Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-02

boves from Chicago to Boston IS 30
cents. the rate from Bangor 10 Carl
hon is &c cents, or II cents more than
from Chicago to Boston
II is impossible to give any general
raids on agricultural implements, be
calise they vary so. Agricultural I'M
nle,nents-and it goes without saying,
form one Of the great articles Of com
marcn IN that section. The rate on
ona shipment which has been shown,
from syracuse, n Y, to Northern
Maine Junction, S45.34: Northern Name
Junction to Fort Fairfield, 5000.
Now 50 much on the question OF
rates / want to say just a word turin
err on that proposition. The most OF
what 7 have said has been about me
Bangor & AroostoOk Railroad All
railroads have had "A hard time withln
| the last year. and all business has had
a hard time, but in general want
| to say here that the Bangor IL ARGOS
| took Railroad is fully we'll abb" 10 'ake
cGre Of itself. our interests in Aro"s-
| took county and Eastern Maine are
| identical to a great extent with those
| of the railroad
| We prosper together. But ! speak
of that, because find in the southern
| part of the state there is q pretty gen
eral impression that this railroad up
| there Lays through a SparSfly settled
| country and is more or less phll-
| anthropic institution | want to dls-
! abuse your minds of that idea: and
| with no idea of prejudice against rail-
| roads. | am glad they do prosper. But
l want TO say. the stock IN that raul
| road represents practically-l have the
| word of one of the original stock
| holders for tan Investment of So per
| share of 500 each. and that stock. the
| last Of it, sold as | know, for $50
share The railroad is prosperous and
| the resources OF the country are enor-
nous, ard the freight busineSs-the
part of it out Of the County-is enor-
nous; and there Ks no reason for as
Stunning that the Bangor &. Aroostoolt
Railroad is in danger of failing, or that
it is a philanthropic institution.
ON these Instances of rates that |
have been reading here, l do not as
| sumo TO say, on any Of them, whether
the rates are right or not. l do not
ask this Legislature to say so. Nobody
asks this Legislature 70 regulate by a
vote of this Legislature the rates from
| one point To another. ] do ask this
Legislature in behalf Of the common
people Of shis state and the common
| man WHO has, or thinks he has. q
| grievance against the railroad. that
he shall be given the machinery he
ought to have to get a regulation of
these rates
There is another evil which is worse
| than the actual question of rates it
| self and that is the feeling Of grieV-
| ancc that comes about through fancied
| Inequalities in rates. | am going to
| say 1t is fair to suppose that in most
| instances the railroad companies in
| tend to make q fair rate. | am going
+, to say that 1t is fair to suppose that
| III most Instances the railroad COM
| panN perhaps could be more inclined
| to be fair than the shipper would, if
| he had all to say about it; but / want
| to illustrate by surprising a similar
case in my own business. Suppose We
| have numbering operation in the
| woods of northern Maine and we have
| four or five hun ired men in the woods
working all winter, and they come out
| in the spring. We have kept their &C
counts carefully; We know just how
many DAYS they worked and just now
| much is duo them and just how much
| they have had in the way Of allow
| anccS, either in cash or in supplies; the
| boOkkecper figures out each mans ac-
| count ard shows him what he is doing
| Now i am going to say that it is fair
| to suppose that on the average, | or
any other business man. doing q. large
! business in the woods. would intend To
| be fair with his men. 1t is good bust
ness to he fair, if there We're no other
| reason, and we want to give them eV-
| cry cent that is due them, ard We think
! We have figured ii right but what hap
| pens? A man comes into the Office and
| thinks he is entitled to more than we
have figured his pay. He knows that if
| he cannot agree with us. at least he
| has his remedy and he can go to the
| courts and have the case decided For
! that reason he either agrees with us
| and takes his money or he does go to
| the courts. He does not take his money
| because ne feels obliged to take it and
then go out and complain about us.
| that we have ill-treated him. Now
carry the case 4 step further Suppose
! that to me or to my concern there was
committed by a vote of the state all
| the lumber business of northern Maine
| Suppose it was said to us: You may
| cut all of the trees that are cut ana
| whoever works in the lumber woods
| shall work for you or not work at all.
| Then suppose that q man should come
out of the woods" Suppose we fix the
rate and We said that the rate shall be
50 much per month. and from that there
| shall be no appeal. We pay precisely
the same wages as now and we offer
that man precisely the same amount in
| settlement that we offer now. He NAV
| now accept il, but Wnat would he ms
| condition then, under those Crcum-
stances He would say right off | am
{, in the hands of this corporations
| have got to work for the wages they
set-I can do nothing about t, but
take what they give me. And | assum"
| from that fact that the rate is wrong
| Now, that is the condition that eX-
lists in 4 good many cases under the
present situation. There is no effect
! i've plan or adequate remedy for a man
! who thinks that ho is abused and the
| feeling which comes from that. which
| would not come after the passage of 4