The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-06-05

hos 81 j S,fls. Austin.
~ DEti sIn- lonrs of tie tnsnty-tiiir5
received tiiis morning. il reply g your in-
etigy s. s. my gereral views OFFS proper
liuecf policy @ be pursued towards rail.
road corporations, n The matier II piacins
resirelioas and cunsii}iors upon them, !
have to say TINT am sssng aivocste 81
railroads. They are an absolute necessity
e q proper development and growth and
settlement ~ Texas. we have tie finest
lands in The world We need lsb0r Tor
these lands Nitllabofta develop fheir 9r..
ducliyc capacity and cheap ana rapid
transportation for their products to market,
they aFu q mine ~ untold wealth.
Withent these theis value Is merely nominal.
ilew can We best promote immigration and
thereby bring ipto aetiye lie the wealth.
which now lies dormant in our lnlimprovcd
lands
I answer unhesitafingly, By giving liberal
encouragement to the construction Of rail-
roads. Our public domain IS the only fund
upon which we can draw for TINS pHrpose.
bat it is ample under a judicious admins
tration, besides LAYING the foundation for a
munifoent school fund, and furnishing
homesteads for all desiring the benefit Of
OR presumption laws, 10 give such aid
to the construction of railroads rs will
secure TO Texas all the benefits they can con
fer While profoundly impressed with the
conviction that liberal railroad poiicy IS a
necessity for Texas, am at the same time
fully alive to the paramount I'M
portance OF providing against accumu-
lati0n OF power IN the hands of the
corporations owning them We should risk
nothing: leave nothing 10 chance; trust
nothing 10 promises; rely on nothing but
our OWN power 10 protect ourselves on this
score. Every grant Of corporate rights and
privileges TO railroad companies should be
50 limited and restricted as to subordinate
them, for ali future time, to the legislative
viii, IN every matter and on every point,
where, il not so restricted, it would be in
the power of the corporation Ia affect inju-
riously the public interest. Among the
points which now occur 10 me- over which
the State should reserve the fullest lcgisia-
tive power. | willmention that of regulating
and controlling the tariff Of charges FOR
freiglits and passengers. To regulate and
control. independent Of their contracts. tbcir
duties and Responsibilities as common car
ricrs To Prevent their consolidation with
other iAlss thereby Destroying competition
creating monopoly and centaliEng their
powers. think il would be wei If orr
organic law were SO amended as 10 put il
BEYOND tho power of ihc Legislature to char
tei such corporations, except under such con
ditiOfs and limitations as would surely hold
them amengble TO the control Of the State
authorities. ON MI points where they may
touch the public interests. Certainly the
central idea in all our legislation on this
subject should be, while giving a full meas
Ue OF justice to the corporations, that
railroads arc made Tor the people,
and not the people for railroads.
While giving encouragement to the con-
stTuction of railroads, whenever we reach
point, where the corporations may Cypress
the people unless an express power is re-
tanned to prevent it. ] say always reserve it.
Corporations exist only by permission of the
Government on the idea that they advance
The public welfare. The Government has
no right to abdieate its own power TO inter
pose and arrest the action of a corporation.
which subverts instead of promoting the
public good II somebody must be trusted
to do justice, If the corporation must trust
the Government, OF the Government the cor
poration, no man should hesitate one mo-
ment to say, let the power reside in the
Government, where it rightfully belongs;
and let the corporation trust to the sense of
justice of its own creator-the Government.
would have railroad corporations dealt
with in a just and liberal spirit While an
craftsmanship will place and
keep them wholly within the power and con
troll of the State, it viii at the same time,
when thus curbed, regard them as tue most
effective agents for the development of all
the forces which in the aggregate constitute
the wealth and power Of our people, and in
to their Importance will give them
That all the railroads neelod or desired
in Texas can and viii be built under such
rs while affording an abundant
margin for the Legitimate and profitable ope-
ration Of tho capital invested in them, viii
perfectly secure the people against injury or
from them. ] have no doubt
| remain,
Very truly yours,
RICHARD COEE.