Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-09-21
Ing on the subject Of railway rate In,

ing on the subject Of railway rate In
creases.
Associations Of interested citizens
and private individuals petitioned the
commission in fixing new rates to end
the discrimination against North d.
kota in comparison with neighboring
states
Following the hearing on the an
nounced date there was issued what
purported to be an order Of the COM
mission, signed by the president there
of, establishing rates on the old dis
criminatory basis, signed by the chair
man thereof, the petitions and oral
requests to the contrary being ignored.
Subsequently William Lemke, APP
pointed by Governor Frazier as special
assistant attorney general, asked that
the new rate schedule be declared
void, this motion was granted by the
supreme court on the ground that no
record Of formal authorization Of the
chairman's order appears on the
boards minutes.
Mr.. Lemke, in a statement pub
lished in his newspaper, the Fargo
Courier News, says that an effort is
being made to have It appear that
there is a disagreement between him.
self a the members Of the railroad
commission on this matter.
Nothing could be farther from
the truth. Mr.. Aandahl and Mr..
Milhollan, two members Of the
commission made affidaviH be-
fore the state supreme court that
no formal hearing was held in
this case.
They state in these affidavits
that the commission had neglect
ed to notify The governor of the
date set for the hearing on the
railroads petition and that at the
ex parte hearing only the rail-
roads were represented. These
attorneys convinced the members
OF n commission that the Esch-
Cummihs law had taken the rail
rate making power from the state
commissions and that under the
circumstances there was nothing
TO do but allow the increases
asked for.
A hearing had been called and WAS
held. Why wasn't it formal? Ap-
arenuy Tor the sole reason that two
or the three commissioners chose to
absent themselves. Why were thew
not there?
The statement that only the rail-
roads were represented, by whomso-
ever made, is false. To be specific the
secretary OF the Grand Forks Com
mercial club was there to present the
protest of his club, and the secretary
OF the Employers association was
there for the same and he
participated in the proceedings, ques-
toned the railroad representatives.
and drew from one of them among
other things, the statement that the
north Dakota commission had in ira
possession the schedule of Minnesot.
rates. and was therefore informed as
to the differences between the rates
of the two states.
Nj. Lemke says that the railroad
attorneys CONVINCED THE MEM
BEERS OF THE COMMISSION that
the Esch-cummins law had taken the
rail rate-making power from the
state commissions, and that under the
circumstances there was nothing to do
but allow the increases asked for.-
! When and where did Aandahl be-
come convinced Of this? He was not
| at the meeting. Milhollan dropped
in for a couple Of hours, and dropped
out. Was he convinced SO readily?
Lemke says the commissioners were
convinced. How does he know? Did
they say so, and when? And what
sort Of commission have we If, ac-
cording to Lemke's statement, its
members we're no better informed of
their rights and duties as to what they
could and could not do.
Lemke says that there is no dis
agreement between himself n the
commissioners. Yet Lemke is trying
to make himself a hero at the ex-
pense Of the reputation Of the COM
missioners for ordinary horse sense.