The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-05-19
A BUSINESS PROPOSITION
The Way in Which Mitchell Business
Men View the Idea of Rate
Legislation.

Legislation.
Mitchell is perhaps the first city In
lhe west which has zone on record
in expressing its d%isapproyal of turn
ing the matter OF establishing rail-
road rates over to Il commission that
will have more or less of a political
coloring.
1t Is simply a business proposition
which the business men not only of
Mitchell but OF every western CITY
is confronted, and i'm view of the
great railroad construction which is
being done west of Mitchell and what
seems to be in store for US southwest
by the Omaha road, the Commercial
Committee considered it the proper
thing to do to express its sincerity
and offer encOurapen ent to the COM
panies that are pushing this western
country to the fore by expanding
their money for developing a country
which would remain in it's present
state but for the liberal policy that
is being exhibited toward us.
The Commercial Committee held q
meeting..a few days ago at which a
set of resolutions were presented, the
object of which were to assure the
railroad companies c%entering in this
city that the business interests of
Mitchell were heart and soul i'm SYM
pathy with the development of the
country lying west of us and that
they would stand by the companies
which were interested in opening up
that country for settlement. These
resolutions were signed by the men,
beers OF the committee and have been
presented to a naloritJ of the bust
ness men in the city for their signat-
ures, which have been affixed with a
readiness that shows a strong inclin-
alton to avoid placing the making of
rates. where there is no resembling
FROM rates once eStat lished, no mat
ter what injustice would result be-
tween the east and the west. The
resolutions follow:
Whereas, We fully realizs that our
achievements, from a commercial
and industrial standpoint, have b en-
atlai ed very largely Ny reason OF the
railways tina have en- cred our ter
ritory and st tie, and which nave
contributed TO the up building of
our citi S, towns and villages and
til development OF our industri re-
sources. To the west of us are hid
den commerci ii resources. and ,here
is much to be developed in our state
which depends upon those railways
increasing their mileage, thereby in
viting immigration and building up
u commercial Industries, which
otherwise would lie dormant. We
desire to express appreciation CT
these great ailway lines, which have
afforded US such splendid advantages
and which give us promise Of the itn-
mediate development Of our western
territory by giving us new lines OF
railroads which will widen their
market area. and, while increa ing
their business, thereby give to our
people additional advantages, and
which in response to their demands
for increasing trade will lower their
rates OF Transportation.
Whereas. An attempt S being made
to take from these railway companies
the power to establish theil own
rates and place it in the hanus OF
political c0mmISSlOn, when we fear
viii result IN disaster to South Dako-
ta and tend to iniure our immediate
development. We believe that the
present transportation rates, under
the control of the interstate com
merce law. are well ana generally OBJ
served, and that the present law is
ample to correct any possible evil,
and that whatever complaints aries.
ii any, are not 10y reason Of any eX-
isting tariff rates, but more from
want of an enforcement of our pres
ent laws, and that all that remains to
correct such evils is the fearless and
Impartial enforcement of the laws as
they stand today. While the trans
portatlon lines have prulitably con.
Quoted their business. we feel that
in the II ain our business with them
has heen satisfactory to us.
Resolved. That we, the commercial
committee and business men of
Mitchell, s. ID are opposed to any
Interference by further legislation
dIiIiilE w tuNc HUH lllt COllUTOI VI
railway lines the estat fishing of their
tariff rates and placing the same in
the hands OF a political commission.
These resolutions We're presented to
President l5arling of the Milwaukee
road when he passed through the cit,
Sunday, and in accepting them he
expressed his qualification at the
stand taken by the citizens of Mitch
ell, not, lac saId. through any selfish
motive of his, but because he regard
ed it from y business standpoint the
best to be done. The resolutions
were also presented to President
liughitt, of the North-Wcstern road.
President Ealline stated that he
would send the resolutions to be
placed before the senate investigation
committee at Washington at once.