The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-01-27


Of the insurance maxnatss. ne recltea
the recent decision 81 the supreme
court. upholding the Inheritance tax
law enacted by the last legislature,
and declared emphatically In favor ot
the proposed constitutional amend
ment by which 'advan RNous changes
may be perfected In OF z 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.
Olation, was reserved for the conclud-
ing part of Governor Johnson's i'd
dress and to this topic the governor
spoke for nearly an hour. He enpha-
sized the right of the state to regulate
transportation. His argument was e.
haustive and incontrovertible and he
showed by h comparison of rates with
those in effect in Iowa on the south
and in Canada on the north that Min.
nesota shippers are at q decided dis
advantage with the rates paid by their
neighbors. Governor Johnson showed
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 IL the
chief executive and urged upon the
voter the intelligent use of the ballot
In securing the reforms which all id.
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, IL that of railway transpor-
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 GEN.
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 10 NO
remedy in the law. On every hand
we hear the cry that it IL not 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 a 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 its ind&easible 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
a charter, which has the right to dis
pose of the public domain, which has
the right to confer great privileges
upon a corporation must have the
right to regulate and control that cor
poration in its operations.
A few weeks ago listened to
strange and remarkable language from
one of the members Of the interstate
commerce commission. In the Ian
guage of the pessimisE who sees no
hope, in the language Of one wis 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 70.
tainers of corporations. They cannot
be expected to change their prejudices
and habits of thought on coming into
place and power. No government ma.
chinery will regulate monopoly. When
men worship the almighty dollar it
will rule them"
Initiation the Great Curse.
Think that all appreciate that these
are peculiar times. We know and
realize that at no time in the history
of the world have a few mon become
SO powerful because of their great
possession of wealth. We are told by
the statistician that 5000 men own
one-third of the property Of the United
States. We are told by the statistician
that if the same ratio Of increase
continues in less than half q century
these same men will own practically
all the property of the country. Own.
ing one-third Of the property of the
country today they positively control
the affairs of the country. They fix
the price Of transportation, they arbi.
trarily Ak the price Of things that We
buy and they arbitrarily fix the price
Of the things we produce and sell.
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