The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-06-25

grain r. res OF gin northern
Minneso. P t the railway
commission, , III by subsequent
legislation, tt. voluntary reduction
was followed b. a horizontal reduc-
ton in maximum weight rates Of about
13 per cent, and Il ere was created a
new class Of p< handise tariff in
which the rates were reduced about 20
per cent. The railways took these re-
ductions into the United States courts
by enjoining the attorney general Of
Minnesota from enforcing the law.
This action has opeES up some Of the
most important .tion involving
constitutional intel. alton that has
come before the supreme court In this
generation.
The Two Cent Law.
The enactment Of the two cent pas
senger tariff law was an example Of
Governor Johnson's celebrity Of action.
Invited to address the Min ~. Sdl-
torial association, instead VI making
the usual platitudinous address on such
occasions, "he exploded the two cent
bomb" and urged that an end be put to
the giving Of passes. He talked on
the same subject to convention OF
commercial travellers. Immediately the
state was afame with this innovation
in railway legislation. When the legis-
Iature met he asked for law embody-
ing this idea, and the legislature quick
ly responded. NeighbOring states fol-
lowed with reductions. and now
throughout the middle northwest the
two cent rate prevails.
About the time Governor johnson
came into Office there was wide
spread agitation for reciprocal demur-
rage laws which would compel rail-
ways to allow shippers demurrage
charges for failure to deliver cars on
time. Governor johnson. ever abreast
Of popular progress. recommended such
a law and got it
Thanks to his initiative. the orders
Of the Minnesota railroad and ware
house commission are now immediate
ly effective pending appeal.
In Defense Of Labor.
Governor Johnson.o In consonance
with his thorough democracy and be-
lieving in equal rights, has not been
neglectful Of the interests Of labor. he
desired a free state employment bu-
reau designed to eliminate the many
abuses that have marked private en-
ployment bureaus In the great labor
centers of Minnesota. Such a bureau
was created and has been thoroughly
helpful and widely efficient.
Since time immemorial that relic Of
feudallsm. the common law doctrine Of
nonliability Of employer to employee
for injuries occurring through the negli-
gence Of a fellow servant has prevail
ed in Minnesota as well as in many
other states. This ancient rules the
common law" said Governor Johnson.
coupled with the other rule generally
referred to as the doctrine Of the as
sumption of risk by employees. has
cast upon the individual laborer risk
and responsibility out of proportion to
the wages he receives"
During bis term Of Office Governor
Johnson has had to. deal with one
great conflict between labor and capi-
tal-namely. the strike Of the miners
on the Minnesota iron ranges. BY d.
rect personal Intervention, by advice
to the employers on the one hand and
the strikers on the other. the governor
succeeded, without the use Of state
troops, In preventing violence and
bloodshed.
In the forests and prairies Of north
ern Minnesota are great e1tents Of
fertile lands which. owing to lack OF
drainage, have not been available for
cultivation. Thanks to Governor john
son, additional legislation on this sub
ject was secured, and hundreds OF
thousands of acres Of fertile land will
be added to the rolls Of the states
wealth
Governor Johnson believes In the
municipal ownership Of public utilities,
and. following his suggestion. modi-
fed form Of the Illinois Mueller law
was adopted by the Minnesota legisla-
ture. Under its provisions municipal
ity may bond it's street railways or
other public utilities to pay the cost OF
the purchase and operation Of the
same.
Minnesota. a leading agricultural
state, has long had to contend with
the cordage trust, which has a practi-
cal monopoly Of the binding twine
used in harvesting. For many years
the state has had a twine plant In
which prison labor was employed. The
trust erected a factory in Minnesota
to compete with the state made twine,
and Governor Johnson's answer was,
with the consent Of the legislature,
authorization for the state twine plant
to sell its product outside as well as
within the state. The cordage trust
will now have to fight the cheap Min
nesota state made twine in other states
as we'll as at home.