Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-01-12
Governor LafOlIette of Wisconsin
Asks the Legislature to
Create One.
AGAINST RAILWAY DICTATION.
Railroads Should Not be Allowed to
Dictate as to Business Supremacy
In Every Industry

Madison, wis, Jan 1.-THE main
feature " GOV Iufolletto's message.
which he read 10 the legislature today,
was a demand for an appolntiye freight
rate commission, the last OF the big
reforms asked by the governor. lie
said.
Independently " the question Of ex-
ccssiyc freight charges the state should
no longer allow a railway corporation
to control without supervision, abso-
utely and arbitrarily the commerce
Of Wisconsin and through control Of
that commerce determine what Virages
shall become cities, what cities become
great markets. and dictate as to bust
moss supremacy IN every industry.
Whatever temporary reductions may
have been made for business reasons
study OF railway tariffs I'm force in
Wisconsin now dscloses;
Wisconsin rates are still high
or than the rates charged under sub
stantially similar conditions on state
traffic In the neighborlng states Of IL
llnols and Iowa. where the rates are
regulated by law,
"Second.- Interstate rates in Wiscon-
sin are generally higher than rates IN
Illinois and Iowa,
"rhird- Rates charged on traffic In
Wisconsin, on the whole. yield gross
Income to the railroads considerably
above the amounts required for all OPP
orating expenses, for maintenance or
property and for n fair interest or pro-
iii on the cost Of the roads.
"Fomth-The railwav companies are
guilty Of gross determinations In IA
Nor Of certain shippers ana their dis
examinations as between favored
shippers are likewise rankly unjust re-
sulting In the upbuilding OF monopoly
controlling production and markets
alike.
"The fact that railroads have such
complete control over the rates has
given them control over commerce "
farrcaching effect, II is easily In their
power 10 destroy cities and villages or
build them up In wealth and power
They have but 10 raise rates I'm the one
case and lower them In another afford
superior facilities in one case or inod-
equatn service I'm another.
"rhe time has come for decisive ac-
ton. the control OF prices " coal and
iron. and the food products and other
basic elements Of our commercial life
by trust organizations I'm connection
with tho great transportation systems
OF the country Is absolutely destructive
Of industrial and commercial Import
ancc. Industrial ana commercial soryi-
tudc IN the final analysis Is absolutely
destructive OF political importance. n
Is time TO look TO the government FOR
relief and for It's own sake no power
short OF the government Itself rs ade-
Quatc now TO meet existing conditions"
RVS. OPPOSE RATE FIXING.
Washington, Jan. t2.-Samucl Spen-
cen president OF the Southern Rail-
way. and authorized 10 voice the senti-
ment Of the New York Central, Erie,
Chicago Milwaukee g. ST. Paul North
ern Pacific, Illinois Central Lackawan-
IA and other railway companies, spoke
vigorously today before the house COM
mlttee on Interstate and foreign COM
merce against the Cooper Quarles bill
or any proposition to authorize the in
terstate commerce commission TO fix
railway rates. Mr. Spencer Is the first
direct and official representative OF the
railways 60 be heard by the committee
and his testimony is regarded as the
keynote Of the opposition to rate fixing
by the government