The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-04-27

cor NJ the same net rates per tram mllel
M aggregate net earnings for the road
.oud have been only n fraction over one
er cent upon It's debt; therefore, J say our
asscngcr trains are run to-day ~ pupllr
without contributing any net
.roGig. and If such Is the condition OF |
hnrs on the Central, whnt viii he the late |
# roads of lighter traffic under the pro- |
,oscd legislation?
Can the roads be thus brought 10 q rate !
VI practical COniisLatiOnH Can roads OF
/ hit, travel and heavy grades and curves
md expensive fuel and labor be
'eaurcd TO perform a service at the same
ate required of Others having heavy travel
md less expense in rendering the scrvic,:
1t may be urged by the advocates of the
rate tnat such rates prevail in the eastern
states, why not in Texas? TO this, beg
to 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
a population of almost ninety persons 10
the square mile, while in Texas we have
of only about six to the square
mile. In addition to the heavy local pQpu,,
latiOn and travel, these eastern roads leau
to the great money and trading centres oil
the country and the entry ports Tor ille
vast tide of European emigration
exist with us for some years to come.
OuI passenger trains are as heavy as he
average of eastern trains, and although the
expenses incident TO their operation are
heavier with us, we could afford to lower
the rates if we had the population to fill
them, but, with us, these heavy trains are
daily run with a beggarly display of empty
seats that no legislation can fill.
Some may contend tn at low rates will IN
trav,l and that iDprpn sod travel VIII
compensate for loss in rates-hut experience
has shown that passenger trains cannot be
ii lied with people if the peoplc 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,
ike other natural laws, have been self adj
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 a branch OF the
service so complicated and difficult to com
prehend that the slightest tinkering with 1t
bv those inexperienced in It's intrlcacles, Is
calculated to excite alarm, knowing as we
do that without the force of legislation. the
railway interest of the country is almost
wrecked by the constant and heavy conces-
sions voluntarily made by the corporations
in their earnest desire 10 serve the pubic IN
a liberal spirit and to meet grow.
ing competition. And in this con-
nection again repeat that the roads have
always been greatly in advance OF legsla-
ton and the people, in their concessions,
and have, at all times, maintained average
rates within both statutory and charter
limits. and if they have done this, wherein
have they sinned?
The rates have been made upon the basis
of values, risk and haul. Articles ofvalue or
risky in transpOrtment are charged one
price, while those OF less value in transpor-
tation are charged another 1t matters not,
however, what may be the character OF the
freight, or whittier it is going in or out OF
the state, the citizen gets and enjoys the
benefit OF the average, and all the railway
people ask is to be allowed TO regulate
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 so
far nave practically given profit to the ship
per, =, ,
Mr.. Edward Atkinson, distinguished
statistician and writer, ia an article in the
Journal of Agriculture, entitled 1.-THE
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 the
pcople and increased traffic, rates have
everywhere been voluntarily reduced. His
paper is replete with unanswerable evil
dence, and he takes the reports of the lead
ing roads of the country to demonstrate
his declarations. For example, he says
that between 1872 aud 1879, the traffic of
the PENNSYLVANIA railway increased so per
cent, while the charges per ton while
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 cent. He further said that
on the Boston & Albany road the traffic in
creased between 1863 and 1879 lO5 per cent ;
the rates were decreased 5il per cent,
while the earnings only increased the mis-.
cradle pittance of per cent. Thus it will
he seen, that while the roads have been
stimulating production by increased facili'
ties and reduced rates, there has been no
corresponding profit to the shareholder (;
and that the cry against "bloated corpora
fionsn and "grindlng monopolies' has con-
tinued t,,.,ound throughout the country UNI
tiihonest minds have been educated downto
a fragrant untruth. These concessions, as
ufade from year to year, by the hundred
thousand miles of roads of the Union, in the
aggregate, would nearly pay Off the nation
al debt, and with results most disastrous TO
the investors in railway proper
tics For the proof Of this
[ refer you TO the official records:
there YOU will find history of widespread
ruin and wreck, with hardly mile of road
in The haads Of original owners.
From the Potomac TO the Rio Grande the
dividend-paying roads can be counted on
the fingers Of one hand, and ont OF an in
yestment of over $500. OOO, 600 in the south
ern states, the return TO the shareholder
has been practically nothing. In Texas
there are roads unable TO pay current oper-
ating expenses; Others unable to meet their
fixed interest charges. and not one Is pay.
ing cent to stockholders. Within the last
day or two, in reading my railroad news
papers, the situation Of our Texas roads
was most painfully indicated in the pub
lished report Of the Texas Pacific company,
or It's earnings for the third week In March.
During the last twelve months this great
and splendid corporation has built
over 800 miles OF road In your
state. and added millions n its taxable
wealth. and opened up 20 settlement vast
area Of country yet. what are the invest
ors receiving IN return? The report re-
ferred to shows that. notwithstanding this
immense feat Of railway construction, and
an addition II 800 miles 10 their road, the
revenues only increased, for the tbird week
in hnrCh the miserable sum Of SiOp over
and above the same month IN fssl. Think
NJ ii-J1O miles NJ rad, spanning % II
does oue-G 'fh % the cautiuenf, and connect
rr TIE flautic anl Pacific oceans, earn
irc o1ig $50 IN one week
] e Interest connected with the Houston
& Tex ~ Central company has constructed
raa-lv 20 miles Of rad during The last
rishiean months. yet the earnings % March,
50 were far lees than they were IN 1881.
Where. n the above. does the adv cate 81
'1r honest repasil
I have avoided theories and eiven you
Iuly fsffs % show that the railroads OF tins