The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1908-04-23

N0uWoy NO00u0NOUs
Taking up freight rates, Governor
johnson in . powerful speech 20 e.
haustively and conclusively barred OF.
listing unequal and exorbitant rates
that the railway companies voluntarily
made = reduction of ten per cent. on
grain rates on their lines in northern
Minnesota BY order Of the railway
commission. reinforced by subsequent
legislation. this voluntary reduction
was followed by horizontal reduc-
ton in maximum freight rates Of about
13 per cent, and there was created
. new class Of merchandise tariff in
which the rates were reduced about
20 per cent. The railways took these
reductions into the United States
courts, by enjoining the attorney gen.
eral Of Minnesota from enforcing the
law. This action has opened up some
of the most important litigation in.
volving constitutional Interpretation
that has come before the supreme
court In this generation.
Tho 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 Minnesota Edi.
torfa1 association, instead of making
the usual platitudinous address on
such occasions, "he exploded the two
cent bomb" and urged that an end b.
put to the giving OF passes. He talked
ON the same subject to . convention
of commercial travellers. Immediate
" the state was aflame with this Time.
walton In railway legislation. When
the legislature met. he asked for Law
embodying this idea and the legisla,
turs quickly responded. NeiShborins
states followed with reductions, and
now throughout the middle northwest
the two'cent rate prevails. :
About the time Governor johnson
came into Office there was Q wide.
spread agitation for reciprocal demur
rage laws. which would compel rail-
ways to allow shippers dsmurrass
charges for failure to deliver cars on
time. Governor johnson. ever abreast
Of popular progress, recommended
such law and got 1t.
Thanks to his initiative, the orders
OF the Minnesota Railroad and Ware.
house commission are now immediate.
" effective. pending appeal.
In Defense Of Labor.
Governor johnson, in consonaaoe
with his thorough democracy, and
believing in equal rights, has not bee.
neglectful Of the interests Of labor. He
desired q free state employment bu
reau designed to eliminate the many
abuses that have marked private en-.
ployment bureaus in the great labo,
oenters Of Minnesota. Such . bureau
vas created and has been thoroughly
helpful and widely sflcisnt.
Since time immemorial. that relic
OF feudalism. the common law doc
trtne of non.liability Of employer %
employe for injuries occurring
through the negligence Of . fellow.
servant has prevailed in Minnesota, q
we'll % IN many other states. This
ancient rule Of the common law" sale
Gov. Johnson. coupled with the other
rule generally referred to 90 the doc
trine OF the assumption Of risk b.
employees. has cast upon the indiyid.
nal 'laborsr . risk and responsibility
out Of proportion to the wages he 70
ceives."
During his tern Of once Gov. JsAn.
son has had to deal with one sreaA
conflict between labor and CAPITAL
namely. the strike Of the miners ..
the Minnesota Iron ranges. Dy direct
personal Intervention. BY advice to thu
employers On the enc hanl and the
strikers on the other, the governor sue.
cssdsd. without the use Of state troopa
In preventing violence and bloodshol.
In the forests and prairies Of north
srn Minnesota are great sxtents Of
fertile land. which, owing to lack Of
drainage, have not been available for
cultivation. Thanks to Gov. johnson.
additional legislation on this subject
was secured. and hundreds Of thou.
sands Of acres Of fertile land will be
added 70 the rolls Of The 5tste'a
wealth.
Gov. Johnson believes In the munl.
opal ownership Of public utilities, and,
following his suggestion. modified
form Of the Illinois Mueller law was
adopted b. the Minnesota leoislature.
Under it, provisions . municipality
may bond ~ street railways o. ether
public utilities TO pay the cost Of the
purchase aad operation Of the same.
kia1sseta, . leading agricultural
,s&ats. has. isng had to eontsnA With
the csrlass trust which has . praest
eaI monopoly Of the binding twiss
used IN harvesting. FOR many ysaye
The, state has had . tWino Dlaat n
which prison labor was employed,
The trust erected factory in Ninno.
ssts to compete with the state-maAo
twins and Gov. Johnson's answer was.
with tia consent Of the legislature.
sutherisatlon fos the state Irvine plant
70 sell ito prodsot outside % well @
within the stats. The oordags trust
will now have b Asht the cheap Mn,
nsssta staae.naAe twino In olkag
states ~ well - at home.