Bisbee daily review., 1907-05-17
STATE RATES G|VE COMMISSION
 TROUBLE
Reduced Rate in Minnesota Lead to Charge of S3 for Ride of One Mile Across Red River Into North Dakota.

WASHINGTON, May 16.-The In-
 terstate Commerce commission is Lo-
 ginning to receive information which
 goes to show the forty-six different
 kinds of red-hot trouble the differ ent state legislatures are kicking mp. The first tnttniativn coIIiSs irolsl Min
 nesota, where the new 2-ceaf passen- ger rate Jaw went into effect on the
 first of the month, anc already there is demand from the pu2Ec tC Enow
 what the commission is sCing to do about some of the kinks into which
 the new law is throwing things.
 Here are , few of the conundrums
 that are being handed tne commits sion: Minnesota is separated from North Dakota by the Red River of the north. On the Minnesota side are the three towns Of Breckenridge, Moorhead and East Grand Forks. Across the river from them are the important North Dakota towns of Wahpeton, Fargo and Grand Gorks, respectively.
 II man buys a ticket from Minne- apolis to Breckenridge under the new law it costs him SI44 less than if he bought 1t to Wahpeton, although the latter place is just across the river from Breckenridge and the two Iuwus are within sight of each other. IL IS desired to have the Interstate Con- nerce commission state whether the rate of sI.44 for a ride of about a mile is considered a just interstate rate,
 If q man buys a ticket from Aiinnc- apolis to Moorhead it costs S2.SS less than if he buys one from Minneapolis to Fargo although Fargo and Moor head are less than mile a part Will the commission kindly tell why man should be asked to pay s2.3S flor a ride across the Red river when he can walk the bidse in eleven min. utes?
 If man buys a ticket from -Minne-, apolis to East Grand Forks it costs $3.06 less than if he bought iL from Minneapolis to Grand Forks. Can the commission say whether this IS all right. when a man can stand in East Grand Forks and all but throw a stone into Grand Forks? Is it worth $3.GG to ride across a short bridge, and If not, what can a. man do wnen the railroad says he must pay or walk?
 The Interstate Commerce commits sion is willing to admit that this aind ] of mixnp is liable to result all ] around the borders of each Of the 1 forty-siX states wherever they fac. i some other state, and that it IS i snaFl from which it is small woIder | the people want to be relieved. but 1 up to the present moment the com is not prepared 70 offer any very definite solution.
 The commission" said one n,-m- Der of it, "could only take up the | question of the rates ln situation l like that~in case some one came for ward with a specific complaint al | leging extortion. That would involve i a hearing and. arguments, which l would be held in due time. In deter mining the point We haze so far but l one rule to guide us, ana that IS the | rule laid down in the freight rate | cases to the effect that Jhe through | rate must not exceed the sum ua toe i local rates.
 .If a case comes to the commission l in way so that we can bring that | rule to bear the inequalities between | the states, such as stated, would of | course, have to have their day in 1 court, and they might set up the i claim that the lower state rate was | unjust, and if they made good on l that contention it would compel the l restoration of the higher rate"
 The members of the commission l are all careful to state in each case 1 that they can talk only tentatively l on the question of the conflicting 1, state laws, and it is plain flat they do | not intend to put theIr foot in it De l fore the courts or congress CT some | authority has an opportunity to pass upon the question as to whether ali | railroad rates are not under inc ex- elusive control of the federal goyen- ment, as the president is inclined to believe.