The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1908-01-18

enactment of a primary election law
and a referendum of the same to the
people for approval signed by 1854
electors, was presented to the senate
and referred to the Committee on
Rules. On February IA, Senator Law
son presented 2 long report prepared
for him by a member of the railroad
lobby recommending that IL be indefi-
nitely postponed, and the report was
adopted, Senate Journal pages 479,
52Orl,)
In the United States Senate, Sena-
tor Kittredge never declared in favor
of the rate bill until it's final passage
without his vote became apparent to
all. His personal newspaper organs
in this state openly opposed tile pass
age of the law for months while 1T
was under debate.
5, Senator Kittredge voted against
the proposed amendment to the rate
bill, which provided for the ascertain
ment of the physical valuation of the
railroads as a basis for determining
whether rates charged by them we're
excessive or not.
3. Last year in a letter to Con-
gresham Watson, President Roose-
welt referred to the obstacles inter-
posed by the railroads to the building
OF the Panama canal and said their
opposition sometimes look the form
of "a demand for an investigation
under circumstances which would
mean indefinite delay. Sometimes it
takes the form of determined opposi-
ton to the adoption OF the plans
which will enable the work to be
done, not merely in the best, but in
the quickest possible way" The plan
adopted by the government is a lock
canal.
Senator Kittredge wanted a sea
level canal which would require twice
the time and 800, OOO, 900 more, and
just before congress adjourned in
June 1906, he attempted to pass a res
olution by the aid of democratic votes
in the Canal Committee, to continue
the investigation OF complaints
against the canal homogeneous upon
the lsthmus during the recess of con-
gress. The President complained in
his letter TO Congressman Watson of
sinister opposition and demands
for investigation which "would mean
indefinite delay"
Z. During all the years that the
Kittredge machine was in power the
railroads in South Dakota paid the
lowest tax per mile of any state in the
union.
8. The Legislature of 1907 was free
from railroad domination and free
from control by Senator Kittredge
and his friends. Result
The enactment in one session of the
following laws affecting public service
corporations
Requiring them to pay taxes upon
terminals and other property situated
within cities and towns; directing the
board of railroad commissioners to
ascertain the cash value of the rail-
roads within the state and appropri-
money for that purposes; making
it unlawful to destroy competition by
unjust discrimination; a state pri-
mary election law; prohibiting corpor-
ations from making contributions for
campaign purposes; making secret
lobbying for corporations and special
interests a crime; giving the board of
commissioners power to ex-
anime the books and accounts of pub
lie warehousemen; directing the board
OF railroad commissioners by schedule
fix maximum passenger rates at q
cents per mile; compelling railroads
put in connecting tracks at juno
ton points and TO make joint rates;
requiring railroads to pay double dam
ages for unreasonable delay in making
for damages to livestock
property destroyed by fire; making
companies liable to employees
'or damages caused by negligence of
'o-employes; limiting the continuous
hours of service of railway operatives
% l6 hours; abolishing free passes.
1t promptly passed a joint resolu-
Jon endorsing the policies Of the pres
dent in relation to transportation
thar IS and unlawful trusts and COM
,%inations. But Parmley, the leader
Senator Kittredge's friends in the
house, voted against it. blouse Jour-
lal, pages 13S, 298; Senate Journal, 1
,age 375.)