The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1907-01-11
GOVERNOR B URKF'S
INAUGURAL ADDRESS

states, the power to regulate local tratttc
:rate b fiSser tnsr. ~ the statss IN this
railroad saa company shalt not give free
ssrannsportation or passes to any ond, ex-
c ss3Irapp persons IN the actual employ Of the
statesmen that we have must have con-
siaered that such q provision was neces-
s sary IN the interstate commerce bill. and
vision referred to. it will Be practically
slatinm. While the railroad companies
place in one state to place in another
passes good within the state. because
not be q violation Of the Interstate COM
state they can give It in all the states
nuke the Interstate commerce act in
operative In this respect. The railroad
company cannot afford to carry any one
pense Of the general travelling public. It
is better to charge everyone. and then
me railroad companies can afford to
being for The use Of the pubic, there Is
ny reason why one person should have
spect.
Because Of the magnitude Of the rail-
road interests. ]. think 1t is especially
wrong for a public official to accept
passes from railroad. company. He
and he loses the pass when he loses the
office. The corporation understands hui
man N ret nature e and knows that it is natural
cial. honest, as the world goes, remembers
the favor and is inclined to be inactive
u. the passage Of and In the enforcement
pd laws and controlnE rail-
position where he can enact. enforce or
interpret all law for the common good
a and general welfare of the public With
ne viii find hard to do while his pockets
are full of railroad passes. therefore
recommend the enactment Of
An Antl-Pass Law
to further supplement the rate pill" and
TO enable the railroad companies in this
passengers.
1t is now we'll settled that because rail-
roads are for the use of the public. the
right to control and regulate them, SO
long as the regulations are reasonable.
This control includes the right to fix rea-
right to regulate the condition Of the
sSs raiiroa ar as ss' to farnl Rss
and to the puse The, seealatoa
may be by direct legislation or the power
to to. make ,o; such reasonable Tegulations
raroaa s 1as step
is the more practical. IL your railroad
commissioners will act, or If your law
to the is
such q law is the more practical is be-
cause It is very difficult to make g 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
tAe condition could always be met with
L reasonable regulation.
We have had, however. since 1897.
law containing q mandatory provision re-
quiring the railroad commissioners to
make q schedule of reasonable maximum
rates for the transportation of passen-
referred to being section 4343 Of the Re-
yised Codes Of 1905. If this law is en-
forced. it is probably sufficient. 80 far as
commissioners is concerned. If you
should conclude that the power should
not be delegated to the commissioners.
statute. you should be governed in fixing
the rate by the rule laid down by the
supreme court Of the United States in
fhs ease the Hs st.
173, United States. isl, viz: 'SThe
reasonableness Of a schedule of rates for
local business Of railroad company
the RECEIPTS Of the road and
of fixing passenger and freight rates I
best Judgment. feeling certain that you
will find, on investigation. that the local
freight rates are unreasonable, and that
to the railroads and to the people.
I recommend the enactment of law
requiring railroads to keep the roadbeds
in safe nd
a great many wrecks this last fall. re:
ported to be caused by the spreading Of
the, rails: ! was IN one Of them them. and md
ties were rotten. In another wreck on
the same road, in the same county, and
IN the same week the rails spread again;
killed. and was told by reliable men
who were in the wreck. that the ties at
this place were rotten. There can be no
aows is to
in such q condition that the ties are rot
ten some one is guilty Of gross criminal
negligence; and nd T., on account Of such
be guilty of manslaughter and should be
punished accordingly. The railroad COM
R Pasy owes the public s good. safe road,
furnish It and keep it in safe condition.
shortage Of cars, l recommend the en-
companies to furnish reasonable num-
nation. am informed that in many
PbA - VI GA40 eS1SS Su0 It1lAEVdU companies
have Disseminated In favor Of certain
shippers by giving them more cars and
larger cars than other shippers in the
same town. This should be regulated in
such way that no town would have any
advantage over other towns with the
same railroad facilities. and no shipper
would have any advantage over any 9TH
or shipper. The people and the rail-
reads should realize that the railroads
are not for the Individual, but Tor the
uSe Of the public. and that there should
lie no discrimination in favor Of any place
or person. e. @ d.
! Next Call Your Attention 70 Railroad
Taxation.
There 10 general feeling throughout
the state that the railroads are not nay.
ing their Just and pfoportionate share Of
the burden Of taxation. Railroad prop-,
erty should be assessed upon the same
basis 40 the property Of. the Individual,
There . only one way to assess property
80 that the burden may fall alike upon
Al, and q. this one e. ~, way e BY assessing
willing to pay. eSeir just and proportion
ate share Tor the support Of the govern
ment which protects their lives. their lib |
erty, and their property. ,S3 4:
Il IT. 10 true that the law now In force |
requires all property TO be assessed at |
Its actual value. but every one k.loWs |
That no property 10 assessed at its actual |
value. \. There IN no uni ormity about the |
assessment OF personal property. The |