The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-29
Railway Legislation.

dllapldated and unsafe for travel; a
few men were dissatisfied about their
freight bills or found it expensive
travelling, some others were perhaps
treated with discourtesy and injustice
by railroad officials, and this engen-
dered local dissatisfaction. Some edit
orS were denied passes and they raised
the cry of "angel makers" and began
denouncing the railway compares as
INSCRIPTIONS monOpolies. Ward poll
ticianS, political hacks, backwoods
newspapers and aspiring youths took
up the cry, and soon such clamOr
was raised that a few good men were
led to believe that the railroads could
be best run by the legislature and
they have been trying, without sue
cess, for two years past, to frame a
bill for the purpose. None of them
understand the subject, and no one
can agree, and so they wrangle on
and do nothing. This is no charge of
ignorance per sc against either the
people or their representatives, for the
subject Is Il most difficult one. Other
states have attempted to deal with it
and in every instance have failed. To
understand trequires long experience
AID technical knowledge of its
details. Railway companies do not
employ men to manage their affairs
unless they have that knowledge
and experience, and even then they
require the aid of a corps of trained
assistants, each an expert in the de-
partment to which he is assigned.
How, then, could it be expected that
farmers, lawyers, tradesmen, thinkers
and tailors should understand the
subject or be able to select from
among their number representatives
who shall be able, off-hand, to regu-
late by infleXible statutory enact
mentS the rates and business methods
of our immense system of railways,
and their relations to the great COM
mercial interests which they affect.
Were the best talent and largest eX-
perience in the nation called to the
task, it would hesitate andPpause to
consider, before attempting what
crOSS-rOad politicians are so ready to
undertake, and what one member of
the house proposed, the other day,
to do in twenty-four hours. WaiV-
ing the questions of the constltu-
tiOnal or equitable right of the
legislature to assume control of
the management of our rail-
ways, sound policy and eXpediency
forbids the rash intermeddling of ig-
nOrance-we mean, of course, techni-
cal ignorance-with such vital pub
lie interest. An injury to the railroads
would be greater direct injury to the
people. If the railroads are hampered
by unnecessary, unwise or unjust leg
iSlation, every commercial interest
and industry in the state must suffer,
and that is just what most of the pro-
posed railway legislation would result
in. There have been three lines of
policy proposed by those who are so
DESTROYS of legislation: First, it has
been proposed by some to appoint a
state engineer or create commission
whose duty it shall be to gather Stats
tics, study the question and observe
the workings of the railways, and pre-
sent the facts and their conclusions
deduced therefrom to the next legisla-
ture. To this there can be no objec-
ton except that of expense, and
none is made except by those who
wish immediate legislation without
waiting for the requisite information
upon which to base it. Second, it is
desired by some to enact a few gen.
eral laws requiring the railway COM
panies to keep their tracks in safe
condition, to provide reasonable facil-
tiles for transacting all business offer
ed, to receive and forward freight
without delay whether offered by in
dividuals or connecting lines, and to
forward by such route as the shipper
may designate. To general legisla-
ton of this character there could be
no objection, and none is made even
by the railroad companies themselves,
but all the bills thus far offered go
further and attempt to deal with de-
tails, and nearly all, if not all of them,
contain provisions that are obnoX-
ious both to the interests of the COM
panieS and of the people. Third,
most of the proposed measures go to
the extent of prescribing rates and
fixed methods of business, and prOhib-
iting all discrimination, and they are
to great extent unjust and unprac-
ticable. They attempt to deal with
matters which their authors do not
understand. For instance, they re-
quire that all freightS shall be for
Warded in the order in which it is re-
ceived without regard to class or cir
cumstances; periShable articles, house
hold goods and costly merchandise
must wait upon lumber and what not;
stock must be held and fed at much
expense until all other freight first
offered has gone forward, although
stock cars may be standing upon the
side track waiting and are un-
suitable for other traffic; cars
suitable for one class of freight
may be idle while those for other
clisses are taxed to their utmost ca
pacity, yet it makes no difference, all
classes must await their regular
order. Again there may be, as is con-
stantly the case upon all roads, a rush
of freight in one direction, while
empty cars are being sent in the other
to accommodate it, but no advantage
must be taken of this fact; first come
must be first served, regardless of cir
cumstances of eXpediency and of JUS
tice to shippers or the railroads. But
there is an attempt to remedy this,
and the roads are required to provide
means for the immediate transporta-
ton of all freight that may be offered.
In order to do this they must keep on
hand a sufficient amount of rolling
stock OF the various kinds to meet
not only ordinary, but all eX-
traordinary demands. Extraordinary
and unexpected demands for trans
portation frequently occur, but the
roads must be prepared or pay a
heavy penalty. TO do this would re-
quire large outlay which would entail
loss upon the companies unless COW
cred by higher rates, which would in
turn be loss to the public. Then
come the provisions against discrimi-
nation. That there are seemingly I'M
just determinations is undoubtedly
true. But there has been no bill yet
framed to stop them that does not
strike at competition, which is their
real cause; thus preventing the
natural cheapening of rates. Nor
can it be done otherwise. You mig
Just as well undertake to legislate
against determinations among mer-
chants. which are equally inequitable.
Suppose man wishes to build him a
house and goes to Beaumont to pur-
chase the lumber; ne will have
to pay the full market price. But
at the same time his neighbor,
lumber merchant, goes there for the
first time to purchase twenty times
the quantity. Each dealer will be
anxious to secure his trade and will
bid for it to prevent him from going
to other markets, and he will get his
lumber at the lowest possible figure.
When they apply for rates for their
freight the. same thing occurs. Is
there any greater injustice upon the
part of the dealer in transportation
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