Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-09-09
IT WAS RIGHT.
The Commission Learns What
the Roads Charged.
THE TARIFF MADE TO SUIT.
Huntington's Road Hopes the Commission
Will See the Error of Its Way. -
Lawyers Say the Amend -
ments Have Carried.


special 10 IEe C'aZe--e-
DIDN'T FoOI. THEM.
AUSTIN. Ten. Sept S-AmonG the inter
rOgutOyicS prupOuudcd by the comm iSslon
% the traffic men early in the action was
one asking if local rates in the state were
not greater than the pro-rdte allowed tue
roads or q division OF interstate rates. The
commission had good reason IL believe that
the division OF Interstate rates gave the
Texas roads a much less rate for their share
than they were III the habit OF charging Tor
local trdtIic The traffic men OWNED the IL
tent and object Of the query. and while
they did not answer il Is fully and SatlStAc-
tOriiy rs they might-sOme OF them perhaps
not answering at all-they sought to impress
the commission with the idea that there
was very little difference, If any, between
the two, and that 4 Just equilibrium was
generally speaking maintained The gen.
eral freight agents knew that if it were
admitted that local rates were higher than
the share allowed them on division of in
terState rates, the commission would be
perfectly justified in ordering reduction
OF local rates. Hence the necessity for hid
ing if possible from the commission con-
dition of things that would OF itself be
prima-facie case against the roads. The
commission was not deceived very
badly, however. and 1t went
ahead arranging its commodity
tariffs l, > and 3, without much reference 10
the ans wers to that particular interroga-
tory, and making such reductions as were
deemed proper and safe. Now if it could be
shown that local rates were not higher than
those allowed Texas roads upon division
of interstate rates, the roads would have
prima-facie case against the commission for
reducing local rates. which they would have
worked for nil it was worth in the courts.
During talk on railroad matters with one
of the commissioners yesterday he told the
writer that the traffic men had recently
HELD A POW-wOw
on the rates PROMULGATED, and discussed
the proposition whether or not TO accept
them or ignore them and fight the cOmmis
sion. Such was his information and ne
had it from the very best authority
While the discussion was under way this
question of division Of interstate rates
came up, and one member who had studied
the rates closely showed the rest of them
that they had not a leg to stand on in 4 fight
against the commission. The latter said he
WAS posted as TO their state and interstate
rates and could go into court and show that
its local rates are actually better than the
division given them Of interstate rates.
The result would be that they would be
thrown out of court and the preSi re Of
victory would be with the commission.
the argument was decisive, and the propo-
sitiOn to fight went by the board, the rail
road men choosing to wait for a more IA
them would be less weighty and formlda-
bic
The general freight agent Of Hunting
ton 5 road, the Southern Pacific, wrote the
commission yesterday or day before that
his road would ''rigidly obey its commOd-
ity tariffs one and two, although doing so
would entail q heavy loss But that would
be borne. said he, with the hope that the
practical working of the tariff would teach
the commission moderation or words %
that effect 1t is well known that Hunting
ton is an enemy to regulation Of any sort,
and believes that the public has no rights
OF interest in the management or control of
railroads. except the right to ride or ship
over them. There its right stops, and to go
further than that Is tyranny just is it would
be tyrdnuouS IN the state to go about regu-
lating green grocerS and dry goods mer.
chants. 1t is quite evident that the South
ern Pacific management is not enamOred of
the commission, and that it IS waiting and
hoping for chance to sipa stilettO under
its fifth rib whenever suitable Opportun-
ity offers, if the road can restrain its eager
ness that long.
The truth of the matter is the railroads
OF Texas are not in q good position 70 fight
the commission, and they know 1t. They
know, too, that the commission knows it.
1t knows that they have uniformly and per
sistenty violated the laws of the state for
years in several ways, for which they are
amcnable, especially in the matter of alb
sOrDmg and frequently wreckin9 connecting
lines. This is one of their weakest and
most vulnerable points. When assaulted at
that point by Acknowledgement HogC, the
Missouri, Kansas and Texas surrendered
and agreed to Il compromise with the state
rather than have the water squeezed out OF
its stock and itself and branches sold out
lock, stock and barrel, by the sheriff, as
will be done some day with the East Line,
which road is now as guiltless of water as
the stomach OF an old topper.
The echo from the lumber tariff promul-
gated last week is very faint indeed. say
the commissioners, and comes entirely
from few, very few, mill men is southeast
Texas. The complaint from that quarter is
| much less than was expected, and so far is
not of such character as to call for any
consideration.
A general freight agent was explaining
to the commission several days, or it may
weeks, ago. how its cotton tariff fell below
the road IS published rates. It's no use
said one of the commissioners, ''for YOU to
quote your published rates to US. We know
that you don't follow them, and that you
give rebates, and make special contracts. -
Well" asked the traffic man, what is
to prevent our doing that under your tar
Nothing replied the commissioner.
| ''but if we hear OF it-as we are pretty apt
| to do-we'n cut down your rates further
| still. You can't make them any lower than
| the commission can. As long as You can al
| ford to reduce your own rates, the commits
| sion will indorse and confirm your action by
| giving the reduced rate the character of
| tirmness and stability, as well as its ap-
| proval.
THE AMENDMENTS.
| The lawyers here, almost without excep-
| ton, scout the idea dragged into print some
| days ago. that for any particular amend
ment to succeed at the late election, it must
! have received a majority of all the votes
| cast at the election. Governor Hogg, too,
| regrets that he was made TO appear as CO.
| NEEDING with the idea, when as matter OF
| fact he has never opened his mouth on the
| question, and will not until ii comes before
| him in proper form, when he Will, as duty
requires, pass upon it after due considera-
| ton. There is nothing whatever in the
| claim, it would seem, and no one would
| have thought of it, if Galveston. or friends
| OF hers. had not fancied that a doubt might
be raised that if properly worked, would
defeat the judiciary amendment
| Sales of public school lands, 10000 acres.
| 300 per acre.
Arkansas county redeemed one $500 court
| house bond.
Warrants drawn for scalps to-day -Steph-
! ems county, S64; Burnet county, sl43.
| Tax-rolls audited to-day - Montague
| county. 50, 400, PAS; increase 500, 479. Arm
| strong county, 81. sf3 1876; increase Sl2l. 2G.i