The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1907-01-17
GOVERNOR BURKE'S
INAUGURAL ADDRESS

FOE anpy o sG yo Sa.
vower to regulate commerce between the
oena the se p9Mer to regu.a.e local frame
rate bill" there u q provision that a
'aaroad company shall not give free
TRANSFORMATION, ran or passes TO any enc. ex-
abroad company. The wisest and best
,tatesmen that we have must have con-
sloered that such provision was neces.
vet, on account Of the constitutional pro-
sision referred to. it will be practically
! a,e.; unless supplemented by state leg
place in one state to place In another
sta:e. they, can give transportation or
hat Is not interstate eosnms .' and CAM
not be violation Of the Interstate CONF
aeree act. act. and If they can give 1t in one
dhe xhieh s road n r a the na @
perative IN this respect. The railroad
ION; ;ompa my cannot afford to carry any one
oense OF the general travelling public. 1t
he n e.. railroad companies can afford to
beihg for the use Of the public, there is
40 reason why one person should have
.pect.
Because of the magnitude of the rail-
road interests. l, think it is especially
wrong for a public official to accept
passes PASS from a railroad company. He
ana he loses the pass when he loses the
office. The corporation understands hui.
mar: n nat nature and knows that 1t is natural
cial. honest. as the word goes. remembers
the favor and is inclined to be inactive
the e.,p passage Of and in the enforcement
roads A public oficial ought to be in a
position where he can enact, enforce or
Interpret all law for the common good
to OF Pa0 and
he viii find hard to do while his pockets
are full of railroad passes. therefore
recommend the enactment of
An Anti.Pass Law
to further supplement the rate dill" and
70 enaDie the railroad companies In TINS
state 10 reduce their rates for carrying
1t is now we'll settled that because rail-
roads are for the use of the pubic. the
right to control and regulate them. 80
cong as the regulations are reasonable.
Tins control includes the right to fix rea-
rlsnt to regulate. the condition Of the
ne railroad companiss to furnish
may be. by direct legislation or the power
to make such reasonable reguiations
may IL sssaea 81 sas tte9
is the more practical, if your railroad
commissioners will act. or II your law
* aeaa e S re Is Mh1
cause it is very difficult to make hard
and fast rule fixing passenger and freight
/ equipments. Reasonable rates. under
certain circumstances and, conditions.
might be unreasonable under different
the power in the railroad commissioners
the condition could always be met with
l. reasonable regulation.
We have had. however. since 1897. a
law containing O mandatory provision re-
quiring the railroad commissioners to
make a schedule of reasonable maximum
S5 the rs Pbs State Of te
yised Codes Of 1905 if this law is en-
forced. 1t Is probably sufficient. so far as
commissioners is concerned. If you
should conclude that the power should
not be delegated to the eom M ssa rs;
the rate BY the rule laid down by the
supreme court Of the United ted States IL in
i Esu' Enited H' states. ye7 viz: p1 The
reasonableness Of a schedule of rates for
must be determined by comparison be.
the cost Of operating it, The question
1nE IS
best judgment. FEELING certain that you
will find, on investigation. that the local
eghs rates are nj 3a and
to the railroads and to the people.
I recommend the enactment of g. law
requiring railroads to keep the roadbeds
penalties for it's violation. We have had
great many wrecks this hast fall. re.
ported to be caused by the spreading Of
Know as sha, the SAILS ahs
The same road, in the same county. and
in the same week the rails spread again;
who were in the wreck. that the ties at
this place were rotten. There can be no
company allows its roadbed to become
in such condition that the ties are rot
ten, some one is guilty of gross criminal
negligence. life is lost. some one should
be guilty Of manslaughter and should be
punished accordingly. The railroad COM
bed. and should be required BY law to
furnish it and keep it in safe condition.
In relation 70 the question Of the recent
bAOTtdk0 VI cars, TSCOIuleIO the en-.
actment Of a law requiring the railroad
companies to furnish a reasonable num-
Der Of cars to shippers without discrim-
ination. ! am informed that in many
parts Of the state the railroad companies
have Disseminated In favor of certain
shippers by giving them more cars and
larger cars than other shippers in the
such way that no town would have any
advantage ever ether towns with the
same railroad facilities. and no shipper
would have any advantage over any 9TH
er shipper. The people and the rail-
roads should realize that the railroads
are not for the Individual but for the
use Of the public. and that there should
he no discrimination In favor Of any place
or person.
I Next Call Your Attention 20 Railroad
Taxation.
There is general feeling throughout
the STATE that the railroads are net pay.
ing their just and propOrti0nato share OF
the burden Of taxation. Railroad prop
erty should be assessed upon the same
basis as the property Of the individual.
There Is only one way to assess property
SO that the burden may fall alike upon
all, and this one way L. by assessing
It at its actual value. BY SO doing, no
one can complain. because all should be
willing to pay sSeir just and proportion.
ate share tor the support of the govern
ment which protects their lives, their lib.
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