The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-04-26
dollars. And this is much larger than
r,any other roads of the state.

and frelghis, hau been run during the last |
wear OF the same net rates per train mile,
The aggregate net earnings for the road |
would have been only fraction over one |
Der cent upon its debt; therefore. say our |
passenger lrains are run to-day as a public |
convenience, without contributing any net |
profits and il such is the condition of |
things on the Central, what will be the tate |
of roads Of lighter traffic under the pro. |
nosed legislation?
Can the roads be thus brought to a rate
of practical conlisCaaion9 Can roads of
llirht, travel and heavy grades and curves
and expensive fuel and labor be
required 10 perform a service at the same
rate required OF others having heavy travel
and less expense in rendering the service.
II may be urged by the advocates of the
rate that such rates prevail in the eastern
states, why not in Texas? To this, beg
10 reply that the local rate to-day, between
New York and Philadelphia, is three cents
per mile. But stronger answer is found
In the fact that in the eastern states there Is
population Of almost ninety persons to
the square mile, while in Texas we have
population of only about six to the square
mile. In addition to the heavy local popu.
| lalion and travel, these eastern roads lead
to the great money and trading centres OF
the country and the entry ports for the
kyast tide Of European emigration
and travel, and enjoy conditions that cannot
exist with US Tor some years to come.
0m passenger trains are as heavy as the
average Of eastern trains, and although the
expenses incident to their operation are
Heavier with MS, we could afford to lower
lhenios il we had the population to fill
| them, bit, with us, these heavy trains arc
daily run with beggarly display Of empty
seats that no legislation can fill.
Some may contend tn ut low rates will in
cite travel, and that increased travel will
compensate for loss in Neutrality-suspicious.
has shown that passenger trains cannot de
| filled with people If the people are not in
the country and that large populations
travel more in proportion 10 numbers than
smaller,
The statistics of the country everywhere
are replete with evidence to show that the
railways have required no legislation
| to regulate rates. On the contrary,
| they have been in advance OF legislation
and the people, and that as their traffic has
increased rates have been lowered, and,
like other natural laws, have been self ad.
justing.
| The inability of the roads of this state to
stand an assault upon their freight rates is
still more marked and serious, as there is
more involved in it and it is branch of the
service 80 complicated and difficult to COM
prehend that the slightest tinkering with it
by those inexperienced in its intricacics, is
calculated TO excite alarm, knowing as we
do that without the force of legislation, the
railway interest of the country IL almost
wrecked by the constant and heavy conces-
slons voluntarily made by the corporations
In their earnest desire 10 serve the public in
a liberal spirit aud to meet grow
ing competition. And In this con-
necton lagan repeat that the roads have
always been greatly in advance OF lcgisla'
ton and the people, in their concessions,
and have, ut all times, maintained average
rates within both statutory and charter
limits and If they have done this, wherein
have they, snned?
The rates have been made upon the basis
of values, risk and haul. Articles of value OF
risky in transportment are charged one
price, while those OF less value In transpor.
tation are charged another Ii matters not
however, what may be the character of the
freight, or whittier it is going In or out o
the state the citizen gets and enjoys the
benefit OF the average, and all the railway
people ask is to be allowed to regulat,
their tariffs and create the averages in such
a manner as their experience may indicate
AS cited above the railroads have contin
ued, from time TO time, to make enormous
concessions and thereby stimulate traffic
but have not materially increased
revenues, showing that the concessions 81
far have practically lyenproht to the ship.
per.
Mr.. Edward Atkinson, DISTINGUISHED
statisiician and Writer, ia an article in tht
Journal OF Agriculture, entitled "tht
Railway and the Farmer" clearly demon
stratcs that the interests Of the railway are
harmonious with those of the country, and
that with the growth and prosperity Of Tia,
people and increased traffic, rates hay,
everywhere been voluntarily reduced, Ills
paper Is replete with unanswerable eyi,
dence, and he takes the reports of the lead
ing roads of the country to dcmonstrut,
his declarations, For example he saws
that between 1872 and 1879 the traffic o
the Pennsylvania railway increased 50 per
cent. while the charges per ton Will,
the charges per ton were decreased
IS per cent, and for this
enormous increase in tonnage
there was an increase of revenue of less
than three per cant. He further said that
Decentralization Il Albany road the traffic in.
creased between 1869 and 1870 los per cent.
idNtS NflN utNIttHtN btl per cent,
while the earnings only increased the mis-.
cradle piitance Of per cent. Thus il viii
90 seen, lthat while the roads have been
stimulating production by increased facili.
Ties and tcduced rates, there has been no
corresponding profit to the shareholder
aud that the cry against "bloatcd corpora.
Mons and "grlndiDg monopolicsn has con.
unned tttsound throughout the country nm.
lllhonesiI minds have been educated downto
ailgrauQ untruth. These concessions, as
nude from year 10 year, by the hundred
thouspad miles of roads of the Union, in the
aggregate, would nearly pay oil the milton.
NJ debt, and with results most disastrous 10
We investors in railway proper.
ties For the proof of this
refer you to the official records.
there you will find a history OF widespread
rn'o ald wreck, with hardly mile of road
IN tho hands OF original owners.
from the Potomac to the Rio Grandc the
ulv'dend-paying roads can be counted on
inc fingers of one hand, and ont Of an In.
vcs'ment OF over S5O0-oO 900 In the south.
srh states, the return to the shareholder
~, ias peen practically nothing. In Texas
a,, are roads unable to pay cMrent. opcr.
mAcu interest charges, aud not one IA nav.
~. cent to stockholders. Within the last
uay or Two, IN reading my railroad news.
papers, the situation OF Que Texas roads
W W., most painfully indicated in the pub.
lls,ed REPORT Of the Texas Pacilc comnsnv
Q, its earnings for thethrd week in March
a uunIing ,ne last twelve months this great
anu shehu'd corporation has Built
over 0oW milos OF road In y"",
state, and added millions 10 its tassaJhJia
wealth, and opened np to settlement a vs.t
AREA OF country yet, what are ,he invos,''