The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-01-07

LIE glll
teraal r,ar reault eslns
tablishment Of MAJ MAXIMUM ~ freiEh IT. rate
that Will be fair Is tie shipper and no:
he hardship TO the transportation com
| pany. The railway and warehouse COM
mission Is now clothed with proper illegal
authority to establish fair and equitable
That this has not been done is because
Of a lack OF aggressive ,administra tion
rather than to a lack Of legal authority.
t by make Of u oa sampes
investigation Of the prevailing rates OF
transportation within this state with
view OF establishing by law maximum
state which shall be based upon rea-
sonable rate of interest and profit on the
Investment, and which will be, fair to
prohibit an unjust discrimination between
localities and individuals.
| Nor Is our complaint alone 10 the mat
ter Of rates within our own ,1a. state 49,, There
interstate traffic. OF this class Of bust
mes state authority Is powerless to make
any resolution. Even the Interstate COM
thority, and to provide sufficient power
there is before the national congress what
| is known as the Cooper BILL" which Is
as s1ss to sSne s auo
ity to establish just rate after a hear
Ing and jnvestiga ton, and to have that
| rate put in force pending litigation.
! ton Of q joint resolution which will ex-
| plicitly endorse the said Cooper bill, and
request our senators and representatives
| IN congress to support SAID measure.
themselves Of the benefits Of the national
laws regulating transportation. and Of the
| interstate commerce commission in the
| urge the passage Of a bill which would
authorize the state board Of railway and
warehouse commissioners to represent
any individual complainant before the
| the judgment Of said board Of railway
and warehouse commissioners the griev-
fn G1 tie eaao az Is d 3uss
generally We have dealt with steam
railways. Every indication points to the
be quite generally traversed by electrical
| railways, and that within the coming ten
years several Of these lines will be under
would be wise, in my Judgment, to in
corporate in our statutes at this time a
,, provision which would place all such
common carriers ander the control and
ware house commissioners, I would also
| urge your attention to the ACCESSIBILITY
of giving said board power to regulate
and eont and
which gets Its authority from the state
and is protected by the state should be
forced to submit to public control.
Railroad Passes.
arisen in this state against what is COM
moi among thase who believe that the
giving or accepting Of 2 free railroad
! as a bride, and yet the mere acceptance
Of the courtesy necessarily places the
recipient under some slight measure Of
| obligation to the corporation. Public Off
of life, have been the beneficiaries Of this
| system which has been in vogue ever
since our existence as state; and the
sentiment has become aroused against a
continua ton Of the practice. All corpora
| lions do business on an earning basis,
and every tree pass or favor granted by,
the class Of citizens who do not come
within the favor Of the corporations.
Public opinion in this state has grown to
the Similar
| to that adopted by, the state Of Wisconsin,
| and which Il most stringent and effec-
.tual. - ~ -&7=
/ would urge the adoption Of q law
! which would abolish the pass system in
| this state. The legislature should not
hesitate to sivesexpresston to this sensi'
.>.. PRISON Labor. :,.a.. f..
Prison labor should not compete with
free labor !: It might be q source Of econ
omy to enka9e. & portion Of this labor Zig
for for the inmates 81 our Other pubic ifstitu:
! tions,- but aside from this, believe 1t
! would be wise. economical and profitable
tent as to provide employment for the re-
mainder. Our present contract system Is
| open to great deal OF criticism BY the
change suggested two results would be
| accomplished, both Of which would be te
| the best interests OF the state.
Labor Liquidation.
Another subject which is Of great in
terest to the working people Of our state
law doctrine as to the non-liability Of a
master to a servant for injuries occur
ring through the negiigenyce Of a fellow
! mon law coupled with the other. rule.
generally referred to as the doctrine Of
the assumption to risk BY employees, has
sna oat Of ali
to the wages he receives. Whatever may
! have been said as to the. property Of
the common law doctrine IN the past,
when high-geared and dangerous ma
! chinery performs such a large part in
the production Of manufacturer articles.
| This fact has been recognized in the
matter of operating railroads. the 'fel,
low servant" rule having been abolidsed
in this state as to them. The true rule
is, that the industry should bear the
risk. and not the unfortunate Workmen
| who are now daily deprived Of the means
Of earning livelihood by those appali-
ing accidents which are occurring with
more and more frequency of late.
Swamp Land Drainage.
Vast tracts OF land located largely in
the northern part of the state are ut
present useless waste, because they
are low. wet and untillable. This land
drained would reclaim to the state count
les acres rich in soil, and capable of
printable cultivation. I urge upon your
! having for It's purpose the drainage ct
this land under state supervision. To
do this I would recommend the estab-
lishment Of a revolving fund from which
the expense providing for this Improve
pended to be returned to this fund in