The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-01-05

carloads. The manufactured articles are
largely brought in from points outside of
| the state in carload lots. With us the
condition is wholly different, and after
investigation have concluded that il Is
an open question whether or not the Iowa
plan would be to our advantage as a
| Whole state. A distance tariff might be
| of temporary benefit to the rural districts
and at the same time be the means of
gradually tearing down our internal ter
m1nal markets, the result being eventually
| TO our disadvantage. There is a remedy, it
seems to me. in the establishment of a
/ maximum freight rate that will be fair to
| the shipper and not be hardship to the
transportation company. The railway and
| warehouse commission is now clothed with
and equitable rates.
That this has not been done is because
OF lack of aggressive administration
rather than to lack of legal authority I
would, therefore, recommend the appoint
ment by you of a Joint legislative commit
| tee to make a full and complete investiga-
t!on OF the prevailing rates of transporta-
ton within this state with a view of es-
tablishlng by law maximum tariff rate
Tor transportation within this state which
shall be based upon q reasonable rate of
interest and profit on the investment and
which will be fair to all parts of the
state, and absolutely prohibit an unjust
discrimination between localities or indi-
vidualS.
Nor is our complaint alone in the mat
ter of rates within our own state. There
is the same ground for abstraction on
| the interstate traffic. On this class of
business state authority is powerless to
make any regulation. Even the interstate
commerce commission is limited In its au-
thority, and to provide sufficient power
there is before the national congress what
IS known as the Cooper bill, which is de-
signed TO ciothe the interstate commerce
| commission with complete authority to es-
tablish a just rate after hearing and in
vestigation. and to have the rate put in
force pending litigation / would earnest
" recommend the adoption of joint reso-
luton which will explicitly indorse the
| said Cooper bill and request our senator's
and Representatives in congress to support
said measure To enable our people to
fully avail themselves of the benefits Of
| the national laws regulating transporta-
ton and of the interstate commerce COM
mission in the administration Of these
laws would urge the passage Of a bill
which would authorize the state board of
railway and warehouse commissioners to
represent any individual complainant be-
fore the interstate commerce commission
When in the Judgment of said board of
railway and warehouse commissioners the
! one.
In the discussion of this question of
transportation beg to remind you that
generally we have dealt with steam rail-
ways. Every indication points to the fact
that within a few years our state will be
| quite generally traversed by electrical
railways, and that within the coming two
years several of these lines will be under
construction. Being common carriers it
would be wise in my Judgment to incor-
porate in our statutes at this time pro-
vision which would place all such COM
mon carriers under the control and juris-
dictlon OF the board of railway and ware
house commissioners. I would also urge
your attention to the ACCESSIBILITY of CIV
| Ing said board power to regulate and con-
JroI telegraph and telephone companies.
] Every public service corporation which
gets its authority from the state and is
protected by the state should be forced
| to submit to public control
RAILROAD PASSES
During past years strong prejudice has
arisen IN this state against what is COM
monty termed the pass system I am
not among those who believe that the
giving or accepting of free railroad pass
| or a frank is intended in any way
| as bride. and yet the mere acceptance
| Of the courtesy necessarily places the re-
cipient under some slight measure of obli-
| cation to the corporation. Public officials
and men prominent in other walks of life
nave been the benefciaries of this sys-
tenn, which has been in vogue ever since
our existence as a state, and the system
| has been so much abused that sentiment
mas become aroused against continue
t1on of the practice. All corporations do
business on an earning basis, and every
Iree pass or favor granted by corpora
tlon IS of necessity paid for by the class
| OF citizens who do not come within the
favor of the corporations. Public opin-
ION IN this state has grown to such an
| extent that there is general demand for
| the passage of a law similar to that
/ adopted in the state of Wisconsin. and
| winch Is most stringent and effectual
would urge the adoption of a law
which will abolish the pass system in this
state. The legislature should not hesitate
to give expression to this sentiment
PRISON LABOR
For number of years the state has
maintained a plant at the state prison for
the manufacture of binding twine. and
| the messages of my several predecessors
! In Office have in almost every instance ac-
knoWiedged the wisdom of the establish
ment OF that plant. It is a profitable
| Dor, and in addition thereto is of great
benefit to the farmers of the state by
giving to them cheaper binding Irvine. The
situation III this regard Is peculiar to the
| extent that in this instance the convict
labor thus employed is not thrown into
competition with the free labor of the
| state. 1t would be wisdom upon the part
OF the state to devote practically ali of
| the prison labor to the manufacture of bind
/ ing. tWine. II would be source of revenue
!, equal e to that derived from the manufac-
ture OF other products. Prison labor
should not compete with free labor It
might be a source of economy to enea ge
portion of this labor in the manufacture
of shoes and clothing for the inmates of
our other public Institutions, but aside
from this / believe it would be wise. eco
nomieal and profitable to extend the
vide employment for the remainder Our
| present contract system is open to a great
deal OF criticism By the change sug-
| gested, two results would be Accomplished
both OF which would be to the best inter-
ests of the state.
LABOR LEGISLATION
Another subject which is of great in
terest to the working people of our state
is what may be described as the common
law doctrine as to the non-liability of a
master TO servant for injuries occurring
through the negligence of fellow sery-
ant. This ancient rule of the common
| law. coupled with the other rule, gen
orally referred to as the doctrine of the
! assumption of risk by employees has cast
| upon the individual laborer a risk and a
response Utility out of all proportion to the
wages he receives. Whatever NAV have
/ been said as to the propriety of the COM
mon law doctrine in the past, it is entire
~ unsulted to the present era when high
| geared and dangerous machinery per
forms such large part in the production
| or manufactured articles. This fact has
been recognized in the matter of operat-
| ing railroads.. the fellow servant rule hay-
/ ing been abolished in this state as to
! them. The true rule is that the industry
! should bear the risk, and not the unfor-
/ tunate workmen who are now daily de-
| prived of the means of earning a liveli-
hood by those appalling accidents which
are occurring with more and more fire.
quency of late.
SWAMP LAND DRAINAGE
Vast tracts of land located largely in
| the northern part of the state are at
present useless waste because they are
low, wet and untillable. This land drain
ed would reclaim to the state countless
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