The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-02-16
The 0lher in Cimmcrian Darkness

mo. 25.l
AusrIN, Feb. H.-[Special correspond
enoe THE railroad commission bill il
still in the hands of the subcommittee
ard will probably be reported on by then
to-day, with the blanks filled out ant
otherwise perfected, so far as they are abb,
toperfeot it.
For long time the fair-minded legisla
tors and impartial citizens have been aware
OF the great difficulty of enacting law o.
this commission character, establishing
MAXIMUM rates, etc. so as to regulate rail.
road corporations within the true intent
and meaning ofthe constitution. The most
liberal, expert and intelligent railway Off.
oia!s have deemed the difficulties almost in.
supcrabla, and for reasons familiar to them
all. But while many persons, far fewer to-
day however, than q year or two ago. have
wished to see in Texas law
similar to that existing in some of the
states, yet the people OF Texas never will
eountenance or permit wrong done to
these institutions that in ten years have
swollen the population from 800, 90 to near
100000 now, whose existence within our
borders almost alone brought this vast in.
orement Of souls, and corresponding acces.
sion of wealth to this by them weli-adyer.
tlsed state, and without which institutions
they would not be here; and, which blotted
out, they would quit us almost forthwith,
depopmating cities and towns and villages,
and thus rendering almost valueless the
millions OF our teeming acres, and our vast
public domain and school lands as well.
The author of bill, however specious the
wrong a, first, would soon discover that
curses unnumbtred would come TO plague
and torment the inventor. This is an ex.
IRENE view, but a corresponding public
condemnation awaits that Legislator who,
by vote, voice or effort fastens upon them,
or any other developing industry in this
progressive state, any incubus that abridges
or retards true growth. Like all other tidal
waves Of unacCountable popular feeling,
this railway ebullition agitation has long
sinceTeached its topmost flow, and is now
fast receding, and that politician who
hopes to float to glory by
bulieting upon the ebp tide
il destined to;be henceforth epgulfed and
buried out of sight of his. happy land of
Canaan. The people OF Texas are too cos.
mopolitan and broad-guaged and too Just
TO permit the infringement OF great prn-
ciple and mighty right that some seeming
good might issue forth. 1t is through this
stern and honest justice that some have
witnessed with disdpprobation the course
pursued by the internal Improvement
committee of the house of representatives.
" is the public wish, let us assume for the
sake OF argument, that some railway legis-
iation he had this session, but The
public desire and will be
satisfied With the practice of no wrong in
the work. Their wish is that every thing that
can possibly shed any light upon the ques.
ton In hand shall bc had, no matter whence
~ comes, or in what shape, whether from
iisalleCted persons or the most intense OBJ
ponent Ola commission bill or other rail.
way legislation. This is simple justice, and
the shutting out OF such testimonies would
smack so much OF star.chamber one.sided.
ness and the dark inquistion methods at
whose very mention the American
mind instinctiyely revolts. do
not charge against the house
internal improvement committee the de-
nial to hear both sides, but have heard ii
said that they are adopting what is known
TO lawyers as putting under the rule"
practice, |. e., excluding from the one side
the testimony of witnesses who have been
mrayed against him. Surely it would seem
that the committee ''in search of .more
light would not only eiire, but solicit the
fullest data given in the freest way, their
intelligences to sit in judgment and make
assessment of their value. When one is
charged with q crime, he has q right TO be
confronted by his Witnesses, and surely
this rule ought to obtain without restric-
ton when the representatives of the people,
sent to legislatc for the best interests of the
people, are necessitated to obtain informa.
ton in order to frame fair and equitable
law OF one OF the grandest developing inter.
"a III oil,
course would look as though the commit.
tee were in love with some especial pet bill
rather than with right and Justice, and
feared, lest in the unobstructed light Of in.
quiry their castle in the air would fade
away and dissolve. like the baseless
fabric of vision. But the
public sentiment would not tolerate
such lop-sided investigation, and would
naturally enough suspect the soundness OF
au effort that closed its doors and ears
against defendants plea to be heard us to
the character OF the accusations maze. To
have won the general confidence that COM
mittee, IL seems TO me, should have sum,
moned, within the scope of the resolution
say a dozen, or a dozen dozen if need be-
ofinlclligent, unbiased merchants, farm
ers, s.oclmen and other railway shippers
heard their views on the subject within
said scope; and then something like a SINH
lar number OF railroad experts, and witt
these respective bearings, made III
their CONCLUSIONS. But have they don,
this thing Alas rumor says something
worse for them than mo" For, as abov,
remarked, it says they have even declined
to possess themselves OF proilered informa
ton, or denied to the other side, the oppor
tuniiies and required data to enable then
70 poasess the committees and the public
minds of possibly.some very valuable intel
iigencc, to help escape the doing ola wrong
IL seems they have made up their "Bill," O.
rather have it"half.made up" TO senC
to the house. and which, could IL so talk
mieht say like that other tyrant
scarce hali.made up and rudel,
stamped deiormed, unfinished, sen
before its time, so lame and so unfashon
abo," with immense costs upon the state
have been led to these reflections il
view Of the fact that understand the sub
committee, having in charge the examina
ton of witnesses, and looking toward thu
final completion of the railroad bill, ar
about ready to report to the whole com
mittec, and IL seems strange to an outside
aud mere citizen that while so many o
the ablest and most experienced of railroa,
officials are in the city here without cost I,
the state, ready aud willing IN contribute
all the light they can, and yet uncalled
Indeed, the error seems to be that the,
were not called in the first instance.
seems rather late at this moment to say
" too Tate TO call them. Il.
s