Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-10-24

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ter Laws us follows 81 !, Ss G. s =
Il The railroad: and warehouse COM
mission is hereby directed to UNDER
take thsf4WorkSo Of securing a, readjust-.
ment OF the existing freight rates III:
thisSstat e,JsWh ch5Wil give more uni-
{ form, system OF rates. throughout the
state and a. Uniform Scale of percent
ages which, each class rate shall wear
+ to- the first class the reimbursement ito
secure "a substantial reduction in the
existing merchandise rates."
There: is no reason for ;presuming
that the inquiry being conducted be-
fore you will result .in5 any injustice to
the railroad companies concerned; if
1t should, the courts are open to them
/ f E the purpose< Of having such cor
Srected and they should be- willing 10
abide by the decision OF the same trib-
5unala which passes, not only upon every
conceivable property right Of the in
sd1Xidual citizen, but upon questions of
life. and death y: s;
It 1t Is astarting ana audacious pro-
posal, that your board should forbear
continuing an Inquiry which you had
commenced pursuant to legislative in
structions, and the suggestion made On
behalf Of railroads other than the three
making the; *proposal-that such a. re-
ductionr would disturb their rates-is
equally 4prepOsterous. The people of
one. portion Of the state should not
continue TO ray excessive rates in .,r-
der that the symmetry of the rates in
force upon some other road, in some
other portion of the state, or in other
states, should be maintained.
Il request, therefore,. that you take
such means as may be available, and
as the Attorney General of this STAGE
may advise You are efficient, for the
purpose of securing t. the people Of
this state the reduction in rates upon
coarse grains by the three roads have
mentioned, pending the decision of.the
Board upon the question Of merchan-
disc rates, nor should such reduction he
limited to shipments originating more
than~10O mileet from the terminals. or if
you should be advised that such action
is not feasible. that the scope of the
present inquiry be So enlarged as to
include not only. the propriety Of The
| present rates on merchandise, but also
commodity rates in this state general
| w.
In conclusion, + desire to assure you
of my hearty cooperation in any effort
you may make to SECURE more equa!
and just railroad rates to the people OF
this state. j. ,.
I'LL, ENTHUSIASTICALLY,
\ -.ss l JOHN 4. JOHNSON,
i "$(Copy.) -" Governor.
+. Following the suggestions of this let
| ter, the commission issued an order
to- the railways Of the state citing them
to- appear and show cause why re-
duction Of IL per cent should not pe
made in grain rates; also a suitable re-
auction in rates on Goa! and commodi-
ties. The companies did not contest
the order, but on August % filed with
the commission a request to reduce
grain rates 10 per cent, and since that
time voluntary reductions have been
made by the roads in coal rates in the
| northern part of the state.
Urged to action by the pressure OF
public opinion, the railway commits
sion on eptember-declared the hear
ing on merchandise rates closed, Ind
issued an order for J. 20 per cent re-
ductfon of such rates on all lines in the
state, and an equalization Of rates en-
a. mileage basis. This order was also
! uncontested by the railways, and the
reduction and equalization of rates will
become operative as soon as the COM
pan1es can arrange new tariff sched-
ules.
From the many cases cited in the
foregoing, II will be seen that Gov.
Johnson at all times has been consist
emit and: insistent in advocacy of rail-
way rate reforms. No fair minded
man will, deny him the credit which is
his due. While his opponents have
been claiming that more laws were
needed, he has been bringing pressure
to bear for the enforcement Of exist
ing law, and his record Of achievement
is proof conclusive Of his statement
that present railway rate laws Of the
state are both Sufficient and efficient"
An incident connected with the mer-
chandise rate reduction ordered by the
commission brings two propositions
into strong relief: Cd That Gov. john
sons influence in rate reform is gen
orally recognized. (2) That it is i'm
possible to swerve him from the cause
Of the people,
On September z, a petition was for
warded to Gov. Johnson from Duluth,
signed by practically every wholesaler
to use. his great influence to secure a
rehearing before the commission Of the
merchandise rate case. The petition
ers gave many reasons for their objec-
tons to the. proposed reduction, but
those advanced did not appeal to Gov.
Johnson. He simply took the ground
in his reply that it was his duty to Sc
cure .:the greatest good to the great
est number and though by so doing
he probably alienatel the support of
these men and firms who controlled
millions of capital he said to them: y
have the honor 20 acknowledge re-
ceipt Of your valued communication of
September Z, enclosing a petition and
protest, signed by Stone Ordean-W Wells
Co., Jeliey- How Thompson = Co., and
other jobbers Of Duluth. who addressed
me relative to the proposed change CT
railway. rates between points in the
state of Minnesota now under consld-
Grafton by the Railway and Warehouse
Commission, and urge me to, use my
official influence to prevent the read
justment of railway rates, and in which
they also request my aid in securing
a rehearing before the Railway and
Warehouse Commission. =,
Replying to this communication, per
NIT me to call your attention to the
fact that in my message to the legisla-
ture at the time of my Inauguration
I recommended. the appointments Of a
joint Legislative committee to. make a
full and complete investigation Of the
prevailing rates of transportation with
in This state with a Wow Of establish :