The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1906-03-01

| farmers and producers of South Da
kota and particularly of the Black
hills providing it only worked one
way. But when the farmers, cattle
men, miners and other producers oil
South Dakota, wanted to ship any oil
their products out of the state, they
would find themselves confronted with
the same difficulties, for instance, il
Ole Olson and Erick Anderson, as
Olson & Co., wanted to ship car OF
cattle, hogs, sheep, wheat, corn, pc
tatoes, or any farm product from any
part OF South Dakota to Omaha, Sioux
City, or Chicago, they would be pro
hibited from doing SO without first
taking out government license. All
OF our cattle, horse and sheep com
panies, both big and little, would have
to do the same before making any
shipments from their herds, and from
the present construction and wording
OF the bill 1t is also quite evident that
any company or association of indi-
viduals engaged in mining in the
Black hills would encounter many
difficulties in the shipment of fuel
| and other supplies necessary in the
prosecution of their mining operations.
That the above conditions would be
the result if this bill was enacted
into law, was fully demonstrated by
the discussion that took place in con-
gress when Mr.. Martin was speaking
in favor of his bill, as follows:
BY Mr.. Palmer: "Then the gentle
mans bill provides that no company
engaged in business in the United
States can do an interstate business
unless it takes out this federal IL
cense?"
By Mr.: Martin: eyes sir; if it is
engaged in those particular lines of
industry supplying the people with
food and fuel"
In other portions Of the discussion
Mr.. Martin admitted that whenever
any OF those products was shipped
out OF the state it was produced in,
by any company or corporation, under
his bill it would constitute interstate
commerce. This makes it very clear
that there would be no escape from
the difficulties Or conditions | have set
forth, and those conditions would be
repugnant to every citizen in this coun-
try who did not expect to have a mo-
nopoly, or stand in with some monop-
oily in shipping those products from
one state to another.
A law clearly prohibiting excessive
freight rates, rebates and discrimina-
ton OF all kinds to favored shippers.
and strict enforcement of the same.
would correct most of the evils that
the people are now suffering from
along those lines, and also along the
lines OF Mr.. Martins effort. And if
Mr.. Martin would devote his talents
and his honest efforts to the enact
ment OF such law in this state, and
in congress, much good might be &C.
complished. But along the lines of
his bill | do not see any good that
will result to the masses of the people
in South Dakota or any other state.
For 1t provides for government SUI
pervision over local matters. and
small business concerns in all parts of
our country, that would be a source of
irritation and annoyance to a large
majority of the people, and especially
to the farmers and small business con-
Germs that do not do enough shipping
to justify the trouble of taking out
government license. In other words
it would drive out all the little fell
lows and throw all this vast business
into the lap of the big corporations,
thereby creating greater monopoly
and less competition in the very thing
most essential to the peoples wants.
| hope Mr.. Martin did not realize
the evil results his bill would produce
when he introduced it in congress,
but it is hard to conceive how a man
of Mr.. Martins wide knowledge and
experience could fail to see them.
But if Mr. Martin did nuorlaoL tho