Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1906-09-28

course 81 this matter 81 the future
that 4 have ii the 80. and try always
to convince tho people engaged IN
lumber business On state lands that
honesty Is as essential IN their bust
ness dealings with the state % In
other departments Of commercial life.
and that It IL not cheaper to steal the
timber than to buy 1t 1t legal sale
from the state Of Minnesota
The Railway Question.
No question before the public
mind today Is Of wider general interest
than that OF railroad regulation and
control and the establishment OF
rates Of transportation which will be
just and fair to all the people Of the
country. It Is q question which has
engrossed the attention of the presi-S
dent Of the United States and the Fed.
eral congress for more than year.
and it is still living issue before the
American people.
Minnesota, In railroad transporta-
ton, has become one Of the leading
states Of the Union. The railway
mileage Of Minnesota is nearly that of
New England and the railway invest
ment officially accredited to Minnesota
is nearly four-flfths that accredited to
New England. But, in volume of an
nual net earnings from operation. the
amount officially reported for Minne-
sofa is today greater by several mill
lion dollars than the amount officially
| reported for the entire group of New
England states. This fact indicates
that Minnesota, with its $35000.000 Of
annual net railway earnings, is an ex-
ceedingly profitable field for railway
enterprise.
In my message to the legislature at
the time of my Inauguration, took
the position that there was an unjust
discrimination of rates within our
state. I still hold to that opinion. { I
pointed out on that occasion that the
rates Of transportation were from
twenty-five to forty per cent higher
In Minnesota than in our neighborinE
state of Iowa and declared that any
system which permitted this condition
imposed serious injustice upon the
people of our own state. took the
position then that the failure of reform
was not due to want of legal author
ity, but because of the lack of agrees
sive administration. The board Of
railroad and warehouse commissioners
are today, and for several years past
have been, clothed with the legal
authority to establish and enforce
just and reasonable rates.
In my inaugural message recon-
mended the appointment of joint
legislative committee to make full
and complete investigation of the pre-
vailing rates Of transportation. within
this state, with a view Of establishing
a maximum tariff rate OF. transporta-
ton, which should be based upon a
| reasonable rate Of interest and profit
! on the investment and which would be
fair to all parts of the state and
| absolutely prohibit unjust discrimina-
ton between localities and individuals.
Pursuant to this recommendation the
! legislature enacted chapter $50 of the
Laws Of Minnesota for 1905, the same
being a Joint resolution relating to
transportation rates, the essential
! features being covered by the follow
ing section:
Whereas, The railroad and ware
house commission is the proper tri-
bunal and the only body properly
equipped to undertake the work Of
! securing an equitable, intelligent and
fair readjustment Of the rate situation
in this state:
"Now, therefore. be it resolved BY
the Senate, the House concurring:
We recognize the prevailing conditions
which seem to warrant the existence
Of p distributing and distance tariff,
and believe that In maintaining dis
tributing tariff it Is possible to- pro-
vide not only several points in the
state which are valuable to the people
as sources of supply, but afford a home
market for our products. We believe.
however, the two tariffs should show
but little difference in the rate for a
given mileage-in no case should the
difference exceed five per cent
Resolved further. The railroad and
warehouse commission Is hereby d.
rected to undertake the work Of secur-
ing a readjustment Of the existing
freight rates in this state. which will
give a more uniform scale Of percent
ages which each class rate shall bear
to the first class, the readjustment t.
secure a substantial reduction in thu
existing merchandise rates"
This resolution was duly approved
by me on April IA, 1905, and under
this direction Of the legislature, the
state board of railroad and warehouse
commissioners has undertaken an APP
praisment of the valuation Of the rail-
! road properties Of the state and also
begun a hearing and inquiry into the
merchandise rates. with the view to a
reduction of these rates. and on the 9Th
| day of September, 1906. the board of
railroad and warehouse commissioners
entered an order making a general
and material reduction Of merchandise
rates in the state of Minnesota.
During the tendency Of this inquiry
certain admissions were made by rail-
road companies with reference to thu
reduction Of rates Of transportation OF,
grain. and they voluntarily proposed
a reduction. provided that the hearing
on the question Of merchandise rates
be suspended. Upon my suggestion
and as a result Of conference with
me, the board Of railway and ware
house commissioners issued an order
citing the railway companies Of Min
nesota to appear before them and
show cause why there should not be a
general reduction Of commodity rates,