Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-07-10
! FREIGHT RATES.
-
The Committee on Resolutions
Makes Three Reports.
The Majority Report Adopted After
Much Speeehifying Permanent
Committee Appointed.
The Railroads to be Threatened With Com
mission if They Don't Toe the Mark
aud Treat Texas Fairly.
Special to the Gazette.

Special to the Gazette
DALLAS, TEX, July Immediately
after the calling of the state freight con-
vention this morning by President
Thomas J. Brown Hon. George T. Todd ,
chairman Of the committee on resolu-
tons, announced ready to submit a
majority report from said committee.
Mr.. Todd read the document, which is as
follows:
DALLAS, July 9, 1882.
To Hon. Tom Brown, President, ETC.:
Your committee on resolutions beg
leave TO report that they have carefully
considered all resolutions submitted to
them, and from them all they have Sc
lected and prepared the following resolu-
tions which they here present and ask
their adoption by the convention:
Whereas, great burden now rests IN
the excessive and enormous charges de-
manded by the combination of railroads
now operating IN this state, and
Whereas, numerous efforts Rave been
made by the representatives of the in
dustrial interests of the state of Texas to
obtain relief from the unjust and eX-
and that to the present moment these
efforts have been entirely futile, and
Whereas, enormous quantities of grain
are now wasting in the granarIes of the
farmers of Texas for want of transport
tation at living rates, and our merchants.
are struggling under burdensome loads
that will drive them into inevitable
bankruptcy unless relief be had, and
that the cotton of the state grown by the
farmers is paying, and has for years
paid an enormous and unjust rate of toll
to corporations dominating the public
highways of the state, and
Whereas, Texas possesses in her Dor
bers the finest forest of uncut long leaf
pine, whiteoak, hickory and walnut to
be found within the limits of the Union,
and that no state possesse3 superior ad-
vantages for the manufacture of agrioul-
|, tural implements, flaS and box cars, fur
niture and all woodenware products over
those possessed by this state, but that
the advantages are denied to US by rea-
son of the paralyzing and excessive
freight rates charged by the powerful
controlling the traffic Of the
state;
And whereas, the demand for lumber
in the cities of the state IS unparalleled in
the history of the country and the agri-
cultural sections are compelled to use
great quantities of lumber requisite for
the improvement of farms and ranches,
and the discriminating railway tariffs on
lumber operate with peculiar hardship
upon our people;
And whereas, Texas possesses the fin
est and most extensive bodies of superior
iron ores known to exist within the limits
of the republic;
And whereas, the demand for iron
productions in Texas cannot well be
reckoned IN figures, SO great is that de-
mand, but that by reason of unjust dis
elimination and excessive tolls the de-
velopment of the iron industry of the
state is forbidden to it's people and to
outside capitalists, and the states vast
wealth in her iron ore still sleeps undis-
turbed IN the bowels of the earth;
And whereas, by reason of what we be-
lieve to be excessive and burdensome
rate tolls charged by the transportation
companies of the state sum over and
above the legitimate roadway tolls is
exacted from the people of this state
greatly in excess of all the taxation paid
by the people of Texas to support its
asylums, its charitable institutions, its
great system of common schools, its in
terest on its public debts, and indeed the
entire expenses of the legislative, judi
cial and executive departments of the
state and very much higher than the
rates charged in the states similarly sit
uated; therefore, be it
Resolved, that O permanent COM
mittee of thirty lone composed OF one
member from each senatorial district be
constituted by this convention, whose.
duty it shall be to confer with and if
possible obtain from the railway and eX-
press traffic managers of Texas satisfac-
tory reduction of our rates and express
charges.
.. That it shall be the duty OF
said committee 20 request a confer
ence to be held on or before August Is,
1889, with the traffic managers of Texas
sfesendeavor to induce them by every
HSAorable means to grant the people of
Texas just and reasonable freight rates
s. That each member of said COM
mittee shall be constituted chairman
of his particular senatorial district, and
that in the event no compromise or adj
iustment of rates can be made with rail-
way managers then, that conventions be
called in each county in said senatorial
district and resolutions be submitted ur-
gently PetltIonlng LIE governor o. Ie2as 10
eefsHene in extra session the Twenty-f first
Legislature to the end that remedial leg
islation be at once enacted, and that said
committee of thirty-one as representa-
tives aud duly accredited ag ents Of this
convention apply to the governor for an
extra session to be so holden, and that
the district chairman appoint a proper
party in each county within his district to
so call said conventions.
4. That this convention. ii the name
of the people OF Texas, demand Of the
railroads of this state aud of those con-
trolling them that they reduce the freiSht
tariffs on local business and so adjust the
same as to make them just and equit-
able, and that equal and fair rates be
given to all localities and persons in this
state without rebate or determinations,
so that every citizen may enjoy his legal
rights in these public agencies for the
transaction of the public carrying BUSH
ness of the country, whereby our people
will be enabled to reap the benefits of
home markets for home productions; and
that
Your committee further recommend
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