New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1906-11-28
RAILROAD COMMISSION SCORED
Shippers Attorney Talks Plainly
to Mills and Staples.

COuGeHlpGlDle CfllSIuS duu COW
ardly fear of Mr.. Hill were the angry
words hurled at the members Of the
railroad and warehouse commission
during the rate hearing on Monday.
The words came from the lips of Mr..
Manahan, the young attorney for the
shippers association, and he evident
ly meant everything he said.
Mr.. Manahan had asked to be al
lowed to cross-examine j James J. Hill
of the Great Northern road. The
commission refused to grant the re-
quest. Then it was that Mr.. Manahan
made bold to say:
81 believe your refusal to give me
the right to cross-examine Mr.. Hill is
a fragrant and a glaring attempt, in
spired by fear, perhaps, of Mr.. Hill,
to protect him from cross-ex ANNA
ton on all questions that are not en-
tirely congenial to him.
'Why, this morning Mr.. Hill said
that the Great Northern is the target
of demagogues in this state, and neith-
err the attorney general nor the COM
mission had the courage to ask him to
whom he referred.
"Was it a slam at the commission
for having him in here to make him
testify as to his railways?
"Was it slam at the attorney gen.
eral because he permitted himself to
be forced by US to examine him and
never otherwise would?
"Why, this action of yours is unjust
to me; it is unjust to the shippers OF
this state; it is unjust to the people OF
Minnesota; it is unfair; it is cring-
ing to the power of the Great North
ern railroad and Mr.. Hill.
II say it boldly, and to the face OF
this commission.
1T is cringing, and a contempt
BILE cringing, at that. I brand it as an
infamy and an outrage, and I don't
blame Judge Mills for not having the
courage to listen to me, because l
want to ask Mr.. Hill who are the dem
agogues in this state, and how much
he and his railroad have contributed
to elect men to Office in Minnesota.
81 don't care whether it points the
finger at any member of this commits
sion, or the attorney general, or the
governor, or anybody else.
81 want the truth, and am going to
have the truth in this investigation, if
I live. And I want the right to cross
examine Mr.. Hill.
"Why do you deny that right to me
in this case and not in the case of any
other witness who has ever appeared
here?
Heretofore it has been announced
here time and again that any witness
could be examined and cross-exam-
ined by anybody.
"Why is the mantle of protection
thrown around Mr.. Hill, that he shall
not be subject to cross-examination:
commissioner Staples, you sit
silent now, but before election you did
not dare to take the position you take
today, of refusing me the right to be
heard here and the right to cross-ex.
anime witnesses.
"And Judge Mills sneaks out of the
room when an attorney asks plain
right, right to cross-examine a wit.
ness, right to be heard in a case
where millions are involved and the
people are being unjustly treated.
81 tell you. Commissioner Staples,
that it is not right, it is not fair, it is
not honest, and I tell you, further
that l am going to lay these facts be-
fore the governor of this state and de.
mand of him right action I'M the matter
at the very earliest opportunity.