The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-08-21
STAPLES TELLS
OF COMPROMISE.
RAILROAD. COMMISSIONERS SETS
PUBLIC RIGHT. II &s%s
Consents to Consider DISMISSED Of ,Mer-
chandise Hearing Only ON Terms Ap-
plicable to All Roads and Submits
Substitute Agreement Which All Re-
. ject-Would Save Long Mitigation.

g. F.. Staples, member Of the state
| railroad and warehouse commission, to.
day made a, statement Of his position in
the general rate hearings of the COM
mission, especially on the compromise
Of the rate question which was pre-
posed. - z,
Mr. Staples says, in substance: j 5ttG
Commissioner Staples Statement.
GAS I have seen no true statement
published as yet, but have seen in diff,
fereptt papers editorials, news items and
interviews, based on inf ormation not in
accordance with the. facts, and fire.
| quently making unjust criticism of my
position in the matter, i deem it just
both. to; the public and TO myself that
I make@a statement. H., ! ~. ;, go.
| While the whole rate question is the
| subject Of inquiry, the. merchan disc
rate has been the prominent feature.
The, evidence in the hearing is prac-
been granted to Aug. 81 to permit the
examination Of eertai n records. a. !,
During this continuance. and on
Saturday, Aug, II, the commission re-
ceived written communication from
the Great Northern, Northern Pacific
and 500 railway companies, made
jointly, offering a compromise on the
rate, question, this being the first init
Of the companies proposed to suggest
| compromise or offer any reduction
in rates; and which, stripped Of all ex-
planatory Language, reads as follows:
We offer as compromise in the pend
ing rate inquiry to reduce our rates
10 per, cent on grain in Minnesota, be-
ginning with 1OO-mile haul from the
| nlc 10 %h0% hn
commission dismiss the pending rate
investigation.
1.-THE commission took the matter un-
der consideration and decided, first that
no proposition could be considered: IN
less all the companies were notified and
agreed o;5it. j Second, I dictated the
following modified proposition as the
only one would agree to consider, and
it is the only one submitted to the rail-
way company: -.
Suggested Change.
"EC Considering this proposition, the
commission has concluded that if this
proposition is modified as follows, and
all the companies agree to it with this
modifc alton, to-wit: That a 10 per cent
reduction shall be made on the present
grain rates, beginning with ffty-mile
haul, :" and graduating. that reduction
4
runs out and meets the present rate the
10 per cent reduction to begin with, fifty
miles and to cover all points IN the
4 state fifty miles and beyond; and; fur
Their, that a 10 per cent reduction be
granted on all coal hauled between any
stations in the state, and that all those
rates shall be put into Immediate effect,
the commission will consider the propo-
sition Of suspending:: the @investigation
}?now pending, instituted by the commits,
sion, and also the proposition that no
further general freight rate reduction
under said Investigation will be made
completed the valuation Of the railway
properties in the state now under way
which is theSbasis fixed by the supreme
court of the United States for the es:
tablishment Of reasonable freight rates
The commission is not to be understood
as saying it will not hear and determine
as best It can on what evidenceii is Of.
! fered, the issues on any complaint that
is fled here by any party i.II
& This was agreed to, and it wa:
decided to notify all the companies tt
tunity either to agree to it or decline tt
do SO. - M&
Companies Refuse IL
"The modified proposition ,was no
agreed to by any Of the companies II
the state.
"The commission was not in position
to make any order, but having receive'
the original communication felt in dut
give the matter fair considera tion.. TIL
modified proposition not being favo,
ably received by the companies, it wa
on my motion that tho original offe
was rejected.
CHOW as to favoring the modifie
offer, feel sure Of the Endorsement 0
the public: AS the merchandise rat
question has not been decided, it /
not proper for me to discuss that a
, this time, further than to say that !
. is sure that every merchant in the stat
will agree that any considerable redue
r tion in freight rates, and particularl
one which will. directly help the farme
, and the manufacturer will also be :re
, fected in the! business Of. every mel
chant. It is impossible to SLY just wha
any proposed reduction means in actua
, figures, but taking the government es
innate Of grain raised, in the state TO
! 1905, which is 237,7s1,5a6 bushel;
which divided among the different kind
Of grain, and assuming that rs pc
cent of this is marketed, and would b
benefited, and the average reduction l
: ~ cents hundred, we get a savini
: direct to the farmers Of more r., tina
$1,000, 000.:'s =. ~: sss's =: :',,:,
Figures on Coal. =
ttThe best estimate of the tots
, amount of coal consumed in the state j
100000 TONS All are interested i
, coal and any reduction in rates goes: d
= rect to-. the consumer, Under the pro
posed reduction the man now payin
, $1.25 a ton would pay $1.12%; $IBl
). $l.35; $1.75, $1:57h; 81, $3.50; $2.2;
: $2.0211a:sete: a$Ej y - MS.i.
"Remember the compromise apple
5 to all parts the state and'was to CIV
: immediate relief and take no chance
;, on fight in the; courts; for anywhe1
( from two to five years; Furthermore
/; that any order made by the commissio,
- unless the roads voluntarily agreed t
l it could not affect a pound of coal
: grain moved between any point in tt
northern part Of the state and Dulut
for lack Of jurisdiction.
8 "Since an attempt has been made I
l. drag this matter into politics, and pa
n ticilarlY with, reference to my attitud
n after the above explanation, I sha
e leave;its to the people to SdetermiI
!e whether my attitude has been for (
!. against the interests of the public.
II II promise that my attitude in tn