The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1931-03-19
Are
Fighting the
Truck Lines
Community Club Opposing
Legislation to Put Trucks
Out of Business
LARGE YEARLY SAVING
Fargo Rate Zone Particularly
Expensive to Sank Centre
Business Men

A bill has been introduced in the
Minnesota Senate and House of
Representatives to amend the law
pertaining to the operation of mo-
tor vehicle truck lines. This bill
provides that where truck lines
parallel railway lines that 'The
Commission minnesota Railway
and Warehouse) shall not prescribe
or approve any rate, charge, We
hicles, other than livestock, which
shall result in a lower net charge
to the shipper for property carried
in one motor vehicle than the lowest
contemporaries rate or charge fix
ed by traffics or classifications
approved by the Commission for
the transportation by one or more
railroads between the same stat
IONS" 1t is designed to help the
railways by compelling truck lines
to charge the same rates for haul
ing goods as the railways do and
by curtailing the use of licenses to
operate truck lines.
The railways are necessary and
must be maintained in order to
transport goods for long distances,
but the proposed measure is dang
erous and would take away from
the small town, its voice in one
more matter Justice to the rail-
ways can easily be accomplished by
charging greater license fees to the
truck lines and such action would
not require the surrender of the
rights of the smaller community
and of the State. Hearings on this
legislation have already been had
in both the Senate and the House
and quick action was necessary, so
meeting of the directors of the
Sank Centre Community Club was.
called and 1t was UNANIMOUSLY voted
to oppose this legislation and with
instructions to that effect, the mat
ter was referred to the Legislative
Committee of the Club consisting of
L. L. Kells, J. A. Dubois and
George Berggreen. ~
Senator John Jacobs and Repre-
sentative Zeno Moser were at once
advised of the attitude of the Club
and Senator Jacobs has already re-
piled in writing and expressed his
willingness to oppose the proposed
law. Representative Moser has not
yet replied, but it is expected that
he will do all that he can to pre-
vent the passage of this measure.
At the present time control of the
truck rates is vested entirely in the
Minnesota Railway and Warehouse
Commission which knows local con-
ditions in Minnesota and will pro-
tect the rights of the smaller COM
munities. Hearings before this
State body can be had without too
great expense and justice is made
easily available to the smaller COM
munities.
On the other hand the control of
railway rates is vested in the In
terstate Commerce Commission
with headquarters at Washington,
D. c. and it is beyond the means
and power of cities like Sank Cen
ire to participate in proceedings
before that body. It does not know
local conditions and in the past
great injustices have been done to
the smaller communities through
its action. The railways and the
larger communities with experts
and ample funds available have
everything their own way as the
smaller communities cannot afford
representation and the Interstate
Commerce Commission, with the
vast amount of work which it has
to do, cannot, or does not, take into
consideration local conditions.
A more complete statement of
the situation is set forth in the
findings of the local committe
which has been submitted to the
proper authorities. The report fol-
lows:i
The City of Sank Centre has a
population of 2,713 people and is
situated about ITO miles Northwest
of Minneapolis. It is in the social
/ ed Fago rate zone and on account
there of the rates on L. C. L.
freight were raised by order of I. C.
c. approximately 1910 and the rate
on all outgoing L. c. L. shipments
was raised. These increases in rates
CONTINUED on Page Four)