San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-07-10
TEXAS RAILWAY RIGHTS.

lENAS HALLWAY HIS7 =.
The freight conven ton in Dallas
has formulated its resolutions, passed
them and adjourned. The most sem
sible thing about the proceedings so
far as known was the resolution of
Mr.. Oaugherty, instructing the per-
manent committee of thirty.one, one
from each senatorial district, to COL
lect and publish for general informa-
ton. comparative statement of
freight and passenger rates charged
by Texas railways as compared with
charges of railways in other states
similarly conditioned for service.
This resolution was adopted. Ifcare-
fully compiled the statistics required
will be very valuable, much more so
than the platform of resolution
adopted. The convention created a
committee of thirty-one and charged
them to secure from the railways of
Texas just and reasonable freight
rates. This was to be attempted by
a conference of the committee with
the railway managers on or before
August 18th; failing to secure such
reasonable rates the mbers of the
committee are to hold county
to secure an extra
session of the state legislature
to pass remedial legislation. At
the threshold of the whole matter
comes definition of the term 'iust
and reasonable rates." What are lust
and reasonable rates and what are
unjust and unreasonable? Who shall
decide? Does the present condition
of railroad properties in Texas afford
prima facia evidence that eXOrbitant
rates are being charged. Rates over
and above those necessary to pay the
legitimate expenses of the roads and
a fail rate of interest upon capital ?
The LIGHT does not know. 1t asks
for information. Is the placing of a
railway property in the hands of a
receiver because its revenue will not
pay interest upon its obligations
prima facie evidence of poverty. fraud,
eXorbltant charges or what? The
question is one beset with difficulties,
and it does not seem clear to the Or
binary observation how a committee
of one from each senatorial district in
this state can accomplish the thing
desired. Daugherty's resolution call
ing for facts and fl cures is directly in
the line of the information needed, |
but it does not cover the whole |
ground. There are many equations
Of the problem not presented there.
The equality of condition between the |
Texas roads and the roads with which
statistical comparisons are to be made |
is one of the things almost impossible
to be determined. Texas is so far
from market that all of her roads have
more or less tribute to pay to other |
systems, and now that the systems
themselves are dissolved by state leg
islation and each Texas division and
section compelled to stand and fight |
for itself, the matter becomes more
than ever. If these roads |
were maintained by local traffic. it
would be simple thing to figure out
Texas mileage and determine what
was just compensation, but MANY of |
these roads could not run a month on
the local traffic of year, and the de- |
termlnlng OF a just and equitable COM
pensation for traffic rated upon ex-
penses and receipts and rebate and
interest, ETC., is one of the things that |
no committee can find out, unless it
be committee of railroad experts
tn an inside knowledge of every
thing. Self interest governs the
world. Railways are no excep-
ton. Rates will be generally
found as reasonable as is prac-
ticable where there is fair compe-
tition. The guarding against dis
in rates is the real thing
to be aimed at. Railway termini and
great railway centres have ALWAYS
the advantage of low freight rates at |
the expense of way stations. To OBJ |
tiate this as much as practicable is |
to be desired. The history of railway |
legislation does not show that any
good has resulted from an unfriendly
feeling between the legislature of a
state and the great carrying lines of
the state. Gross evils can be abated
by legislation where they are seen to
exist so pal pably that no question
can De raised concerning them.
Hostility to railways per Sc,
as was developed in the last
Texas legislature, is productive only
of evil. 1t does not yet appear that
railways in Texas are a public evil or
a nuisance to be regulated by strict
repressive legislation.