The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-05-15

pressly mandatory that the legislature
SHALL establish maximum rates of
transportation
AT every legislative session since
statehood began this specific consti-
tutional mandate has been totally ig-
nored. and the members of both
branches Of the legislature thereby
have been persistently unmindful and
grossly negligent of their sworn duty
TO the people of the state.
In the constant failure of the legis-
lature to observe the positive terms
Of the state constitution. which each
and every member had solemnly sworn
to uphold, and to establish reasonable
alone, every man, even II so poor as
to have his humble home represented
by but single-room cottage, every
widow and orphan, every householder
of whatever degree, every farmer,
every merchant and every manufac-
turer within the state has been and
is being constantly and continually
wronged-
'@The Union Pacific and Oregon Short
Line, as well as the Denver & Rio
Grande Railroad company, being each
appealed to, have positively refused to
reduce their rates on coal for our
people. The shipments of coal into
the state over the first two roads men
toned being mainly interstate in char
aeter, their rates are not subject to
our state control.
The shipments Of coal over the Den
yer & Rio Grande railroad are local
within the state, wherein the coal is
also produced, and are entirely sub
ject to control and regulation by the
Legislature of the state.
THE Denver & Rio Grande railroad
has been and is being loaded to over
flowing with revenues from the traf-
fic Of this state. Its settled policy
with our people clearly appears to be
that nothing shall be appreciated, but
everything eXacJed and absorbed which
the state car produce.
Dead-Head Excursion.
THE only apparent concession yet
appearing from that railroad cOmpany's
interests was that dead-head excursion
for the members of the last legisla-
ture to enrapture their delighted senses
with the enhancing scenery eXempli-
fled in the stretches of salty desert
along the line of the Western Pacific,
with a free lunch and free drinks ac-
compartment.
THE net results of the junket, so
far as could be discovered, were the
thickening of the already luxuriant
bush of cObwebS over the eyes off,
cial, and the smoothing out of the
rusty wrinkles in the all too eager
bellies of the near-statesmen, and, in
cidentally, costing the people OF the
state hundreds of thousands of dollars
annually OGSH liiClI diulOSl
neglect In not devoting their time paid
for by the state in esta blishing reason
able rates on coal alone. How the
railroad officials must have chuckled
at their really unsophisticated sim
plicity. But what of the interests of
the people they were elected to repre-
sent?
"A new legislature will assemble
next winter. The voters, the people
OF this state, should see to it that
none but men of strong sense and
sound judgment are sent thereto, and
who will fearlessly perform their clear
and bounden duty toward them
The Governor of the state should
properly pass this subject of railway
transportation rates to the legislature
in no uncertain terms, and If reason
able results are not forthcoming dur
ing the session, an extra session should
be called, and this crying and most
urgent need of all of our people be
completely and justly satisfied. There
are no politics in this movement. II
is intended for the good of our people.
COAL RATES MUST COME DOWN"