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

prosper; others fail. Rebates are not giren
| to those struggling for a footing, but to
those who can furnish the most business to
| the railways
Time fer Decisive Action.
The time has come for decisive action.
1t is time to look to government for re-
| lief and for it's own sake No power short
Of government itself is adequate now TO
meet existing conditions
Plainly our first responsibility lies in the
rational application of such authority az
the state may within constitutional limita-
tions exercise over transportation.
The regulation of railway service and
railway rates must be by both the national
government and the several states govern
ments.
With respect to the scope of law, Gre
ating state railway commission, / be-
lieve 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 ade-
quate and efficient service, always taking
into consideration the circumstances and
conditions with respect to the town, city.
or section concerned.
With respect to the regulation of rates, |
have no doubt that you will wisely deter
mine to clothe the commission with full
power to establish a rate.
While the commission should doubtless
be esiothed with power to promugate en-
tire schedules of rates and classifications,
1t may well be questioned whether such ac-
ton upon it's part should be made manda-
tory.
While it should be made the duty of the
commission to investigate ali complaints, l
am strongly of the opinion that their ac-
ton should not be made to depend upon the
filing of such complaint
The commission should have authority
to require the railway companies, upon
reasonable notice, to furnish all the cars
requisite to accommodate shippers.
The commission should be placed in a
position to require all reasonable facilities
for aScertaining and recording the weight
of loaded cars, under circumstances where
the interest of shippers will be protected,
and also to make rules and regulations for
the adjustment Of claims which shall in
sure justice and expedition in their settle
ment
The commission should be authorized TO
require reasonable adequate train service
on all lines.
If the commission is clothed with power
to enforce entire publicity, it will rarely be
necessary to employ it's authority to prose-
cute Publicity should extend to complete
itemized statements of all matters con.
nected with the financial accounts of the
railway companies business.
The commission should be empowered
to require the usual traffic statistics. ara
full and accurate statistics of wages and
of hours Of continuous service of employees,
including those of sleeping car and express
companies, telegraph operators, and all
other persons employed by the railway
companies, or by companies engaged i'll
transportation in connection Herewith.
Provisions should likewise be made for
the publication of reports by the commits
sioners embracing all of the foregoing in
formation for the benefit of the general
public.
A Warning.
We cannot, gentlemen al this time. ac-
curately forecast the extent or character
of the opposition which will be interposed
to the enactment of a law governing this
subject. In Wisconsin the companies are
at present supreme With the shippers
the railway companies orders are law
They have heretofore always felt obliged
to obey, or to appear to obey whenever
those in authority signified their wishes.
Should large shippers appear here in op-
position to this legislation, therefore. it
must be either through some wrongful ex-
ertiOn-coerciOn on the part of the rail-
roads, or because they are in the posses
sion of indulgences from the corporations
which they receive at the expense of the
present high rates which the producers
and consumers are paying in the state.
Whether it be one or the other, their pres
ence ought to furnish the strongest argu-
ment which can be made III favor Of
promptly enacting such law.
The determination of this vital question
the performance Of this specific duty, the
fulfiIlment of this obligation, the discharge
of this great trust rests upon you
Transfer of Land Titles.
A simplifcation of our system of trans
ferring land titles would seem to be very
desirable. At present the cost of alb
stracts of title, the delay in completing
sales after being negotiated, the possible
the accumulation of books and indexes in
slant burden to owners of real estate, and
reduce it's ease of sale ana exchange
The subject is very important and ac-
ton should be taken only after careful
investigation of the matter and any legis-
lation changing our present system should
be framed with the greatest care.
l recommend the enactment of a civil
service law which shall be applied to all
employees in the service of the state, the
counties and the cities, outside of the
elective officers and such subordinates as
may necessarily sustain confidential re-
lations with their chiefs
The state charitable and penal institu-
tions are reviewed and appropriations
asked to meet the Increased demands of
nearly all these interests.
The closing portions of the message
are devoted to the tuberculosis commits
sion, the free library commission, the geo
logical survey public lands, forestry, the
dairy and food commission the report OF
the bureau of labor, the state militia, fish
and game protection, etc, and appended
to the message is an elaborate table of
state receipts and disbursements.