Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-04-15

natural directions, but because the rail
road rates were made TO serve special
ends. The most surprising thing TO
Palmer was how business community
sustained itself under such conditions.
The principles Of the law that ought to
govern the common carrier were
habitually violated Especial con.
tracts governing long per o Is OF
time were made every day with heavy
shippers, giving them practically control
of the market. There was neither equal
ity, equity, law NOR Justice In the present
system Of railroad charters. MIR. Palmer
gave number of instances OF what he
termed unjust discrimination by the
railroad companies, including the same
by and with the Standard OIL company.
Continuing, he said he did not suppose
the appointment OF this commission would
bring on the millennium. For forty years
the Sc road corporations had been tighten
ing their grasp on the people. We were
to-day confronted by very great evils
In connection with them. We could
not remedy all the evils Mt once, but we
would have done our duty when we
should have done our best. Inreferrlng to
watered stock Mr.. Palmer said three.
seyenths OF the railroad capitalization Of
the United States was watered. The
masters Of Wall street had realized vast
fortunes in hard cash out OF this watered
stock. The sovereignty OF the great
trunk lines presented more danger Of
imperial rule than the most
concentrated government that the
world mad witnessed. The railroads
were great and most useful servants
OF civilization, but they must not be
permitted to become absolute masters Of
the people. II not supervised ana brought
under control by appropriate legislation,
they would soon have their power as
firmly fixed as even the Hapsburgs, the
Hohenzollerns or the Guelphs had fixed
theirs. These modern dynosties, the
railroads, though born Of law and the
creatures OF law, had become more
powerful than their creator and
the old maxim OF royalty, "The
king Is dead,n "Long live the king"
was never more true of the highest
divine right ruler than Of the modern
railroad power. When the railroad mag
nate died not schedule was changed,
not locomotive made pun less, not
even a sardi1e less was sold IN railroad
restaurant. Laughter. Mr.. Palmer
believed the peoples motto should be;
Especial privileges for none equal rights
for all"
After an executive session the senate
adjourned.
THE HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, April l4--Mr. Morrison
of Illinois, from the committee on rules,
reported resolution granting leave TO
the committee on public lands, at any
lime during the present session after the
morning hour, to call up for considers.
tion bills reported from that committee
for the forfeiture OF land grants to rail-
roads and other corporations, 70 prevent
speculation in public lands and for the
reservation Of public lands for the benefit
OF actual bona tide settlers, the same not
20 interfere with prior special orders oil
with revenue and appropriation bills
Adopted.
The house resu med consideration {
the Hurd .Romeis contested election case
Mr. Hall Of Iowa had come to the con
clusion that there had been no legal cleo
ton in the district.
Mr. Ely 0. Massachusetts supported
the claims OF Romeis, and his speech wa
supplemented by Mr.. Hopkins OF Illinois
while Mr.. Greer OF North Carolina de
voted his remarks to the denunclation o