The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-02-27

serious need of reform in many ways.
There is need of reform, first. in mo-
nopolies. second, in discrimination;
third, in the car service: fourth, in
over-capitalization; fifth. in the inju-
dicious granting of land: sixth, in the
corrupting of politics; seventh, in the
unjust. indirect taxes imposed upon the
American people: and eighth. in the
passenger service.
Just few words with regard to
each of these. The causes of evils con-
nected with the monopolies of this
country can be traced more to our
present system of railroads than to
any other source Commissioner Prou-
ty. in his book entitled "Roosevelt's
Railroad Policy" page IL. says that
100000 miles out of the 100000 miles
of railroads in this country are con-
trolled by six men," Lyman Abbott,
editor of the Outlook. IN one of his edi-
torials. Now II. 1906, says that all the
railroads of this country are controlled
practically by ten men. With such
power concentrated in the hands of a
few men it is no wonder that there is
so much alarm about the growth Of
monopolies in our country.
Determinations.
The railroad rate determinations are
also in need of reform. Mr.. Parsons
in his book, The Railroads, the Trusts
and the People,, page 252, says, There
are more than sixty methods of dis
elimination now in use upon our rail-
roads," Now, how many of these meth
DDS of discrimination are of such a ma
ture that they never can be detected.
much less be regulated by our present
system of railroad legislation.
Two of the worst of these discrimi-
nations are discrimination with regard
to places and discrimination with re-
gard to persons. With respect to
places, the long and short hauls are
frequently complained Of
According to Mr.. Parsons, page 80 Of
his book, The Railroads, the Trusts
and the People," published last June,
THE rate from New York to Ogden,
Utah, is $4.65 a hundred, while 1925
per hundred carried the same freight
all the way from New York to San
Francisco" The railroads charged
more if the car stopped part way than
if it went on to the Pacifc-more than
twice as much, in fact, for the part
haul as for the full distance. So that
the extra charge for not hauling the
car on from Ogden to San Francisco
was greater than for hauling it the en-
tire distance from ocean to ocean.
But discrimination among persons is
| worse than discrimination between
places. The small shipper is discrimi-
mated against, while the larger shipper
receives immense rebates
Rebates Received.
Charles Russell in Everybody's Mag
azine for last February says that dur
ing the year 1905 the American beef
! trust received from the railroads re-
bate amounting to $25,000,OO0. Ev-
cry car shipped for the American beef
trust from Chicago to New York, dis
lance of little over a thousand miles,
brought rebate of $3.50.
Congressman Townsend, in the Bust
ness Mans Magazine for May, 1906,
page AZ. writing concerning rebates,
says: "The Standard Oil company is
charged 10 cents per barrel freightage,
while all other companies are charged
IS cents, and the difference of 25 cents
goes into the hands of the Standard
Oil company as rebates"
President Roosevelt, in his message
to congress last May, said: THE
Standard Oil saved about three-quar-
tiers of million dollars in 1904
through rebates and secret rates."
The interstate commerce commission
has always been powerless to put a
rate into effect because the courts in
most instances have not sustained
them.
Would Change Rate.
In Nebraska the commission tried to
change the rate on hay, but the rail-
roads appealed the case to the higher
courts and the decision of the commits
sion was reversed. Statistics from the
United States senate, compiled by Mr..
Parsons, show that ninety-five per cent
OF these cases have been appealed and
won by the railroads. BY the very ma
ture of the case the railroads will con-
tinue to win in the future, for, on one
side of the contest are few govern
ment officials, while on the other the
tremendous force of corporate greed
and wealth, with command of the
worlds best legal talent.
These are only a few of the many
examples that might be cited to show
that there is much need of reform in
the present system of railroads in the
United States.
Reform Car Service.
There is yet another need of reform:
A reform in the present car servica
Let me read you an extract from a
private letter written at O'Neill, Neb,
under date of Jan. 18th. by the Hon.
M. F. Harrington, leading attorney
of Nebraska, who has recently been
making study of the railroad prob
lew. He says: "Under the present sys-
tenn the manner of using cars is ex-
pensive and yasteful. We do not get
the best results from the total number
Of cars in the United States. The cars
have to be sent back to the roads own
ing them frequently empty. Under
government ownership we could utilize
the cars to the very best advantage"
In fact, Mr.. Chairman, a car sent
over the Illinois Central to North Da-
kota could be utilized in North Dakota
just as much as a postage stamp
bought in Illinois could be used in
North Dakota.