River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1905-01-19

|
markets and dictate as to business su.
| prenlacy in every industry
| On Interstate traffic the Determinations
| against Wisconsin are, perhaps, not sc
| great as on the state traffic. But even
| here the Wisconsin interstate rates seem
to be kept well above the state rates foI
/ like services in Iowa while on the six car
load classes, in distances. This appears by
| comparing the leading Chicago Wisconsin
| rates with the state rates for like services
established by the commissions Of Iowa
| and Illinois.
| The governor gives elaborate extracts
| of the railway earnings taken from the va
| rious reports issued by the railway COM
| panies and shows that the c., NJ & st. P
| railways net earnings apportioned on the
| average mileage basis amounted in Wis
consin to 1878 in other states $3.50, and
| 1884 for the entire line. A similar analy-
| sis Of the net earnings of the G. & n. w.
| railway shows, in Wisconsin, 1888; other
| states, Sz7S1, and for The entire line, So, 100
| The W. G. railways total net earnings for
| 1903 averaged about $2,446 per mile. The
! 9. St p, M. & o. railways net earnings
| per mile in 1903 amounted to $2,735.
Protection to Railway Employees.
| The Importance Of providing for protec-
| ton which is justly dIe to railroad en-
| ployes and their families is again urged
| upon the law-making body. The provisions
1
| justice to the railroad employe The sta
| tistics gathered by the railroad copmis-
| sio1er disclOses the startling fact thatt there
were killed and injured by the railroad
| companies in Wisconsin in the conduct of
| their business, ISL persons during the two
| years ending June 30, 1904.
Unjust Combination.
would again call your attention to the
necessity of legislation relating to the sub
| ject Of combinations in restraint of trade.
| The menace to the general prosperity of
| the state by the creation, and existence
| Of monopolies is a matter of the gravest
! cOncrn Our aim should be not the de-
structiOn Of large corporations, conducting
| large operation in a legitimate manner,
| but the suppression of those which are or
gained as monopolies and conducted in
restraint of trade
The legislative lobby comes in for sharp
criticism and the governor urges the en-
actment of a law that shall make it an Of
Tense punishable by the heaviest money
penalty, and by imprisonment as WELL
for any lobby agent or lobby representa-
tive, employed and paid for his services
by others, to attempt personally and di-
rectly to influence any member Of the leg
islature to vote for or against any meas
ure affecting the interests affected by such
lobbyist.
The governor also urges the prohibition
by law Of contributions by corporations
in aid Of political contests and campaigns
Education.
The statistical reports received by the
state superintendent of public instruction
Indicate that the rural common school is
not accomplishing the work for which it
was established. All the other public
schools Of the state are comparatively well
organized and working satisfactorily and
progressively. Forty-three per cent of
the children Of the state practically receive
their education in the rural schools. Fail
ure at this point has greater significance
for the state than at any other point. The
educational problem that you must most
earnestly consider and meet squarely at
this time is plan for Improvement in the
condition of the country district, and the
one-department schools of the state
The greatest losses to the common school,
fund of this state have occurred in the sales
of school lands in past years and in the
failure to collect penal fines
County agricultural schools established
under the provisions of chapter 2S8 laws
Of 1901, amended by chapter 143, laws of
1903, have successfully passed the expert
mental stage
The first state normal school was estab-
lished at Plattvile in 1866. There are now
seven normal schools with crowded at
tendance in all departments.
There are now seven cOGnty training
schools for teachers supported in part by
the state. The statute provides for but
eight, and arrangements were made by
county boards in their November session
in at least two counties for establishing
such schools next year. ! would recon-
mend that the statute limiting the number
be so amended as to provide for at least
three or four more such schools.
The biennial report of the board of re-
gents of the state university for the years
1902-1903 and 1903-19O4 show plainly that the
demands upon the university have grown
more rapidly than it's resources. l recon-
mend to your careful consideration the re-
port of the regents, which, during the ses-
sion will be laid upon each members desk
Railway Consolidation.
The railroads o. the country have been
organized through Z. system of consolida-
ton which has united all interests and eff
fectuaIly stifled all competition. Under
this new orG'~+ 2( things the railroads of
the country ;,rc merged into six great sys.
TENS, controlled by six groups of men, each
group practically controlled by one indi-
Vidual That you may more readily under
stand the extent and power of this central
ization of railroad control in the hands of a
few individuals, the following statement
is submitted.
LEADING RAILROAD GROUPS.
roads en- Mile Capital
Classification. braced age. jzation.
Vanderbilt group. 1872 21,S2S 81, 9,196, 1872
2 e n S Y | vania
group .............. $50 1890 1872, 4O2, 1855
Nj o 8 a II IL
Gould : Rockefeller
group ............. 1o9 2S,157 /, 1868 ST., $40
Hartman kuehn-
Loeb group ...... IS 90 943 321 243 I'll
Leeds group 25,092 LOSS, 250, 939
Total ............. 922 1914, $50 SO, OO6 OS6. 916
Allied systems.... 25O 1921 $50 277, 900
Total control by
six groups. ....1,172 17S,307 So 3S6, 1868 916
Under this plan the country is divided b.
agreement among these controlling groups
each group ruling supreme in its own sec
ton With the interstate commerce COM
mission powerless to afford relief in re-
spect to interstate traffic without congress
sional legislation, the producers and con-
SumerS of the country are wholly at the
mercy of the men who rule in these six
systems, except in such states as afford
protection upon the traffic within the state
under state laws.
Industrial animation
The same spirit which promoted CONSOLE
dation of the railways of the country into
six great systems, operates with powerful
effect i'll concentrating shipments with
view to large traffic transactions. If in a
position to make terms without interior
ence, the railway companies can vary the
rate slightly to the advantage of one COM
pany or combination, with the ultimate eff
feet of concentrating business completely
with the shippers so favored. DiScrimina-
lions of this class are most pernicious
| They create conditions under which it is
impossible for those not so favored to con-
tinue in business. They mean ruin to ali