Morris tribune., 1906-08-25
RAILROAD COMMISSION
DECLARES He DID NOT
CORRESPONDENCE THROWING u
STRONG LIGHT ON cHARAc.
TER OF THE JOHNSON
ADMINISTRATION.

view he admitted are not giving ship
pers the rates of transportation to
which they are entitled appears from
the answer by the board of railroad
and warehouse commissioners to a
communication addressed to them by
A. W Blakely, editor Of the Roches-
ter Post and Record. The CORE.
spondence is as follows:
Rochester, Mimi, Aug. 3, 1906.
ITO the Honorable Railroad and Ware
house Commission, st. Paul, Mimi. :
"Gentlemen-In an interview in the
st. Paul Dispatch of July "a Governor
johnson made the implied threat that
in the event Of your board failing to
perform the duty imposed upon it by
law to equitably adjust the freight
rates between the carrier and shipper
on the various lines of railway in this
state he would remove you from
Office.
Il write to ask:
''F'irst-Has your board neglected to
do any act or thing which Governor
Johnson has requested you to do?
SecOnd-Prior to the interview re-
ferred to under date of July "a, or at
any time since, has Governor Johnson
made a complaint to your board in
writing or verbally complaining that
any Of the freight rates in this state
were too nigh or unreasonable or ask
ing for a horizontal or any other re-
duction in the freight rates to the
different stations or to any station on
any line of railroad in this state?
"Third-Has Governor Johnson
made a complaint verbally or other
wise to your board asking for the cor
rection of any Discrimination Or claim
ing discrimination existing between
any points on any line of railroad in
this state?
"FoUrth-Has Governor Johnson
ever conferI ed with your board or any
of it's members regarding freight rates
or determinations or any other ques-
ton pertaining to the railroads in this
state?
'Fifth-Governor Johnson in the in
board assumed to make an order reg
ulating freight rates on all the roads
in this state. What official knowledge
on that subject has Governor Johnson
from which he could make such a
statement?
"Sixth-Governor Johnson further
states in the interview referred to
that he has done and is doing all
within his power to stop the abuses
and prevent the collection of unjust
and exorbitant rates on freight. Has
your board or any of its members any
knowledge either official or otherwise
that Governor Johnson has accom-
plished or attempted to accomplish up
to the present time anything which in
any way tends to correct such abuses
If any exist?
Respectfully yours,
(Signed GA W. BLAKELY,
Editor Post and Record"
To the above communication the
following reply was received:
"St. Paul, Aug. II, 1906
"a. w Blakely, Esq, Editor Post and
Record, Rochester, Mimi:
Dear Sir-Your favor addressed to
the commission enclosing a series Of
questions which you PROFOUND to the
commission for answer is received
and has been brought to their atten-
ton.
81 am directed by the commission
to make reply as follows:
"Reply is made because courtesy de-
mands it. The commission prefers
very much to have no publicity in
matters Of this character. 1t is need
less to reply to the questions in de-
tail, a general reply covering all ques-
tons is given.
.................. ...............
"Governor johnson has never, at
any time, in the office Of the COM
mission, or at any other place, con-
ferred with or consulted the COM
mission or any member thereof
in any matter pertaining to rate
questions or to the raIWays%of
this state, nor has any complaint,
either written, oral or otherwise,
come to the office of the commits
sion from the governor regarding
the matter OF railroad rates or
matters involving the supervision
of the railways of the state.
"Yours truly,
"A. c. CLAUsEN, Secretary"
s........ ...'.....'...'.
The paragraphs in the governors
interview to which reference is made
in the above correspondence are as
follows:
"In view of the recent enactment OF