The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-09

Minnesota s Municipal and CONNER
clal league convened today in the house
OF representatives hall in the old CAPT
tol, St. Paul, with a goodly attendance,
The opening Of the convention was
taken up with the routine work Of ap.
The event Of the day was the presen.
tation Of the, annual report Of the
president, L. A. Rosing, lengthy doc.
ument Of twenty three typewriter
pages. The paper reviewed at length
economic conditions thruout the states
In opening, Mr.. Rosing assailed the
United States Steel. corporation for its
practical seizure Of the iron deposits
Of the state and fol, the small return
"The United States Steel com any
has obtained possession Of this vast
wealth thru it's control of the avenues
OF transportation; by its ownership OF
the railroads that tap these ranges, and
by its power to fix it's own rates fol-
transportation,' said Mr.. Rosing. "By
having this power the United States
Steel s. company has been able to prevent
trolled by Independent owners or cor.
porations. It has practically closed all
mines not owned or operated by itself
or its henchmen. I believe one or two
independent mining companies are still
permitted to live, but they have had
to promise to be good. ~. ~ E.
Independent Owners Discouraged.
railroads the United States Steel com.
pany has been enabled to discourage
independent owners and the indepen.
dent operation of mines, and, as con.
sequence, has been enabled to buy ur
these wonderfully productive iron
lands at practically. it's own price, and
the great bulk Of the discovered iron
is now in the hands and under the con
trol OF that company. In return for i
the the Corporation Of Do Minnesota nei have We
received $679,000, and you have beer
permitted to pay constantly increas
ing price for your iron. [ am Informed
that fifteen or twenty years ago iror
billets were returned to Minnesota al
a cost Of 1915 a ton, while now yor
have to pay oyer $40 a ton for the
same material.o ..
The speaker. then gave detailed re
railroads. They have Of late failed tt
declare. any dividends, but, they have
on hand today surplus of $10,857,7 64
or 1921, 1874 per mile Of road. Mr.
| Rosing stron ely indorsed legislation fo1
further governmental rate control OF
railroads. 1.-THE battle of rate contro
has just commenced, he said "and il
aggressive and continuous. y MI. Ros
ing spoke of inequalities in rates with
in Minnesota and of the need fol
stronger control of railroad corpora
tions by state authorities. ~
Rural Population Shifting.
In concluding the speaker devoted
some time to illustrating from figure
| of the last census, how the rural popu
lation is drifting, to the cities and vii
| lagos, that the farmer, as soon as h
gets comfortably off, moves to SOM
town for. future residence. With th;i
state of facts true the work Of a. mum
cipal league becomes yearly more ne
cessary and more important. :
Delegates Are Delayed. - j
There was a small registration thi
morning, as many delegates did not al
rive till noon trains. Twenty cite
were represented by those who appeare
order and announced that no bushes
would be transacted till 1880. At tina
time Louis Betz, city controller, mad
the address of welcome, replied to b.
Leslie Welter Of Moorhead, vice pres
dent of the association. The regula
! scheduled addresses were then given.
Following the address of Presiden
Rosing, a paper on t'The Insuranc
Problem was read by T. D. O'Brier
state insurance commissioner, in whic
he again went on record in favor .
annual distribution Of surplus, of syt
TEN of federal license to supplement
state supervision, and a plan of holdin
policyholders meeting by states, so a
to give them a real voice in manage
ment. Representative w. A. Nolan Q
Grand Meadow then spoke on Tax
I tion.'' - -"
The association will hold session
Wednesday and Thursday. ..