Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-06-04
STATES lO JOIN FORCES
League to Be Formed to Aid
Minnesota in Fighting Rail-
road Case
2-cgNr FARE At STAKE
Suit brought by Railways Attacks
Power Of State. to Control Passen-
ger and Freight Charges Extra
Session Of Legislature Urged to En-
act Retaliatory Measures.

aSS nVS0i0SVIy "S0S0b SOs
Minneapolis, June 4.-Other states
may league together with Minnesota to
defend the principles of state control
over railroads. This is the idea OF
Attorney General e. T. Young in con-
nection with the injunction suits to be
argued soon before Judge Lochren in
the federal court.
The railroad stockholders who COM
plain are trying to enjoin the enforce
ment of state laws regulating freight
and passenger rates, on the plea that
the sole power to regulate commerce
rests in the national government.
Minnesota is the state attacked, but
nearly every state in the union has
laws regulating common carriers, and
most of them have. rate laws. The
Minnesota case is just as important
In its outcome to other states as it is
to Minnesota. On the decision in this
case all state laws controlling common
carriers will have to stand or fall.
Mr.. Young's thought is that other
states may consider the issue serious
enough to make it worth while to give
Minnesota some help. They would
hardly volunteer assistance, tho, and
to pave the way for such an offer he
may communicate with the attorneys
general of the other states, giving them
an opportunity to join in defending
the lowing statement today:
If such an offer is made and accepted
| 1t will make the hearings in ST. Paul
notable for their array of prominent
counsel on both sides Of the table.
Attorney General Young made the
| following statement today:
"In the suits just commenced, the
| issue is squarely raised as to the pow
er of the state to regulate their do
Imestic commerce or fix railroad rates
| for either passenger Or freight, even
on, business beginning and ending
within the state.
| 1T is claimed that the fixing OF
such rates by a state necessarily al
| fects the rates on interstate COM
merce. 1t is pointed out in the COM
| plants that if the several adjacent
states thru which the roads doing bus
illness in Minnesota carry on their IN
terstate business adopted the same
| rates as MINNESOTA, the rates there-
after on interstate business could not
be greater than the sum OF the locai
| rates from the point where the busi-
ness originated, to the state line, and
from there to the point of termination
and that therefore interstate rates
] which are exclusively within the ]ur
1 isdiction of congress, are affected aho
as a consequence state regulation mus
be abandoned.
| 81 consider the argument unsound
| and revolutionary in the domain OF
1 railroad agitation, and it is OF the most
vital importance to all otner sta1es a.
:. we'll as Minnesota. This would be es-
pecially true as to the states that nave
passed a. 2-cent fare law, where II mas
not vet gone into effect. l may con-
clude to take the matter up with stne
attorneys general of Iowa, Illinois, IN
diana, New York and other states
where state laws regulating rates nave
been passed, and invite their cooper
Iation.''
Asked about an extra session, MT
Young said it could not be of any hei8
lin settling the legal questions, and ne
! was ready to meet the issue
| Many letters urging special session
| are being received by Governor Jonn-
1 son. Most of them express indigna-
A ton at the suits, and talk of retalla-
ton.
! Railroad Commissioner G. F. Staples
4 fayors a special session strongly. Ihere
are several things the legislature could
do If it went. into session now, MT
STAPLES said. The Rockne bill, regulat-
ling stock and bond issues was men
toned. and Mr. Staples said that was
one possibility every member OF the
4 Legislature ought to back up the attor-
Iney general now" he said, and urge
him to incur any needed expense 70
fight. these cases"
Mr.. Staples is indignant over the way
so many shippers were deceived into
doing business on the new rates, ano
then lost money. The commissioners
were appealed to every day, and always
told inquirers that the rates would &c
in. They were hearing daily from
the railroad officers that the new tar
ifs were being compiled, and felt thai
there was no doubt about the reduc.
ton going in.