The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-18

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ings extending over two months, and !
heard quantities sof complaints: They I
usually concerned determinations in ,
rates against smaller towns, but George
s.. LOTUS of st. Paul, who appeared at
nearly every hearing, undertook with
some success toa show that the roads
often discriminated against small deal
ers by imposing terminal charges, which
large part of the evidence related to
Interstate commerce., The committee
held several sessions with the railroad
and warehouse Commission and utilized
the statistics in their hands. There
was difficulty when it came to adopt
ing the report. The members agreed
fairly well as to the legislation needed, j
out for q bill to put the orders. OF the
railroad commission into Immediate Ct
feet, Notwithstanding appeals to the
! courts. These members--W. y. Wash
burn, Jr.,1 W. A. Nolan and p; A. Gan
drud--were not satisfied, either, with
the text Of the report, as prepared ~
Senator fEberhard, and Mr.. Washburnn
drew up. another, going more fully. ana
deeply into& the questions examined.
l Both reports were presented April .,
with the bills, which numbered four in
! the senate and six in the house, where
the three minority members had the
upper hand, y Fhe reports did not bear
heavily ON the railroad commission, and
declared most of! the complaints re-
The principal evils found were discrim-
nations in terminal charges, midnight
tariffs made for. favored shippers, and
local rates., in many cases too high IN
comparison to distance tariffs over the
same lines s@Ett@ -
The substance of the recommended
j tions was put into the bills presented,
which were taken up simultaneously in
: the two houses April 12. The senate
j passed its four bills in short order by
unanimous vote land sent them to the
3 house, where they were substituted for
the house Bills and passed with trifiine
/. -oppositions&$ 5>ise q -. 49,: q @-
i The most important bill requires the
i consent of the railroad and warehouse
) commission before any rates or classi
t fcations within the state may be
changed. IT gives the commission ant
: it's employees access at any time to tht
: books of the railroad companies to 1e
k termine whether the law and the order!
8 Of the. commission are being obeyed. \
l. also gives the Commission jurisdiction
+ over all terminal and switching charges
+ Another bill pfescribes a penalty 70,
: giving or receiving any rebate or spe
i cial concession The authority to ex
q anime railroad books makes this bill o:
q some consequence.
: Another bill is really a joint reso
luton. declaring that distance or 10
cases too high when compared with tn
distributing or thru rates, and says tina
p the difference between the two rate
L over the same line, should not be NOR
= than 5 per cent. 1t also says that rate
= = in general are higher in this state tina
E. in Illinois or Iowa. It then says:
TO .Resolved further, The railroad an
a warehouse commission is hereby directe
It to undertake the work of securing
re reimbursement Of sthe existing freigl
to rates in this state, which will give
st more uniform system of rates thruor
or centages which each class rate sha
" bear to the first class, the readjustme1
~ to-. secure a substantial reduction in til
~ existing merchandise rates. D.. II.
70 .,The last bill ofathe four is memoir;
IN toaeongress asking That the powers
the interstate, commerce commission /
g increased to give it full authority to e.
IS force the long iandfshort haul clause. e.
he also asksttthat legislation he passed I
M abolishs theropriNate cary lines, and r
VI quire railroad Companies to furnish Il
e: necessary eqlfipmfat Gto shippers. aaa
he Ihe aoq1s 2aatothher bill
to commission oto prosecute complaints
1T Minnesota shippers before the intersta
me commerce commission. The. .sena
he passed this, substituting it for" a b
'ad by Senator ,Schaller. The other b
~ y the :one putting the orders Of the ia
ru, road. commission into immediate effe
EN- This was lost in the senate shuttle
ere The reciprocal q demarrage questi
zen was one of the. most exciting Of t
in session, and was naturally related
md the foregoing measures very close
rts The bill was introduced by W. A. MOI
bod panies from start to finish. The sh
by pers, thru their organizations, stir
to UP a great agitation for the bill, VIII
,o3. imposed demnrrage charges not, only
81 but on railroads failing to furn
~ ~ them when ordered, or failing to me
, tne them promptly. when loaded. ]
'o99. house railroad committee report
nd against the bill, 9 to 8, but the ho
lers overturned the report by vote of
der the bill: los.to T. The senate conn
ater tee held a long series Of hearings
icit which shippers and railroad men !
ents tits. The railroad freight agents
the busy and circulated petitions agai
,ted the bill, which with that influence
Ords I .Sn:Sutte ntolll llen Wlo
;ic1e Tlsa Weie niRnC!ng loI
half s,,bst;t,'te XII ina
ton matteT IN hads af +b pur Sre W.
taP- warehouse commission, and repol
: the amended bill April 10. Its rel
r be was accepted and the bill was pas
cted The house refused to concur and
) the conference committee could not as
evied so no measure was passed on this
but iect.
hocl- v--------e
COL
IS, of .@. 9 AMI NORMALS' fREE
urely Long Eight over Separation Of Ed
used tiCnal Institutions from Board O.