The Mankato free press., 1906-08-17

eSt1ng reaulng III IhiS Weeh Ioo1 an"
Record of Rochester, MINI. Editor
Blakely has asked several very pertinent
questions of the railway and warehouse
commission and received a succinct re-
ply covering them all. 1t seems to re-
solve itself into something like this:
Question: Did Governor johnson ever
do anything looking to the relief of the
people as against the railroads?
Answer: He never did.
According to the testimony given, he
never took a step until he was prodded
up by The Dispatch, and then he gave
utterance to veiled threat of what he
would do to the commission if it did not
do its duty. In other words, just at the
end of his term, he suddenly remem-
bers the railroads and decides to prick up
the commissioners. None of this, how
ever, occurred to him until his term is
three-quarters gone.
The correspondence referred to is as
4
follows:
Rochester, Mimi, Aug. 3. l9O6.-To the
Honorable Railroad and Warehouse Com
mission, st. Paul, MINI. 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 i'm
posed upon it by law to equitably ad-
Just the freight rates between the car
rer and shipper on the various lines of
railway in this state, he would remove
YOU from office.
First-Has your board neglected to do
any act or thing which Governor johnson
has requested you to do?
Second-Prior to the interview refer
red to under date of July "a or at any
time since, has Governor johnson made
complaint to your board in writing
or verbally complaining that any of the
freight rates in this state were too high
or unreasonable or asking for a horizon
tai or any other reduction in the freight
rates to the different stations or to any
station Oh any line of railroad in this
state?
Third-Has Governor johnson made a
complaint verbally or otherwise to your
board asking for the correction of any
discrimination or claiming discrimination
existing between any points on any line
of railroad in this state?
Fourth-Has Governor johnson ever
conferred with your board or any of its
members regarding freight rates or dis
ordinations or any other question per-
tanning to the railroads in this state
FiftllEGOvernor johnson in the inter
view referred to states that your board
assumed to make ain order regulating
freight rates on all roads in this state.
What official knowledge on that subject
has Governor johnson from which he
could make such 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 col
lection of unj ust and eXhOrbitant rates
on freight. Has your board or any of its
members any knowledge, either official
or otherwise, that Governor johnson has
accomplished or attempted to accomplish
up to the present time anything which
in any way tends to correct such abuses
if any exist? Respectfully yours,
A. w. BLAKELY,
Editor Post and Record.
Aug. IL, l9O6.-A. w. Blakely, Esq,
Editor Post and Record, Rochester,
Minn. Dear Sir: Your favor addressed
to the commission enclosing series Of
questions which you propounded to the
commission for answer is received and
has been brought to their attention.
I am directed by the commission to
make reply as follows:
Reply is made because courtesy de-
mands it. The commission prefer very
much to have no publicity in matters of
this character 1t is needless to reply
to the questions in detail; a general
reply covering all questions is given.
Governor Johnson has never at any
time in the office of the commission or
at any other place conferred with or
consulted the commission or any member
thereof in any matter pertaining to rate
questions or to the railways of this
state, nor has any complaint either
written, oral or otherwise come to the
office of the commission from the gov
ernor regarding the matter of railroad
rates or matters involving the super.
-.s Ast.-zss- 81. 2. sss-.s ....s a .Ee..s =.
- -,