56 WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY . 
4 
of the few, but lor the convenience and the benefit of the people 
of this whole country—for the progress and advancement of our 
vast and varied interests, and for bettering the condition of all the 
people. At the same time, I would have these great corporate in¬ 
terests appreciate the fact that the sentiment of the thinking, in¬ 
telligent people of this state is, that the capital invested in these 
highways of commerce shall pay a reasonable profit, or interest, 
upon the investment — at least remunerative returns equal or 
above the industrial and manufacturing interests by which they 
are fed and sustained. In other words, these railroads and all 
other legitimate enterprises are so closely interwoven and con¬ 
nected that they are mutual interests, each dependent upon the 
other for support and life, and hence the profits of the labor and 
capital invested in each should be as equally distributed as possi¬ 
ble, to produce the greatest amount of contentment and happi¬ 
ness among our people, and mete out even-handed justice. 
The masses of the people believe that railways are charging 
them exorbitant rates of transportation for freight and passengers, 
and will not be satisfied until an impartial investigation is had 
and the naked facts laid before them. I have long thought it ex¬ 
pedient and wise to create a railroad commission, with power to 
send for persons and papers, to enquire into complaints, and as¬ 
certain if special privileges are given to one person or company 
over others under similar circumstances, and am happy to state 
that a law has been enacted to have such board appointed. The 
railroad interest is now of sufficient value and importance to war¬ 
rant the people in knowing its relative position to the other great 
interests of the state, and of still fostering and encouraging it, or 
holding it in check, that it may not absorb or cripple other great 
business avocations and pursuits of the state. 
Transportion by water is one of the questions which should re¬ 
ceive the cordial support and encouragement of all our people, for 
there is no disguising the fact that transportation by water is much 
cheaper than by land. This has been demonstrated in all ages of 
the world, and will probably never be successfully contradicted. 
We see in our own state, that transportation by lake and river, 
coming in competition with railways during the season of naviga¬ 
tion reduces the tariff of tho latter. The same is true of the Erie 
