The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1913-03-13
Senate Passes the eastman
Distance Tariff Bill.
COUNTRY AGAINST, the CITY
One Result of the Contest Over the
Measure Is Very Much to Be
Regretted.
Especial Correspondence


lent that railroads operating in the
state will be doing freight business
on a distance tariff basis within the
next six months. In the face of vigor-
GUS opposition, with the big terminal
centers, st. Paul. Minneapolis and Du-
luth, standing the expense, the Cash
man distance tariff bill passed the
senate last week by a good majority
and there is nothing to show that it
Will be rejected by the house. In
consequence there is weeping and
Wailing and gnashing of teeth in the
three big cities and other terminal
points, with the wise ones cudgeling
their brains in an effort to head off
what they regard as a calamity. They
may do it, but have my doubts. Too
much publicity seems to have been
the undoing of the cities and the
chances are that those in charge will
continue it with final results in favor
of the measure. Out of it all has
grown a thing deprecated by every
body and that is the putting of the
country against the city. No session
OF the legislature in late years has
been free from this one thing at some
time or another and the eastman
bill is the responsible agent this time.
:. :. :.
In these piping times of progressive
beliefs and party Reorganization pub
.licity is looked upon as the medium
for the exploitation of all things con-
duclve to the happiness and comfort
OF the common people, but there is
such thing as OVERRIDING it. That
is what the st. Paul chamber of COM
merce did in it's campaign of full page
advertisements in the Twin City
dallles and it has the eastman dis
lance tariff bill as the result of it's
efforts. The whole thing simply
brought the country end of the game
up standing and it pounded away
with results as stated. No one coun-
tenances gumshoe methods, even if
the cause is good one, but here is
a tip when things legislative is in
volVed: Don't raise hue and crv:
work quietly, convince your man. and
above all don't tell him that any par
ticular section will be ruined beyond
redemption if a law prevails. This
does not mean the use of money or
the Swing Of lavish entertainment
Such methods were popular at one
time, but their day has passed. Ap-
parent don't care has open worry
beat mile.
:. :. :.
Iowa is the one Western state with
a. distance tariff, but the eastman act,
while patterned after it in a measure
is said to be much different. H. H.
Dunn of Albert Lea, who is fathering
the bill in the house, calls it an anti
discrimination act. A per mile per
ton rate, he says, is really the basis
and not distance, irrespective of
whether the load is a pound or ton.
The general impression is that so
many miles over which freight is car
r1ed is the basis of charge, the dis
lance being divided into units. Iowa,
as stated, has had a distance tariff
for years and the opponents of the
measure point it out as ''jay" state
In consequence. They say it has re-
tarded the growth of all terminal CEN
ters and scattered the working and
business forces of the state.
= :. :.
MI.
The house put across the Minnette-
SchWarz-Holmberg telephone bill by
an overwhelming vote and unless un-
expected opposition develops it will
get by the senate. Only three votes
were registered against it in the low
er body and they were by city mem
oers. The feature of the bill is that
all companies operating in the state
are put under the control of the rail-
road and warehouse commission An
other feature is compulsory physical
connection between rival lines. This
latter feature is not relished by the
Northwestern Telephone company
and its agents made strenuous efforts
to have it removed. The independent
lines wanted it and they prevailed.
1t is more than likely that this pro-
vision of the bill will go to the courts
for settlement if the act becomes q
law.
\ :.
If the biennial banquet of the third
house," which is feature of every
legislative session, is turned into
BOOZE party those responsible will
lose their jobs. The banquet takes
place this week and notice in con.
Torrance with the above was served
upon those in charge by the house
committee on rules. The third
house" Is composed of the employees
OF the two branches of the legislature
and it was planned to have a bottle
of beer opposite each plate. The
story became current that the beer
was to be furnished gratis by q local
brewery. hence the order. That the