Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-08-27


petition or something similar to the
commissioners to give them an IN
sight into the views held by Texas snip
pers. He then read the petition, which
was as follows:
THE PETITION.
Fort WORTH, TEX, Aug. &c, 1882
To the Honorable Interstate Commerce Com
mission, Washington, DC;
The undersigned, your petitioners, re-
spectfuIIy represent that they are en-
gagged in the wholesale business and in
the manufacture OF various articles OF
commerce in the cities of Denison, Sher-
man, Paris, Dallas, Fort Worth, Waco
Austin and san Antonio, in the state Of
Texas. That for years these cities have
been distributing points for vast area of
a sparsely settled country, and to ac-
conmodate the wants of the people in
this territory we have expended large
sums of money in establishing mills,
manufacturing plants and business
houses, and said cities being situated in
the interior of the state of Texas with
out water transportation, consequently
we are wholly dependent upon railroads
to transport and distribute our. various
products and commodities.
We further respectfully represent that
our business has been built up on the well
established principle that the largest
shipper is entitled to the minimum
freight rates, just as the largest pur-
chasers of merchandise obtain the same
at the minimum price.
We further represent that the railroads
have always recognized the foregoing
business principle in arranging their
freight tariffs, and we are informed
from ba cnronI oT1nrya1 TsaT1oTf 0f the
inter state commerce commission that
the Wholesale grocers ASSOCIATION of st.
Louis, II. K Thurber and others, Fran
els II. Liggett and others Of New York
have brought suit before your honorable
body against certain railroads, alleging
that such railroads are violating the
Interstate commerce law by charging
less for carload lots Of freight than for
less quantities for transporting like COM
modites the same distance.
We further respectfully represent that
indications show, and we have goad rea-
sons to believe that there Is a concert of
action on the part Of said Wholesale gro
GERS association of st. Louis, II. K.
TburbeT and cO-cOmplainants, Francis
Liggett & Co. and O-complamants, ct
al. to secure your decision giving such
construction to the law through purely
selfish motives, and for the sole purpose
OF aiding them in their business and Civ
ing them undue advantage under the
law as against dealers in the same line
of business at interior points.
As evidence of the fact, we cite the
continuance of the case first brought by
the Wholesale Grocer IS association of st.
Louis: Until II. X. Thurber ct al. and
Francis II. Liggett ct al. should insti-
tgte similar suits, together with others,
and the continuance of all suits until
the necessary influence could De brought
to bear on the boards of trade Of New
York ana New Orleans, to have said
boards OF trade pass resolutions in favor
of your giving such construction to the
law as asked for by said parties bring
ing said suits.
We respectfully represent that the res
olutions passed by said board upon this
subject as they appeared i'll the public
prints are based on erroneous cOnclu-
sions, and are deIusive and demaGogicaI.
and that the animus prompting the in
stitutOrs Of the suits and the passing of
the resolution is to obtain for the mer-
chants of these cities undue advantages
over their competitors in other cities;
this advantage 10 be guaranteed to them
by law.
In consideration Of all which we most
earnestly protest against such a con-
struction Of the law, and most respect
fully pray your honorable body to pro-
tect our interests in the premises.
Mr.. CLEVELAND S VIEWS.
Mr.. George Washington Cleveland
moved the adoption OF the petition and
in support Of his motion made a speech
of some length and considerable gvehem-
euce, which had no sort OF bearing upon
the matter under consideration. Mr..
Cleveland said we all know
that North Texas is III
trouble and the question is how are we
10 get out of that trouble. New York,
he declared was the natural mother of
the commerce of this country. Every
body, he said, acknowledged that. But
he decidedly objected to other points go
ing into the mother bushes. He then
read some figures on the freight
rate business, showing that the rates
from Chicago, Kansas City and st, Louis
TO Texas points, on less than carload
lots, to Arlington for example, are less
than the rates from the same initial
points to Dallas or Fort Worth, on car
load lots, plus the local rate from Dallas
or Fort Worth to Arlington. This he
Central road, he declared, stood by Its
mother, Houston MAKE what rates
You please from Kansas City and St.
Louis, ''says that road, ''but we viii
take care of Houston. - What, he
wanted TO know, are the roads
IN North Texas doing? The roads
here are in the iron hand of Gould, and
they are working Tor cities outside rather
than inside the state 1--WE have rail-
road a hold of our tail, - said Mr. CIeve-
land, land an elephant Q hold Of our
head >
THE PETITION ADOPTED.
a motion to refer the petition to a
committee was adopted, but was unani-
mously recopsideTed.
MIR. Armstrong moved that the petition
be adopted, that it be then signed by the
jobbers present, and copies of it sent to
the different cities to be signed and re-
turned TO Nj. Sutherland, and by him
transmitted to the Interstate commits
sion.
The petition was read again and Mr..
5 motion unanimously adopt
ed.
Mr.. Armstrong moved that the chair
designate some gentleman or firm in each
city, to whom a copy of the petition
should be sent by the secretary, and