Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-09-20
Another Tariff.
Special to the Gazette


AUSTIN, Tex. Sept. 19.-The railroad
commission has promulgated tariff on
| compressed cotton, in order to counterfeit
the strategy of roads in compelling shippers
to undergo the cost of COMPRISING in addi-
ton to the fixed rate on cotton. The sue
cess of the new dodge will be short lived, as
the rates fixed to-day become operative in
twenty days. and the roads will have to
use their wits once more to circumvent the
law. The commissioner s are decidedly dis
pleased with what they consider and con-
denim as wanton breach of faith by the
railroads touching the new cotton rate
When the general freight agents came here
at the summons of the commission to con-
slider the proposed tariff they declared re-
peatedly, and their statements were con-
tirmed by shippers and compress owners
present, that they preferred to
compress cotton at their own
expense, as 4 matter of convenience to
themselves, and the great saving in car
room effected. The subject was discussed
at length, and the traffic men went into fig
ures to show how the roads profited by
COMPRISING the cotton. The commission.
acting in perfect goood faith, fixed its rate
the same on fiat and compressed cotton.
Subsequently the freight agents
united IL some questions put
to the commission about the proper con-
struction to be put upon certain features
one asking if the roads would be permitted
to compress for the shipper as before, they
and not the shipper standing the cost. The
commission replied aftirmatively, taking
pains to instruct them that if they chose to
compress the cotton for the shipper. it must
be at their own and not his expense Since
the st. Louis railroad meeting the roads
adopted the policy of construlng the law
directly the opposite of that explained by
the commission, and forcing the shipper to
have his cotton compressed and paying for
1t too BY this sly dodge the roads set
higher rate by 5 cents n hundred for
hauling cotton than they did under the old
system, which was at the maximum, 20
cents. The commissions maximum is 65
but by coercing the shipper into the pay
ment OF 90 cents bale for COMPRISING,
they shove the actual rate up to IS cents.
A palmer and more palpable breach of
faith could hardly be conceived than this
dodge by the roads. There is not an extern
uating circumstance, nor palliating
feature about it. 1t is wholly inexcusable,
and places them in most unenviable light
before the public. The commission took
them at their word, and believed that they
were acting in good faith when they de-
clared. one and all, time and again, that
they preferred to compress the cotton at
their own expense. For that reason, and
not suspecting that any set Of men with
high sense of honor could so soon forget |
their own language, or eat their own words,
the commission fixed the tariff on fat and
compressed cotton at the same figure One
thing is pretty certain, if one may Judge by |
what the commissioners say Of the bad |
faith Of the roads, and that is, it will be |
decidedly cold day when the commissioners
will again trust to the railroad
men to do or not to do given thing. It |
will be rigid business hereafter. and no
sentiment, NO trusting to promises or tax
ing things upon faith. In this matter Of