The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1921-02-17
RAILROAD CASE UP
FEBRUARY 2lST
FEDERAL EXAMINATION INTO
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST
STATE DUE

In the United States Court Room,
at Bismarck, on Fabruary 21, begin
ming at 10 A. NJ, the Interstate Com
Commerce Commission will begin tax
ing testimony as to the discrimina-
tion against the people Of the state
Of North Dakota by the railroad rates
now levied. The hearing will be before
Examiner Healey, and has special sig
.nificance owing to the fact that it
is the first recognition given to the
claim made by North Dakota that the
rates charged her peoples for freight
and passenger service was as much
as 40 per cent higher than that of ad-
joining northwestern states. These
rates and this discrimination have OBJ
tanned in this state since statehood,
with no relief offered by the federal
authorities, and, until the enactment
of the law fixing just rates by the
farmer legislature in 1919, no attempt
by the state to stop the injustice since
1888.
Insult to Injury
The increase permitted to the rail-
roads by the Interstate Commerce
Commission of IS per cent in freight
rates and 20 per cent in passenger
and milk rates, on top of the discrim-
inatory rates already paid by North
Dakotans, piled insult upon injury.
The state Board of Railroad Commits
sioners, after due hearings, denied the
railroads the right to make this in
crease, at least on traffic within the
boarders Of the state. The railroads
appealed to the Interstate Commerce
Commission to set the decision of the
state Board of Railroad Commission
ers and the rate they had fixed. Some
inkling of the, injustice done North
Dakota must have reached the fed
eral body, for it elected to hold an
investigation and fix if possible the
extent of the discrimination.
The total intrastate traffic in North
Dakota for 1919 amounted to $7,1S7,-
725.29. If the increase demanded by
the roads should be granted North
Dakota will pay neasly~ $4,000, ,n0O.00
fore to the railroads than it now pays.
Because Of the failure of the state
legislature to make proper appropria-
tion of funds wherewith to secure evi-
dence and expert accountants-which
failure is assigned entirely to parti-
san politics and jealousies in the leg
islature-the state approaches the
hearing with very little if any data
or preparation for a showing.
The old political machine, under
Alex Mckenzie, ruled North Dakota
at the behest of Jim Hill, and in those
palmy days the railroads were first
served and best served by all state
officials. Many members of the old
machine are again in the Legislature,
still constant to their old love, and
glad Of an opportunity to block any
move that would interfere with or
threaten the railroad revenues. These
they looked upon as the backbone of
the opposition to the appropriation
to fight the increased rates. These old
and cool heads are~using the fanatics
who suffer from frenzy of. hatred
for anything that the farmers or
ganization may propose, to foist upon
the state load it i'll can bear, with
wheat prices where they are.
Contributions Received
Rather than see the state 90 into
this battle empty-handed, many citi-
zens have been sending in subscrip-
tions of 81 and up to the Courier
News Of Fargo, the funds to SUBJ
scribed to be used in default of the
money which the legislature should
have provided to protect the people.
All who wish to contribute may ad-
dress, VIM. Lemke, care Box 941, Far
60. Contributions will be returned
should the unexpected happen and the
railroad machine in the House at Bis
marck permit the passage Of the
needed appropriation.
BOTTINEAU WOMAN's CLUB
The Bottineau Woman's Club met