The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-05-19
RAILROAD DISCRIMINATION.

sition from Democratic sources"
RAILROAD DISCRIMINATION.
The question ofrailway tariffs has
been an all-absorbing one for years.
Under the force of what are called
determinations" made by railways,
the public has been much agitated,
and vast deal has been said for and
against the system. The question
has become one of such vital i'm
portance in the public mind,
that legislatures have sought to
correct the alleged evil, and in many
of the states railroad supervision
has been established, which it is said
works advantageously to the public
and with Justice and generosity to
the railways. But there are more
sides than one to any question, and
the railways make mOstreasonable
argument in favor of their plan of
making discrimination One of
their able defenders presents the
question as follows:
Discrimination, so-called, of
course, exists. It. exists in every
branch Of trade and commerce in
the world. The very meaning of
the word ls simply TO discern be-
tween different things. TO be called
of discriminating mind, was once
considered compliment, and trust
that, even yet, those who hate the
word SO bitterly will not lay aside
utterly the thing itself
"But the railroads do not make
the determinations or differences
themselves, and it is out of their
power to entirely remove them.
The Creator instituted them when
he determined not to make His ere
alton dead level of mud and water,
and all other material elements
stirred up together in uniform solu-
ton, inhabited, perhaps, by single
variety of queer fish which would
enjoy that sort of premises. And
when He gathered the waters to-
gether, and raised up the dry land,
and gave every large city-accord-
ing to His own free will and pleas
ure-either some kind of harbor
or navigable river, and some both,
and left the little towns in the inte-
rior without any, then He laid the
foundation of every so-called dis
elimination in freight rates which
exists in the United States to day.
Every one of them. is simply rail-
road trying to compete with water
route. On the water the Creator
gives free right-of-way, and moun-
tains the road-bed, and furnishes
the motive power, if man is not too
much hurried to wait on sailing ves-
sells.
"Hence, water-routes can carry
freight at average rates far below
what any land-route can give. But
while railroad can not work at
average rates as low as a water
route can, if it already has certain
amount of interior business, which
will enable it to meet a large pro-
portion of those fixed charges which
do not vary with the amount of
business done, it can take an addi-
tional amount of extra business
with the wAter-route. But i will
refer more fully to this matter here
after.
81 wish here only to emphasize the
fact that the Determinations which
exist, in the rates OF freight, from
interior points to the large markets,
all existed in far greater degree be-
fore even foot of railroad was ever
built in the Uni eel States. The rail-
roads have been able TO remove
these Determinations To very great
extent. They have given to the in
terror of the country, even in the
most difficult portions. system OF
transportation which is infinitely SUI
perior 10 anything but water
route, and one almost equivalent to
that. But, because they have been
able, partially, to remove natural
determinations, they are uniustly
held responsible for those that re-
main beyond their power to re-
move; and are represented as will
fully and maliciously and fOolishly
being themselves the authors of
| them.
"These determinations, against
communities, are but the remnants
of far greater discrimination, which
existed before ever railroads were
built. With the development and
| Improvement of the railroad. sys-
tenn, they have decreased year by
year, and will continue to decrease
and, whenever railroad Transports
ton can be 50 perfected in all its
branches as to be rendered at an
average price as lew as water trans
portation, then they will disappear
entirely. Until that time, I believe
that those localities which possess
natural or geographical advantages
will enjoy lower average rates than
those which do not. / believe that
progress and Improvement in this
direction will be more rapid under
the same system of freedom of in
dividual action than under any svs-
ten of restraint which 1 have vet
seen suggested. So far as any dis
examinations exist simply against
individuals, under like circura-
stances, condemn them utterly /:
and am sure no railroad manager
can attempt to justify them. But cir
cumstances, l think, will often ius-
Itify apparent discrimination which
would be pronounced unjust where
the circumstances are not under
stood. -
4 IA certain Southern road runs
through country which produces
great deal of turpentine, and has
made rates for the distilleries upon
its line which are satisfactory on
the whole to all its customers.
zone of those customers is located
near q river, beyond which there Is
a considerable virgin forest of pine.
But the difficulty and expense of
crossing the river and its wide