The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-11

power to bring about any reform if
there is union of forces in the making
of the demand. He pointed out that
as the power of the great railroad cor
porations is constantly increasing, so
legislation controlling these arteries of
trade must be correspondingly progress
sive. 49,,
The "ECooper bill,' now before con-
gress, was taken up, and Mr.. Rosing
suggested that. the convention demand
the enactment into law Of this bill and
the urging of senators and representa-
tives in congress to support the bill
with all their might. He did not re-
gard the law, if enacted, as a perfect
remedy for existing evils, but held that
complete results cannot be expected by
any one act. The proposed establish
ment Of an interstate commerce court
was considered and some Of the. possible
drawbacks to such an institution were
pointed out This matter, Mr.. Rosing
held, could not be subjected to snap
Judgment as there were two sides to it,
and the railroads are entitled to JUS
pers and the public The slowness Of
the interstate commerce commission in
acting was commented upon..
The Iowa distance tariff, law was
exhaustively considered. Mr.. Rosing
did not think this law would prove sat-
isfactory or just if tried in Minnesota.
He. cited that Minnesota. had within
it's borders two great terminal markets,
one at the extreme northeast corner Of
eastern boundary. The length Of haul
in reaching them, even from the same
locality, is often very unequal. In such
cases the distance tariff would work
great hardship upon the road having
the long haul and the city or village To-
Gated upon it, were it not for other con-
ditions, while enabling the railway and
towns located upon it's line Of road to
protect themselves against the effect
of such tariff, would operate to defeat
its purpose.
To illustrate the point, the speaker
cited the conditions at Pipestone with
its four lines, Of which the Great
Northern is the short line. He/declared
that the immediate effect of distance
tariff would give the Great Northern
a monopoly Of the traffic. This would
rates to Duluth and Chicago, and in
this way the distance tariff would work
discrimination against Minneapolis
The roads could do this, as all have out
of-the-state lines, which would make
the traffic interstate, thus multiplying
the distance tariff to the disadvantage
of Minneapolis. Other cases were cited
| Whefe Cne operation or distance tariff
would destroy some towns and mar
kets and build up others. These condi
tions were declared to exist thruout the
state. Mr.. Rosing, in leaving the sub
ject, declared his belief that such ar
idea was impracticable and undesirable
for Minnesota. Ill.,,
Tariff systems in vogue at present il
Minnesota were next discussed. Com
plants from towns regarding the arbi
trary removal Of telegraph facilitie
and the contention of railroads tina
they exercised no control over the tele
graph companies led to the Suggestion
that telegraph and telephone companies
being common carriers, should be place,
under the jurisdiction and control O
the railroad and warehouse commits
4 sion.
The appointment of committee t
consider express rates was recon
mended.
1 The question of the power of village
to suppress bucketshops was taken u
and the speaker expressed belief tina
it could be done by ordinance by vi
lage councils.
. Taxation and it's abuses was the clos
! ing theme Of Mr.. Rosing. In his fna
remarks he praised the league for it
: work and predicted, as retiring pres
dent, a brilliant future for the wor
"a undertaken.