The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1905-01-04
NEW CAPITOL IS OPENED
CLAPP GETS ~. VOTES
GOV. J0HNS0N'S MESSAGE

Offices the claim has been made that
the law has been openly violated and
it appears that the statement of the
public examiner, that it was cheaper
to steal the timber and settle for it
than it was to buy it, lis in some meas
ure true. It is alleged also that thou
sands of dollars worth Of timber has
been stolen from the state of which no
report has been made. It would be
wise to appropriate sufficient funds to
enable the executive to make a COM
plete Investigation of our timber con-
ditions with a view of bringing Of
tenders to justice and securing to the
school funds of the state the amounts
properly belonging thereto.
The public examiner further states
as a result of Investigation, that min
eral leases have been issued contrary
to law and to persons not legally en-
titled to hold them. Iassure you that
proper steps will be taken to revoke
such leases. As a preeaution against
future violations of the law that this
class of property may yield to the state
the greatest possible revenue recon-
mend the passage of bill to provide
for the sale of mineral leases at pub
lie auction to the highest bidder, and
that every such sale should be after
due and proper advertisement and
after a mineralogical examination of
the land by the state before such sale.
Within few years vast mineral beds
have been uncovered and there is rea-
son to believe that still greater dis
coveries are to follow. The interests
of the state must be ssafeguarded in
every possible way and again call
a fn icf i'm, Yto,, r
question SIS Il
RAILWAY LEGIsLATioN.f
One of the greatest problems of the
time, and which is of the greatest and.
most vital concern to tho people re-
presented by you, is tnat of railway
transportation and tariff rates for the
same. There is no need to rehearse
the history Of recent litigation affect
ing combinations Of parallel and COM
peting railway lines. The United
States supreme court in decision rem
dered by it has decreed against the
merger of such parallel and compet-
ing lines Of railway. And yet we real
ize and know that combinations are
in effect which completely annihilate
competition. Railway rates in our
state are much higher than across our
border in Canada That there is an
unjust discrimination there is no ques-
ton. Speaking Of railway control
Justice Bradley of the United States
supreme court said:
The experimenting power over the
highways and the charges imposed
upon the public for their use always
remains in the government. This is
not only it's indefeasible right, but is
necessary for the protection of the
people against extortion and abuse.
These positions we deem to be incon-
trovertible. Indeed, they are adjudged
the law in the decisions of this court.
Railroads and railroad corporations
are in the category"
You are the representatives of the
people. To you they look. for relief.
By many the Iowa distance tariff law
is believed to be the solution of this
question for our own state. Railway
rates are lower in Iowa than. in this
state by from 25 to 40 per cent. Some
thing is radically wrong with a sys
tenn which places the Minnesota ship
pers at such disadvantage.
That the Iowa distance tariff law
would be of benefit to our state is Of
grave doubt. The railway situation in
Iowa differs materially from our own.
Iowa is state compact in physical
form, having within her borders no
great terminal markets and whose
products are mainly agricultural, the
great surplus being carried to termi-
nal markets beyond the state in car
load lots. With us the condition is
wholly different and after investiga-
ton have concluded that it is an open
question whether or not the Iowa plan
would be to our advantage as whole
state. A distance tariff might be OF
temporary benefit to the rural dis
tricts and at the same time be the
means of gradually tearing down our.
internal terminal markets, the result
being eventually to our disadvantage
There is a remedy, it seems to me, in
the establishment of maximum
freight rate that will be fair to the
shipper and not be hardship to the
transportation company. The railway
and warehouse commission is nov
clothed with proper legal authority to
establish fair and equitable rates.
That this has not been done is be-
cause of a lack of aggressive admin
istration rather than lack OF legal
authority. would, therefore, recon-
mend the appointment by you OF a
joint legislative committee to make
q full and complete investigation of
the prevailing rates OF transportation
within this state with view of estab-
fishing by law maximum tariff rate
for transportation within this state
which shall be based upon a reasonable
rate OF interest and profit on the in,
vestment and which will be fair to all.
parts of the state and absolutely pro-
hibit an unjust discrimination be-
tween localities or individuals.
Nor is our complaint alone in the
matter Of rates within our own state.
There is the same ground for dissatis
faction on interstate traffic. On this
class Of business state authority is
poWerless to make any regulation.
Even the interstate commerce commits
sion is limited in its authority and to
PROVE ide.sufhcie power there is before
the national congress what is known
as the Cooper bill. which is de-.
signed to clothe the interstate COM
merce commission with complete au-
thority to establish a just rate after
8 hearing and investigation and to