentration of industries in cities,
brought about by railroad tariffs, Mr..
Rosing said, is the fundamental cause
of industrial and labor disturbances. =
The government of cities received con-
siderable attention. Mayor j. G. Armson
of Saltwater read the report of the COM
mittee. The municipality should have
absolute sway in local matters, he said,
and not be at the mercy of legislature
which knew little of its needs. The
home rule charter he characterized as the
salvation of municipal government. The
charter should be so drawn that there
could be no shifting of responsibility be-
tween the council and the mayor. The
offices of mayor should be made import
ant.
Mayor L. L. Brown of Winona, who
led the discussion, said the fundamen-
tai wrong of American municipal gov
eminent is that the business of the city,
which had assumed vast proportions, was
too often done by a legislative body.
"The idea of legislative body trying
to run pumping station, said Mr..
Brown. ga debating society trying to
fight the japanese war would do little"
The paper of c. N. Andrews of Man
kato on public service corporations was
postponed until ten o'clock this morn
ing.
Gov. Van SAINT welcomed the delegates
yesterday, and outlined the many i'm
provements that could be brought about
by such an organization. Maj. ]. A.
Eckstein of New Ulm responded for the
league. The afternoon and evening ses-
sions were held at the rooms of the st.
Paul Commercial club, and today's ses-
sions will be held at the same place.
G. M. Loring and others discussed the
need of parks in cities.
! YOu need clean healthy bowels inst