The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-12
Railroads as Uncommon Carriers.


George +. LOTUS Of St. Paul, but after
hearing him we are all convinced that
with few more men like him in this
state and other states there would be
something doing of practical, substan-
tial character on the rate problem. Mr..
LOTUS in his address before the Munich
pal league convention did not generalize
nor appeal to the galleries. His re-
marks were characterized by suddenness
and sureness Of assault. He gave
names, dates, numbers and amounts to
back up his charge of discrimination, re-
bates, refunded demurrage and false
switching charges.
His expose Of the private car fraud
was particularly luminous. Mr.. LOTUS
has gotten his facts from cross examina-
ton Of railroad officials in hearings be-
fore legal tribunals and puts all of them
before the public with the remark that
he hopes if they are not true some rail-
road man will come forward and deny
them. 49,.
Another speaker at the league, Mr..
Applegate, suggested that the railroads
must either submit to reasonable gov
! eminent regulation or to government
ownership, an alternative which he con-
sidered worse than the present plight of
the people.
The facts about the outrageous de.
murrage rules, rebates, private car and
refrigeration abuses, excessive switch.
ing and reconsignment charges, and free
storage to trust-made goods are too well
established to be ignored; they are toe
numerous to be the result of mistake;
they are too serious to the pockets OF
the people to be passed over.
The railroads have had chance tc
demonstrate that they are common car
riers and treat all alike, and they have
proved abundantly that they T uncom
mon carriers, and do not treat all alike
NOW the people are aroused and demant
that the railroads shall play fair here
after. They do not want to trust en-
tirely to the honor Of the railroad me1
who have been so tricky in the past, an6
so they ask the government to take
hand. II
The government Is going to do tina
very thing, and the only question now il
how that hand shall be applied. TIL,
popular plan is to give the interstat,
commerce commission power to nam
reasonable rates. This is tho principle
Of the Cooper bill, which was introduced
in the house and senate at the last SEES
sion. The railroad companies hav
made an Outcry against giving the com
mission this arbitrary power, and Sec
rotary Morton has proposed compro
, mise plan which provides that the rail
roads may collect the rate compliance
Of, provided they put up bond to re
i, imburse the shipper if the rate is legal,
{ declared UNJUST The shippers are evi
! IDENTIFY distrustful Of this bond schem
as tending to discourage the smalle
man from making fight for his rights
He would have to make two fights, i
: fact, one for a reasonable rate and on
to recover on the bond and perhaps thre
or four if the rate was joint one, an
the bond put up by several roads.
The principle Of the Cooper bill is de
cidedly uppermost in the minds of tn
people at present. Perhaps the rail
roads may secure some concessions O
this point, but they will never be abb
to get back to the heyday of privat
rates, secret rebates and discrimina
tions against individuals and persons.
Both the house and senate seem t
| 7, cot eff hot tIa