The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-04-13
MINORITY WINS OUT
WITH RATE REPORT
House Adopts the Drastic Fea.
lures Despite Some Loud
Protests

with these protesting StrenuouSly
against the more drastic features of the
house yesterday adopted the Washburn
minority report from its special rail-
road rate investigating committee and
all the bills that accompanied it.
Riding roughshod over the minority
In the house and denying them the
right of debate and even of amendment
TO one bill, the majority carried things
with high hand in the house. In adj
dit1on to the senate bills and memo
rails, the house passed its own bill.
h +. No $40. making the rates fixed
by the state railroad commission imme-
diately effective and in force until
hnaliy determined by the court of last
resort Thirty days are given to ap-
peal from an adverse decision of the
court to the commissions order, and
pending an appeal the orders of the
court are made secondary to the orders
OF the commission. In discussing this
Dill, Gerge w. Armstrong of Hennepin
was called to order by members of the
majority for speaking more than twice
on the bill. The point was sustained
by n. F. Hugo of St. Louis, who was
In the chair. Made furious by the ar
bitrary conduct of the majority leaders.
Gen. M. ID. Flower of Ramsey belabor-
ed the house for it unfairness toward
the rights of a corporation.
quasi-public corporations" Gen. Flow
er declared, but this house refuses to
recognize any such rights for the COM
panies. We should be fair to them as
we would be fair to any public instf-
tuition. / shall not vote to confiscate
the property of many people of the
state and of the United States. / shall
not vote for bill that makes an order
of railroad commission superior to an
order of the district and supreme
courts of the state and which must
stand until settled by the supreme
court of the United States.
Perley Offers Amendment
George E. Perley of Clay offered an
amendment to the bill, suspending the
rate If the district court decided
against its validity. Apparently drunk
with its success, the majority voted
down the amendment in the face of
declaration by A. l. Cole that they had
destroyed the legality of the bill by
refusing the Perley amendment. On the
fnal passage of the bill. the vote stood
) 6S for to 13 against. Mr.. Perley voted
with the majority, though he said the
Dill made the state railroad commits
sion superior to the district and SUI
preme courts of the state.
The committees bill, authorizing the
state commission to appear and pros
ecute cases in which Minnesota citizens
are interested, before the interstate
commerce commission, also excited de-
bate. M. j.. O'Laughlin of Wabasha
expressed the fear that the bill gave
the commission a wide latitude in the
employment OF attorneys, and this sug-
gestlon precipitated discussion in
which IL was made to appear that there
is no thought of the attorney generals
ONCE prosecuting the cases for the
state commission.
H. B. Chamberlain of Hennepin said
he had just voted to give the attorney
generals office more compensation and
larger force with Notwithstanding
that such cases would be prosecuted
by his office The admission was fore
cd from leaders of the majority that
the plan contemplated an appropria-
ton for the state commission to work
independently of the states legal de-
partment. 1t is currently reported that
w. j. Donahower, former attorney gem
eral, is slated for the position by the
state commission in view of his long
service with the commission in rail-
road matters in the past.
Negative Votes Few
Gen. Flower refused to vote for the
bill, reported by the committee. giving
the state commission authority over
rates and classifications, for he said the
commission already had this authority
and there was no use in multiplying
the laws on the statute books. The bill
was passed, however, with scattering
negative votes
In discussing the senate bill, provid-
ing severe penalties for the giving or
acceptance of rebates, R. ]. Wells of
breckenridge declared that the feature
OF making the shipper liable had prov
ed the death blow to the efficiency of
the Elkins anti-rebate bill, and he pro-
tested against The introduction of the
feature in the senate bill. 1t made con-
victions impossible, he said
Mr.. Wells protest was in vain. He
sent an amendment to the desk,
put II was not read. The roll call was
ordered and the bill passed while he
valnly tried for recognition At the
afternoon session he forced considera-
ton of his amendment. striking out the
shipper from being held responsible for
receiving the rebate, but it was re-
Jected by the house.
Referring to the joint resolution ask
ing that reduction of freight rates in
the state be ordered by the commission
pointed inquiries were addressed to
the members of the joint committee
asking If they had investigated rates in
Iowa and Illinois, by which the report
asked rates be compared. The admis-
sion was made by Mr.. Washburn that
only the rate sheets indicated the sit
uation. G.. w. Armstrong contended
that the committee had failed to SUBJ
stantiate its case as to rates of other
states and without direct information
ne was opposed to the resolution. 1t
was passed. however, along with a.
Joint memorial to congress asking for
enlarged powers for the interstate COM
merce commission and mitigation of
the private car''-evil
The house accepted the Washburn
minority report as to the railroad rate
investigation, and voted to infinitely
postpone the Eberhart majority report.
IL was explained by Mr.. Washburn that
MS report recited conclusions at great
er- length than the majority reDort