Consolidation. 
371 
loaned the municipal credit to build railroads to draw the busi¬ 
ness of the interior of the state to this city, till the city stag¬ 
gered under a load of debt that threatened to paralyze its 
prosperity.” (8) “We would recommend, as a state policy, a 
pro rata law for freight and passengers between all points with¬ 
in the state, with perhaps the exception of through freights 
from the Mississippi to the Lake Shore. We would have the 
maximum price for passengers not to exceed three cents per 
mile. ” (9) “We would have the legislature provide for the organ¬ 
ization of a Board of Railroad Commissioners whose duty it 
shall be to see that the books and papers of all the various railroad 
companies are kept within the limits of the state, where they 
are amenable to its laws, and can be reached by its public 
officers; they shall be examined at least monthly to see whether 
they have complied with the laws and kept within the province 
of their charters, and if they have not, to provide for their 
proper punishment.” (10) “We would also recommend that the 
next legislature be petitioned by the people of the state, to have 
the law re-enacted, which was stolen from the files in the Sec¬ 
retary’s office before it was published, prohibiting railroad con¬ 
solidations within the state.” (11) A denunciation of the pass 
system. (12) “Your committee sincerely hope, that the friends 
of consolidation will give the public, in plain phrases, and free 
from legal subterfuges and arts, the reasons why, in their judg¬ 
ment, the organization of a monster railroad monopoly would 
benefit the state of Wisconsin. ” 
These two reports present, in their essentials, all the argu¬ 
ments which were advanced for and against consolidation at that 
time. Presumably under pressure of war events, a number of 
papers practically ignored the question, 1 while a few became 
vehement in the discussion. It seems that the Chicago and 
Northwestern Railroad was generally looked upon, at this time, 
as hostile to Wisconsin, especially Milwaukee, interests; and 
when the consolidation scheme embraced not only the east and 
west lines but also the Chicago and Northwestern, the enemies 
of the movement became exasperated. The problem was a diffi- 
1 Kenosha Telegraph, Badger State, State Journal, Daily News 
(Mil.); — the last named says little, but is one-sided in favor. 
