The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-03-10
GOV, ROBERTS ON RAILROADS

In a general message to the legis-
lature on various subjects, the Gov
ernor has expressed himself on the
subject of regulation Of railways, as
follows:
Railroads are one of the necessi:
ties OF this age. They have been built
in Texas, and are now for most part
owned by persons out of the limits
of the state, who have invested their
capital in them for profit. They
should be encouraged, and be fully
protected in all their rights. The
fact, however, is not to be over
looked, III protecting the interests of
the people, that the rule adopted by
those in control of them in fixing
the transportation tax, which they
levy and collect on the production
and consumption of the country, is
measured and regulated by what
eeOh ortielo of eoTunI0rCCt to be trane-
ported will bear and still permit it
to be produced or consumed, so as
to encourage its transportation by
railroads. This tax may ordinarily
be placed SO high as to enable com
panies, by mutual understanding
for that purpose, to carry through
freights for long distances at a price
that will give advantages to partic-
ular localities by a charge for
freight below that charged from or
to places not thus favored, which, by
the higher price charged, helps to pay
for the lower price charged from
or to the favored places. Whenever
that practice is seen to prevail, as,
it is well known, it does in this state,
it may be well concluded that the tax
is levied with margin above that
which the transportation is worth
from and to all places, and thereup-
on it should be regulated by law so
as to produce eqality of advantages
to all places alike i'll the state. And
even if, upon examination, there is
no such margin upon an average of
freights generally, the unfavored
localities should not be allowed to
pay excessive charges to makeup
Tor the cheap freights to favored
places. Nor should it be allowed
that one man at the same place shall
ruin another, engaged in the same
business, by favors extended of
lower freights producing that re-
suit. So, too, in regard to passenger
fares; the persons who pay their
fares pay enough to enable the COM
panies to carry, free of charge, thou
sands of persons, showing that more
is charged for those who pay than it
can be afforded, if all were re-
quired to pay, as they should be.
This inequality in regard to local
tiles and to persons is producing a
prejudic to the railroads and an in
jury to the people that should not
be tolerated by the public highways
of the State. Equality to all of the
people OF the State, enforced upon
all of the public instrumentalities,
is the true rule of good govern
ment; and theI efore, respec fully
invite the attention of the legisla-
ture to this subject for such regula-
ton as may be deemed just and
proper for all the parties concerned.
l should not, however, omit to state
that another effect that this parti-
ality and combination to give cheap
through freights to particular local
tiles in the interior of the State, is
to divert he trade of the State. with
all of the benefits of its profits,
from our own ports, which, from
tue nearer distance and locality, are
the natural outlets for it to the COM
mercial world, and building up
other places outside of the State by
the operations of our own railrods in
these combinations with other roads
for cheap transportation to partIcu-
lar central localities in the interior
of the State.