Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-26
THE COMMISSION.
How Il Works to Perfection in Five
Of the Leading Southern States.
Railroad Building Going On at Rapid Rate
They Have Better Passenger Service
and Cheaper Freights.
BAIRD, TEX, June 10, 1890.

BAIRD, TEX, June 10, 1890.
Editor Gazette.
The writer recently had occasion
to visit Florida, Georgia and South
Carolina, and because Of the
great interest now felt in Texas
IN the subject of railroad regulation by
means ofa commission, some time and
attention was given during the trip to
an investigation of matters and facts con-
nected with that subject. OF the six
states traversed, including Louisiana.
Mississippi and Alabama, all save one
have commissions. Louisiana being very
much engaged just now in trying to man.
age lottery corporation will not reach
the railroad question until later. In the
states named the commission law has
been longest in operation in South Caro-
lima, and has been latest adopted in
Florida; the latter having quite recently
enacted the Georgia statute almost YER
batim. AS these two states adIoin, and
several of the Georgia roads extend into
Flo ida, it may be fairly presumed that
the people of Florida are well informed
as to the working of the commission law
in Georgia, and well pleased with the
results.
Soon after the decision of the Dart
mouth college case as to the vested rights
of corporations, it was enacted in South
Carolina that the charters of all corpora
tons granted by that state should be
subject to legislative alteration or repeal;
SO that the right of the state to control
her corporations Is not there an open
question. Indeed the salaries OF her
commissioners are paid by means OF a
state tax levied on the roads alone-pre-
sumably on the theory that the hair of
the dog should be taken TO cure the bite.
One noticeable feature observed was
the absence of any serious friction in the
workings of the commission plan. 1t is
there the established order of things, and
seems to have been so accepted from the
outset. The Georgia commissioners in
their last report covering eight months,
say that all their rulings and decisions
have been acquiesced in and carried out;
and in South Carolina it is very rarely
necessary for the commission to call upon
the Encouragement to institute suit for
the enforcement of its rules and require
ments. Railroad building is going on in
all these states, and is unusually active
in Georgia and Alabama. In all of them
the road-b0ds are in better condition
than Texas, better passenger cars are
furnished, and the average speed of pas
sengsr trains is nearly forty miles an
hour. These things lead one to the con-
clusion that the roads are neither crippled
by, nor seriously dissatisfied with the
com mission plan. Yet the people; espe-
cIally the merchants and business men
among whom l was thrown, seemed TO
be also satisfied with the law. OF course
tn ere are some who are not satisfied. but
they must be the exception to the rule,
for if there were any serious extent of
dissatisfaction among the people, 1t
would certainly manifest itself in the
public prints in charges against the COM
mission and in efforts to repeal or amend
the commission law.
1t is said that Georgia affords no cri-
terion as to the value and expediency of
a commission in Texas because of great
difference in conditions. Indeed,
one of our candidates for governor has
declared Georgia to be Hdensely popu-
lated aud that "no extensive portion
of Texas is as densely populated as the
most sparsely settled district in Geor-
gia. An examination OF the country,
and comparison of census and business
trsvagantly beyond even the license of
campaign matter. The population of
Georgia is now considerably less than
that of Texas, and averages but little
mora than twenty-five persons to the
square mile, and while this is above the
average for the whole of our large Texas
territory, it is far from being "dense. -
Besides about oue-half the population of
al nf nt afaf
named, consists of idle, shiftless ne
groes, who contribute comparatively lit
tie to the travel or the traffic of the rail-
roads. Nearly all of Southern Georgia
is poor, sandy pine woods but thinIy set
tied; and the average population of the
counties of that section is not as great as
that of the counties of Palo Pinto, East
land, Callahan and Taylor. A passen-
ger car going through this region usually
contains about five to eight persons,
while the Texas and Pacific trains that
pass Baird are ordinarily full, il not
crowded. No road of Georgia, Alabama
or South Carolina passes for the same
distance through as populous and pro-
ductive region as does the Houston and
Texas Central from Corsicana to Denison
or the Missouri, Kansas and Texas
from Taylor to Denison; or the Santa Fe
from Brennan to Gainesville; or the
Texas and Pacific from Texarkana to
Fort Worth, or from Marshall to Wealth
In Georgia the duties of the commits
sion are confined almost exclusively to
the fixing of rates and to preventing I'M
just DETERMINATIONS, and do not extend
to such matters as inadequate depot and
station accommodations and the like.
The commission acts on behalf of the
legislature and as a legislative agency,
appears to operate efficiently without ex-
ereising either judicial or executive func-
tons. The commission fixes a schedule
Of rates, requires monthly reports from
the roads, examines their books and off,
cials and prescribes rules to guard against
but they can neither
;onhscate, nor fine, nor imprison, nor
render final judgment. If railroad off,
,ers and agents refuse to appear before |
he commission to testify, application for
IN attachment is made TO the judge of |
superior court. Penalties for violating |
The rules and rates fixed by the COM |
mission are declared in the statute law,
md are to be enforced through the courts |
1t the suit of the state or any person in |
ured BY the overcharge or diserlmina- |
ion. In all suits the rates fixed by the |
commission are prima facie taken to be |
he reasonable and proper rates OF /
y. q