Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-05-22

| Will practically stop railroad construo-
ton in the state. I know that distin-
| guished gentlemen are ready to deny
this and in support of their position refer
US TO the state of Georgia. They seem
to forget that the conditions in Georgia
are entirely different from those in
Texas. Georgia is very old state, be-
| ing, as we all know one OF the original
Is colonies. She is densely populated
aud is SO located that q
great part of the traffic of
Alabama, Florida, aud the Car
olinas go through her territory. 1t is
| very natural, therefore, that all of her
roads are good paying properties. 1 take
it that no extensive portion of Texas is as
densely populated as the most sparsly
| settled district in Georgia; besides the
character of the country which surrounds
the two states and which contributes to
their through traffic is entirely different.
But suppose we discard the question of
population, surroundings, etc., and
make q personal application IN regard
to railroad building. As well as
we all love Texas, and as anxious as
we all are to see the state develop would
we put our money into railroads and
yield their control to the arbitrary will
and unrestrained discretion of q COM
mission? The very suggestion of letting
others take charge of our property and
deprive US of its management is repug-
nant to our independence and manhood.
If we, with all our loyalty TO Texas,
would not do SO how can we expect
others who are non-residents and have
no interest in the state to bring their
money here and invest it IN enterprises
-
would have more railroads, the commits
sion with extreme powers, Is certainly
very doubtful and dangerous experiment
at this time. 1 venture the assertion
that there is not q community in the
state which would not give the right of
way-a town or CITY that would pay
liberal bonus to secure another railroad.
If this be true would it not be foolish in
us to adopt policy that may prevent our
getting what we want and need? All will
admit that Texas cannot be properly de-
veloped without more railroads. Middle
and West Texas must have better trans
portation facilities for conveying lumber
from Eastern Texas to improve their
farms and build and make COM
Portable their homes. To de-
velop the inexhaustable iron fields
of Llano and Eastern Texas
and utilize the coal fields of North and
Northwestern Texas, manufacture our
own iron and other products we must
have railroads connecting the iron and
coal fields and extending to the deep wa
ter ports on our coast. We have some
80 900, 1000 acres of fine land belonging
to the school fund which cannot now be
occupied for the want of lumber and
fuel. Nothing but railroads can supply
these essential articles. With one or two
trunk lines and the necessary branches
the fuel and lumber can be supplied, and
before many years THAT whole section
will be inhabited by happy, industrious
and prosperous people,, and the school
children of the entire state will be enjoy
ing a bountiful income as a result of their
occupations, and that extensive region,
which Is now unprotected, will be con-
verified into the finest cereal region on the
globe. To illustrate what benefit rail-
roads haye been to Texas, we may take
any county in the state and we will find
that its development has depended to a
great extent upon railroads being built
through its territory, and its prosperity
and increase in property values have,
kept pace with the extent of their con-
struetion.
In 1874 we had 1909 miles of railroad in
Texas and. the. taxable values of that
year were S24+, $40 ,55S, while in
1SS9'we had 1886 miles, and the taxable
values were 1929, 175, 564. We thus see
that the property values have advanced
fr about the same ratio that railroad
mileage has. increased. That you may
know my relations to railroads I
wish TO state that 1 have never
been, nor am 1 now their champion, as
against further interests in the state, 1
have never served one as an attorney or j
a moment in my life, but be-
lieve in dealing justly with those we have
because it is right to do SO, and such
treatment will encourage capitalists to
construct more roads which are neces-
sary for the convenience of the people
and development of Texas, to the extent
justify.
1 believe that the state has the right,
and it is her imperative duty, to fix
freight and passenger rates
to prevent Discrimination in favUr. of one
person or town against other persons and
towns and prohibit oppressive freight
rates, and if the state does not exercise |
that power for the protection of her citi-
zens she is derilipt in her duty. Laws |
railroads should, however, be |
similar to those regulating any other |
business, they should be fair, just and |
with penalties heavy |
enough to prevent their violation, and if |
they are disregardsd by the railroads |
their obedience should be enforced If it |
took the entire power of the state. Such |
however.ls hould be made
without malice and with no feeling of |
or revenge, bat simply be-
cause it is the law and they, as well as |
Ill other corporations and individuals
should be compelled to obey the law.
There seems to me to be desire on |
the part of some parties to this discussion |
to array one portion of our fellow-citi-
zens against the other who follow differ
ant aYocations-such teachings if needed |
will MARI the peace of our beloved state
Interfere with the enjoyment of our in
lividual property and personal rights,
and il followed to their natural conse-
Iuences, will ultimately destroy free
Democratic government. If We should |
De free1 happy and prosperous, we
must not build up class prejudices
n Texas, simply because We follow
different avocations. The farmers are
being appealed to and asked to support
Ind advocate a commission with extreme
oower, and they are assured that it will
fob