The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-16
Relation Of Earnings to
Service Will Eventually
=. Be Considered.
President n: and Congress
Stand Ready to Provide
=. Special Remedies.

!" for order tomorrow at 10
- = " am, and the members Of the
interstate commerce commission sitting
in the Minneapolis federal building be-.
|gin their inquiry into transportation
conditions in the northwest, the most
important investigation for years from
the standpoint Of the economic student
will be on.
With reference to its direct effect and
the testimony that may come out bear
ing upon the existing situation in the
states Of Minnesota, South Dakota, and
more especially North Dakota, the in
quiry will hold the attention of the
financial and political world. Every
member of congress from the thres
states will watch proceedings, every law
maker will want to know in what de-
gree the allegations made are true, and
levery man whose investments are in
railroad securities will have an interest
real and personal. The people Of the
northWest;Ss especially the people of
North Dakota, will want to know. what
the commission may bring out, and in
the country towns, points from which
evidence will come, shippers and mer-
chants whose experiences will find pre-.
sentation, either direct or by reflection
in the, general experience Of other
shippers or merchants, will be impatient
to know the results.
Back of it all the farmer, whose PROS
perity in these days depends SO much
upon the railroads, will watch to sea
whether, or not things that he knows of
and has seen. will be brought out either
by testimony of his own or Of his neigh.
Dor. f,r. : Ia. -.
The business interests of the north.
west outside of the twin cities will
watch proceedings with the business
men Of the larger urban centers.
Last of all the railroads themselves
will want to know what allegations. Oh
inefficient service are made.
New Question Opened Up.
Beyond all this lies the economic
aspect. Men not in business. not
affected by the situation, not directly
concerned, will watch the inquiry, for
/ it is expected to lead into new field, to
open up question familiar enough to
writers and lawmakers in Europe, but
4 never before to the front in our western
country, where growth has been so
rapid that the finer and closer considers
ations that enter into the management
Of great properties have been passed
over in the striving for results and the
accomplishment Of big things in new
development.
The question is that Of the effect
upon country served by railroads; of
policy Of extreme economy carried on
for several years in the operation Of
the properties.
The northwest has raised this quess
tion. It has seen the inadequate serv.
ice and felt the effects Railroad ex.
cuses for existing conditions have NOS
been wanting. Other parts Of the coun-
try have had their troubles, but the
northwest has had the worst of them.
1 The northwest has made the fiat, outs
right charge that one reason-one very
| important reason-why the railroads
are not giving the people better service
| is because the roads have persistently
operated along the lines Of greatest
possible return to- themselves and least
possible expenditure, that they have
persistently ignored the moral rights
| of the communities served, that aues-
lions Of service due, hardships put upon
the people, even the prosperity of the
people and their safety from suffering.
have been brushed aside in the cray.
ing for dividends
The northwest has brought this new
consideration before the country and
the Interstate commerce commission win
find out what there is to it. Results
cannot be foretold. but it is already
certain that whatever the commission
IN fairness may find, and whether 81
not; it may determine that economy of
operation is q contributing cause suf-
fciently important to enter in an i'm
portant way into the summary Of fac
tors affecting the northwest, that oues-
ton will never again down, but viii
Continued on 10th Page. 3D. Column.