Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-01-18

makes her practically the mistress OF
a very large portion of all her com,
merce, interstate as well as state,
| whenever she asserts her right to
( regulate railway services AMI raA
way rates. Neither Iowa, nor any
other inland state, can secure ad,
yantages at all comparable to those
which this state viii at once secure
under an efficient law. With her long
line OF lake shore and splendid har
bors she would be able to receive the
commerce OF other states by water, and
would be able 10 market much Of her
surplus production in the same way.
Under the prevailing system, high
rates within the state make it i'm
possible TO build up important lake
shore towns, notwithstanding their
superior harbors and other natural
advantages, the commerce being
diverted from interior shipping points,
by the long haul to Chicago instead.
If any question can be definitely
settled by the people of state, the
people of Wisconsin have settled the
question that railway service, anu
railway rates shall be controlled by a
railway commission, in so far as the
same is subject to state control under
the constitutions.
With respect to the scope of law,
creating state railway commission,
believe that the most careful and
thorough investigation upon your part
will lead to the conviction that the
commission should be invested with
power to enforce an adequate ana
efficient service, always taking into
consideration the circumstances and
conditions with respect to the town.
city, or section concerned. 1t is as
necessary that the efficiency of the
service should be under the control of
the state, as it is that there should be
government regulation of transporta-
ton in any respect. The character OF
the service is quite as important to
the business interests and to the PEG,
pie of every community as is the cost
of the service.
With respect to the regulation OF
rate, | have no doubt that you will
wisely determine to clothe the COM
mission with full power to establish
rate. A sufficient objection to limit
ing the power of the commission to
fixing ma mum rates is that the
railway company can still make I'm
just discrimination between shippers
and communities, by making them
special rates below the maximum rate.
The exercise Of the power 10 make
an absolute rate viii furthermore in
sure stability in rates, which is an
important factor in the conduct OF
every business. The orders Of the
commission that establishes a rate
should at once carry the rate into
effect, to continue until such a time
as the commission shall otherwise
order, or the courts of appeal other
wise determine, if an appeal should be
taken.
While it should be made the duty
of the commission to investigate ali
complaints, l am strongly of the
opinion that their action should nor
be made to depend upon the filing of
such complaint. With the best pro
lection which the commission can
afford to shippers, when such com
mission is fully clothed with authority
to regulate the transportation service.
1t would be long before a shipper
would feel warranted in subjecting
to TIE annoyances that he
might suffer, because of his action in
complaint against railway
with which he is obliged to
transact business.
But this is not all. The great body
OF the people of Wisconsin who bec1
in the aggregate the principal burden
OF the freight rates could not lawfully
appear before the commission to make
complaint. Neither could they state
their complaint or allege the measure
OF wrong imposed upon them by the
transportation companies. They have
no dealing directly with the railroads,
and Go not pay freights to the railway
companies at all. They are, never
theless, the ones who finally pay the
largest proportion of ali the trans,
portation charges which 60 to swell
the enormous revenues of the railway
in Wisconsin.
The commission should have author
lty to require the railway companies.
upon reasonable notice, to furnish ali
the cars requisite to Accommodate ship, /
peIs. Many people engaged in various
lines of business in Wisconsin ex
perience great hardship because they
have no appeal except to the rail
roads, whose convenience they have
to await in the matter OF supplying
ears. This is often a serious loss to
he shipper, particularly upon certain
)erishablc classes of shipments, ana
N all cases it embarrasses the shin
oer's business with respect to markets /
and prices.
Publicity should extend to all mat.
,ers which may affect the public in
any way and the railway companies
should be required to file with the
copies of all contracts
affecting public interests, made by
'ailroads with each other, with ship
1ers and passengers, with car ana
equipment companies, with express
md other transportation companies,
with land companies, and with every
company doing business or shipping
FOODS ITO or from this state, or in
my way affecting said shipments.
The commission should likewise be
authorized to require a list Of all re-
luced passenger rates, passes. or
Mileage books. The commission