The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-21
What Other People Think
CURE FOR BADRAILROADING
proposition that Farmers Offer $1,000
in Prizes for the Best.
o the Editor CT The Journal.

AL AiASo Luz ZIG beSG.
To the Editor CT The Journal.
Last spring a great railroad man
offered $1,000 in prizes for good farm
ing, to be awarded under well-defned
and widely advertised rules, among the
FARMERS OF Minnesota and the two Da-
kOtas.
The awards have recently been made.
we, are told that good farming would
double the crops on the same acreage
now cultivated, and that is certainly
True. But what good would it do to
double our crops when we are unable
to market what we have raised? ~
What sails this country now? Is,it
poor farming or poor railroading?
Thousands of bushels of wheat and
lax are now exposed in roofess pens,
under two feet of snow. We had
dry fall. The snow is dry and as vet
that grain and flax is unhurt If we
can. get 1t into cars by April we can
save It. But unless the efficiency Of
our railroad service is doubled, much
ct that grain is bound to spoil next
Aring and summer. But what is that
to the on-miles artist9 Spoiled grain
for ~pigfeed pays the same freight as
No. hard for angelfood cake, and it.
might help out on dividends to keep the
old boxcars earning money all next
summer at odd spells when there is
nothing else doing, rather than to tie
up cash IN buying few new cars and
engines.
When people with bursting granaries
and even with money in their pockets
are suffering with cold for want Of
fuel. 1T Is mockery' to tell them that
the remedy is to double their crops
The farmers are amply meeting the
ever-increasing demands of the country
I,
ers doing their full duty; but the ra;i-
road managers have fallen down and
slgnally failed in contributing their
part toward the happiness, and pros
perity of the country Up to a certain
point farmers will patiently suffer the
Losses and injuries inflicted by incompe-
tency of railroad management. but the
breaking point has nearly been reached.
conservative people even are beginning
to think that perhaps after all govern
ment ownership is the remedy. The old
methods of railroading have utterly
failed. They must give way to some
thingtthat will not obstruct the progress
of: the country.
Meanwhile I will be one of seven
thousand farmers in Minnesota and the
Dakotas to raise a fund of $1,000 to
be awarded as prizes for good rail-
roading the coming season.
First prize to be given for prompt
ness in furnishing freight cars and de-
liver;ng freight at destination.
Second prize for reasonable rates
for freight and passenger services
Third prize for running passenger
trains on time.
Fourth prize for minimum number Of
people killed in:wrecks directly caused
by per,ton -per-mile economy such as
rotten ties, overworked train crews. etc.
al
line. before building another Canadian
Pacific M. n. johnson.
Petersburg, N. d., Dec. 10, 1906
spaIding for the Supreme Court.
To the Editor of The Journal.
l notice in your issue of Sunday morn.
ing a communication from Fargo to the
effect that b. F. Spalding is an active
candidate for the appointment to the SUI.
prene, court of North Dakota. as a suo.
cessor to Judge Engerud, who is about
to resign. The communication is writ
ten with the evident design to create the
impression that Mr.. Spalding is seeking
the appointment and urging his claims
upon Mr.. Burke for political reasons. To
all who know the facts this way of put
ting it is false, and does Mr. Spalding.
as well as those who are urging his an.
pointment, a gross injustice.
The facts of the matter are that Mr.
Spalding has not sought the place and is
not seeking it. but many of his friends in
and out of the city of Fargo are urging
ehina to give consent to become candi-a
date for the place. It is not yet known:
whether Mr.. Spa1ding will yield to this
request or not. If Mr.. Spalding does
consent to accept the place if tendereds.
to him, efforts will be made by his friendss
to bring about his appointnenf hr1t no.
for political reasons. His appointments
will be asked solely on the grounds that
Mr.. Spalding is the best man for the
place, and his appointment will give more
general and widespread satisfaction tos
the people of this state than that of any
other person who could be named III. =