The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1874-02-25
CONTINUED from first pngc J

which he belonged paid $4,000 year for
clerk hire to superiptend the weight.
That was an admission of incorrectness
and an argument in favor of the bill
The Galveston News, of the nth, had an
article, from an independent source he
presumed. in reply to an article in the
Waco EXAMINER, which favored the bill,
snd was similar in tone to the argument |
of the honorable gentleman. The Cotton
Exchange was represented by thirty bro
kers, and the foreign market was repres
sented by them. He could not see how
the broker could represent the interest OF
the planter. The five cotton presses in |
A. Galveston nronopolized the business, and
there was no appeal from their decision.
Factors, in thirty cases out of forty,
never saw the cotton, nor know beyond |
the receipt how much it weighs, There |
could be no blocking in Galveston, az |
the gentlemen feared, for if the public
weigher called for in his bill required 1t,
he could appoint fifty deputies, if neces,
a-y.
Mr. Moody admitted that there was
competition and rivalry, but by the
passage of this bill there would be no nj
valry, for the public weigher, would be
above il, and would be a responsible
head of the deputies. The three hundred
thousand bales. of cotton which went to
Galveston annually, paid tax of ten per
cent. or $4,000 year. His bill pro-
posed to put this under the direction of q
bonded officer, appointed by the Exscu-
tive, and not under the influence of a
board of brokers of a Cotton Exchange
of Galveston, or any other city. Mr..
Moody simply proposed to take away the
power from the Executive and center it
in the Mayor aud Aldermen. The bill
was, after all, merely return to the act
Of 1856, which had for some reason been
repealed in 1860, and tho present law
passed instead.
. Mr.. Moody replied that the old law
would not have been repealed if it had
not caused dissatisfaction. The $2, 500
year paid by Moody g. Jemison, fer
clerk hire, included special overlooking in
many respects besides weighing. The
present law charged fifteen cents per bale
weighing. The bill before the House did
the same. 1t was jlst as wsll for six per-
sons to divide the annual profit of weigh
ing, as for one weigher only to get the
$50, 900. He (Mr. Moody had received
four thousand applications, more or less,
for the Office of public weigher. The
gentleman from Houston has had five lets
ters on the same subject. He Uhe
speaker) represented an interest among
cotton factors, through whose hands
passed $50, 000,0 of cotton annually,
and not o single factor in Galveston
asked for this bill. He imputed no
wrong motives to the honorable gentle
man from Liberty--he simply represented
things improperly because he did not
know to the contrary. He dissented
to his argument of centering all in one
man, and thought competition among
wsighsrs net Objectionable.
Mr.. Epperson said there was no serious
objection to the passage of the bill appointing
public wsishers. Gotten factors themselves
!, had ne particular objections. He moved the
following, and it was accepted by Moody as a
isubstituts for section I've: 'There shall
bs appointed and commissioned by
$hs Governor, in certain Incorporated
downs and cities, AZ in the judgment of
the Governor may be deemed eIpedient, q
Weit hers, who shall hold office for the term
OF four years, subject to removal at any time
for misconduct" This gives the Governor dis
erection in appointing number of wsighers,
instead Of centering it in one big Office. Let
ters inform him that there had been one hun.
bred applications in Jefferson alone 10. the of.
fee of Public Weigher. The Office would be
more profitable than that of Governor or
Judge of the Supreme Court and of no advan-
tage 10 the planning interest OF the State, or q
guarantee for the better. weighing of their
cotton, even Il. the Public weigher could ap.
point fifty deputies. He would be Just as
liable 70 influence; he could discriminate if he
liked and force factors into bankruptcy,
which. would be of no advantage to the plan.
ter. There was no conflicting interests be-
tween Galveston and the country. What
benefits the city benefits the country. GAL
weston factors and commission merchants
gives the gighest price, TO divert trade to its
market, as the planters naturally seek the
highest rates. If. Jefferson Shreveport or
Dallas gave higher prices it would 10 there.
So the argument of conflicting interests be.
tween town and country was frivolous. He
did not deny that there was prejudice exist.
Ing in the country, among planters. which call.
ed for the passage OF this bill. The opinion
prevails that It would be better for the Gov.
ernor to appoint the public weighers. Well,
let him appoint sufficient number. A SINGLE
public weigher would lie interested in appoint
ing small number-the samller the better
He would farm it out and divide the profits
The Governor OF the State would have no in.
terest, bnt the public would neither would
the Mayor or Alderman of Galveston have any
other interest than the public good There
should be as many pubic wsighers as public
necessity demands. A farmer coming, 10 the
city, would be compelled to sesk this $30,t 90
or $4,000 year dsnitsry, even for the
smallest amount, or else must carry his own
scales along and weigh II himself, for lie
could not call upon 4 friend TO weigh il for him,
without aubjecting such merchants to fine
Mr.. Smith, OF Grimes, opposed the substitute.
Hs was in favor of one responsible weighsr,
and not multitude Of them In conclu sion,
he moves to lay the motion on the table. Car.
ried by vote Of 4rto24,
Mr.. Keasler moved 10 amend section ] by
giving the Governor the power to appoint as
publieweiyhsrs all who applied for the once.
Mr.. Smith, Of Grimes, promptly moved to
table, which carried
Mr.. Watts moved 10 snend section Z by
making the fee TOR weighing bale Of cotton
or sack of wool. ten Gems instead of fifteen.
IT, r.. -.