Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1906-10-26

President Roosevelt did not vote on
the passage Of the bills to secure regu-
lation of Interstate freight rates but
all acknowledge him TO be the most 90
tent factor IN securing the passage Of
the measure. In his message to Con-
gress, In public speeches and In In
spired interviews he urged the need
of remedial legislation. A majority of
his own party was bitterly hostile go
he secured the cooperation of the
democrats in Congress and by means
of their aid got the bill reported out
from the senate committee In he
meantime public sentiment was being
brought to bear upon Republican legis-
lators and by these means he carried
his point. The rate bill became a law.
In the meantime IN Minnesota there
has been also rate agitation and *cr
results secured Governor John A.
Johnson is as much entitled to credit
by Minnesotans as is President Roose-
welt by the people Of the nation. From
the time of his Inauguration as Cow
ernor to the present, he has at all
times, through state papers and In his
public utterances advocated necessary
reforms. He has pointed the way, has
assisted in the creation of public sem
timent to that end and in every man
ner worked in the interest of the peo-
pie to curb corporate aggression. in
his inaugural message to the legislature,
he said:
"One If the great problems If the
present time and which is of the great
est and mos-> vital concern to the peo-
pie represented by you, is that Of rail-
way transportation and tariff rates Cor
the same. There is no need to re-
hearse the history; of recent litigation
affecting combinations of parallel and
competing railway lines. The United
States Supreme Court in decision
rendered by it. has decreed against the
merger of such parallel and competing
lines Of railway. And yet we realize
effect which completely annihilate
competition. Railway rates in our
state are much higher than across
our border in Canada. That there is
an unjust discrimination there is no
question"
Railway rates are lower in Iowa than
in this state by from rs to 40 per cent.
Something is radically wrong with a
system which places the Minnesota
shipper at such a disadvantage" :.
There is remedy, it seems to me,
In the establishment Of q maximum
freight rate that Will be fair to the
shipper and not be 4 hardship to the
transportation company. The railway
and warehouse commission Is now
clothed with proper legal authority to
establish fair and equitable rates.
would. therefore, recommend the APP,
pointment by You Of a joint legisla-
tive committee to make a full and COM
plete investigation Of the prevailing
rates of transportation within this
state with view IF establishing ~
law a miximum tariff rate for trans
portation within this state which shall
be based upon a reasonable rate of in
terest and profit on the investment,
and which will be fair to all parts Of
the state, and absolutely prohibit an
unjust discrimination between locan-
ties or individuals. That this has not
been done is because of lack Of lg-
gressive administration rather than to
q lack of legal authority" ..
"All corpora tions do business on an
earning basis. and every free pass Or
favor granted by corporation, is OF
necessity, paid for by the class of citi-
of the corporation. Public opinion in
this state has grown to such an ox-s
tent that there is a general demand Cor
the passage Of law similar to that
adopted in the state CT Wisconsin, and
which is most stringent and effectua1.
would urge the adoption of a law
which will abolish the pass system in
the state. The legislature should not
hesitate to give expression to this SEN
timent."
In compliance with this suggestion
by the Governor. the legislature ap-
pointed joint committee for the i'm
vestigation OF freight rates. After
thorough investigation the committee
made its report and as result the
legislature passed the following reso
luton: ss
.Whereas, The railroad and ware-
house commission Is the proper tri-5
bunal and the only body properly
equipped to undertake the work Gf
securing an equitable, intelligent and
fair reaGjustment Of the rate situation
In this state. s8
Now, Therefore, BE it Resolved by
the Senate, the House cOncurring: We
recognize the prevailing conditions
which seem to warrant the existence Of
and believe that In maintaining q dis
tributing tariff 1t IS possible to pro-
vide not only several points In the.
state which are valuable to the people
as sources Of supply tut afford q home
market for our products. We believe,
however, the two tariffs should show
Tut little difference in the rate for q
given mileage. and in no case should
the difference exceed Ave per cent.
Resolved. Further. The railroad 1nd
warehouse commission is hereby li-s
rected to undertake the work Of secur-
ing a REIMBURSEMENT OF the existing
freight rates In this state, which win
give more uniform system Of rates
throughout the state ana uniform
scale Of percentages which classs