Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-01-24

At the recent annual meeting of the
Minnesota Municipal league Governor
John A. Johnson delivered a notable
address. Governor Johnson reviewed
the issues pressing forward for consid-
eratfon, devoting the greater part of
his address to the necessity for re-
duced railroad rates on the Minnesota
railroads. His speech was listened to
with the closest attention and is con-
coded to mark a new era in the dis
cussion of reforms now before the peo-
pie Of his state.
The governor emphasized the i'm
portance of state drainage and de-
clared unequivocally in its favor that
large areas of state lands may be con-
verted into arabic and profitable farm
lands. He told of the action. of the
several departments of the state gov
eminent in bringing the timber thieves
to justice. He detailed the excellent
work being done by the state dairy
and food department to prevent the
sale of adulterated foodstuffs and to
nesota merchants the ubiquitous "box.
car merchant" Governor Johnson told
of the initiative taken by the Mime
sofa insurance department in institute
ing reforms in life insurance methods,
that the savings of the people may
not continue the profitable playthings
of the insurance magnates. He recited
1f h1
court, UNFOLDING the inheritance tax
law enacted by the last legislature,
and declared emphatically in favor Of
the proposed constitutional amend
ment by which advantageous changes
may be perfected in our present tax
laws. All these questions the governor
discussed, pausing to add the weight
Of his favor to the idea of municipal
ownership by which cities and villages
may own their water, light and power
utilities for the benefit of the people
using them. The larger and broader
subject, that of state railroad rate reg
ulatfon, was reserved for the conclud-
ing part of Governor JOhnson's ad-
dress and to this topic the governor
sized the right of the state to regulate
transportation. His argument was ex-
haustive and incontrovertible and he
showed by comparison of rates with
those in effect in Iowa on the south
and in Canada on the north that Min
nesota shippers are at decided dis
advantage with the rates paid by their
icrh Oh
himself not to be one of those without
hope. He declared his belief in the
sanity and good sense of the people of
the commonwealth of which he is the
chief executive and urged upon the
voter the intelligent use Of the ballot
in securing the reforms which all ad-
NIT are necessary and imperative for
the continued prosperity of the state.
Discussing the transportation question
Governor Johnson spoke as follows:
Railroad Question Paramount.
One of the greatest problems of the
present time, and one of the most
vital concern to the people represent
ed by you, is that of railway transport
tation and the regulation, or rather
the securing of proper tariff rates for
the same. The nation is astir today
and the eyes of all the people are cen
tered upon the congress of the Unit
ed States, waiting with breathless in
terest to see whether the great repre-
sentative of the people shall have the
hearty support and concurrence of the
congress of the United States in his
laudable effort to secure the right of
the people to regulate the rates of
transportation. On every hand we
hear the common cry that there is no
remedy in the law. On every hand
we hear the cry that it is not a proper
function of government to control and
regulate common carriers. On every
hand We hear the cry that the sacred
right of contract cannot be impaired.
We are met constantly with the claim
that the vested and chartered right of
the corporation cannot be assailed,
regulated or abridged. Fortunately
the United States supreme court has
rendered decision that "the superin-
tending power over the highways and
the charges upon the public for their
use always remain in the government
This is not only it's indefeasible right,
but is necessary for the protection of
the people against extortion and abuse.
These positions we deem to be incon-
trovertible. Indeed, they are adjudged
the law in the decisions of this court.
Railroads and railroad corporations
are in this category" If this decision
of the court is true certainly the gov
eminent which has the right to confer
charter, which has the right to dis
pose of the public domain, which has
the right to confer great privileges
upon corporation must have the
right to regulate and control that cor
poration in it's operations.
A few weeks ago I listened to
strange and remarkable language from
one of the members of the interstate
commerce commission. In the lam
guage OF the pessimist who sees no
hope, in the language Of one who feels
nothing but despair he gives voice to
the opinion and to the belief that there
Is and will be, no relief in the law. He
says: "The men who serve in the
cabinet, on the bench and even upon
the interstate commerce commission
are generally lawyers who have re.
ceived in their professional life the re-
tainers of corporations. They cannot
be expected to change their prejudices
and habits of thought on coming into
place and power. No government ma.