Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-07
= RAILROAD COMMISSION.
A Citizen of Georgia Attests to its Useful
ness to the People and Railroads.

A Citizen of Georgia Attests to its Useful
ness to the People and Railroads.
CLEBURNE, TEX, June 3, 1890.
To the Gazette.
Being temporarily on visit from my
home in Columbus, Ca. you inform me
that the citizens of this state VIII soon
haye to vote upon the establishment or
nom esta blishment of q railroad commas
sion, and as Georgia has had one for
years, you would like TO have "my writ
ten views upon its practical workings in
our state, and whether 1t is beneficial to
the public. ..
Feeling that it IS a question of great
Importance to both the railroads and the
peopls--if my own views and observations
can be of any assistance in throwing any
light upon the subject, / will comply
with your request with the distinct un-
Outstanding that l am not here with any
view TO become party to the contro-
versy, but simply to give my views, aud
IL You think they will harmonic they are
nt your service.
/. The railroad commission in its prac-
ticsl workings in our state was so pOpu-.
lar TO both the railroads and the people,
that they commenced and aided in the
establishment of the Interstate commits
sion by congress. The railroads were
opposed to its establishment at first but
they soon found it very beneficial to them
in settling matters of controversy be-
tween railroads themselves.
,. The existence of a railroad commits
sion in a stnte leads TO the extension of
the railroad traffic and the building of
new roads. 1t was thought at first
that Its existence would throttle all new
enterprises in railroad building. But
Il was soon discovered that the con-
verse of this proposition was true, for the
railroad commission puts the new and
weak roads On an equality with the old
established and powerful roads, and for
biis any discrimination, hence Georgia
hes kept pace with her sister states on
building new roads, since the commission
was established, as the commission
throws its protection over the weak
against the strong, and at the same
time keep the mighty from crushing each
other or the public.
3. Can the national interstate commits
sion iii ell the requirements and do away
with the necessities of a state commits
SION? We answer, it taunot. No more
than national laws, passed by congress,
can do away with all state laws and state
courts. The national commission Is
necessary TO regulate interstate COM
merce but does not, will not and cannot
regulate the great questions arising from
the Internal commerce within the bounds
OF every state, whose necessities and
state laws require state legislation. A
national interstate commission with no
commission TO aid, advise or check its
workings would create such q ceutraliZa-
ton of furies that the liberties of the
peopls ana each state would be endan-
gered. Hence, If for no other reason,
the state of Texas, with territory equal
20 that OF five other states, should have
a railroad commission 10 aid, advise and
check the great national interstate COM
MISSION and 10 regulate your vast inter-
national commerce..
4. Can state statutory laws and the
courts of the state as at present organi-
zed, meet the emergency and do away
with the necessity Of q state railroad
commission? We answer no.
The present jurisdiction of the courts
OF the country are now greater than can