A FIGHT AGAINST ODDS
Davis, W. E.
A Fight Against Odds George S. Loftus and Congressman James Manahan of Minnesota Have the Credit of Beginning and Leading the Struggle Against Powerful Railroad Interests Which Was Made a Victory...
...Soon after this, Loftus and Manahan began their memorable fight for a reduction' in commodity and passenger rates in Minnesota...
...In the Minnesota legislature of 1905, Mr...
...This was the first general reduction in freight rates ever made in Minnesota...
...The result was that candidates for the legislature had to put themselves on record on the question of railroad rate reform and a majority were pledged to that legislation...
...In the hearings before the state railway and warehouse commission, Loftus and Manahan were practically alone in conducting the fight for the people...
...However, the joint investigating committee headed by Senator, now Governor Eberhart, did little and finally recommended that the matter be taken up by the state Railway and Warehouse Commission...
...To the fearlessness of these two men and their ability to wage such a fight, successfully against such tremendous odds, Minnesota owes her victory over the powerful railroad interests...
...A Fight Against Odds George S. Loftus and Congressman James Manahan of Minnesota Have the Credit of Beginning and Leading the Struggle Against Powerful Railroad Interests Which Was Made a Victory by the Recent Supreme Court Decision By W. E. DAVIS THE MINNESOTA Rate Decision secures to that state the fruits of the good work done by George S. Loftus and Congressman-at-large James Manahan, who led the Minnesota fight for railroad rate reform...
...That legislature enacted the laws which the supreme court declared constitutional a few weeks ago...
...In the meantime, Loftus and Manahan were arousing the shippers and people of the state in preparation for the coming session of the legislature...
...Loftus and Manahan made this fight at a time when some of the very men now endeavoring to grab the credit for it were in a position to help the cause but did nothing...
...They successfully combated the arguments of the railroads, and public sentiment becoming finally aroused, the commission ordered a reduction of 25 per cent, in the Merchandise rates...
...Loftus was the chief witness for the public's side of the case and Manahan was the people's lawyer...
...They controlled the legislature and were working in beautiful harmony with the state government...
...Loftus secured the introduction of a resolution providing for a joint legislative committee to investigate the reasonableness of freight rates in Minnesota as compared with those of Iowa...
...After repeated efforts through these long hearings, Loftus and Manahan finally succeeded in forcing James J. Hill, head of the Hill railway system, on the stand...
...When Loftus and Manahan began their fight back in 1904 the railroads had things much their own way in Minnesota...
...But in face of these odds Loftus and Manahan secured the passage of a reciprocal demurrage law and then began the agitation for lower freight rates...
...It Is to be hoped that the people of Minnesota will not be fooled by what looks like a concerted effort on the part of Big Business Newspapers to deprive these two men of the credit that is justly due them for rendering such a great public service...
...The railroad forces both in and out of the legislature fought this resolution...
...But Loftus and Manahan started a backfire on the railroad members that finally forced the fight into the open and the resolution passed...
...The commission's arbitrary action against Manahan, in ruling him out of the hearing so that he was not able to cross-examine J. J. Hill, intensified the feeling...
...Loftus and Manahan led the fight for the people in the long hearing before the commission...
Vol. 5 • July 1913 • No. 27
