Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-03
THE COMMISSION.
General Freight Agents Sched-
ules of Rates About Ready.
RATE SYSTEM THEN AND NOW.
Congressman Savers Opinion on the Alien
Land Law and Other Matters.
Senator Crane Talks on Political. Govern
mental and Financial Matters.
Judge Reagan on Boss Quay.
Now and in Early Days.
RATE SYSTEM THEN AND NOW.
Rate Schedule.


Special TO the Gazette.
AUSTIN. TEx.. August o.-The railroad
commission is about ready 10 submit to the
general freight agents schedules OF the
rates which it thinks reasonable on Anew OF
the principal heavy commodities, SUCH as
lumber in its various forms. salt. cotton
and grain, including wheat, corn. rye, oats,
nay. mill feed, bran and shorts and the like
The schedules will be submitted TO the gen
eral freight agents on completion. ana al
though they will not be asked to come TO
Austin to confer with the commission, 1t is
quite probable that they will prefer doing
so to an unsatisfactory discussion On the
proposed tariffs through the mails. with
the PRONUNCIATION of these rates beglus
THE REAL WORK
of the commission. that for which 1t was
created, to-wit: The establishing of ''rea-
sunable freight and passenger rates as the
caption of the bill declares. What the re-
suit OF the PRONUNCIATION will De is, of
course matter of uncertainty, No one
can tell how the rates will be received by
the roads. or whether they will accept them
as reasonable and final. or will object and
maybe choose TO enter into contest with
the commission as to their reasonableness.
Little or nothing is known at present about
the rates themselves The commission has
been hard ut work i'll trying to ascertain
from the information attainable what IS, or
is likely 10 he Just and reasonable com
penSation or rate. To arrive at any definite
conclusions on that score is very difficult,
owing TO the fact that, as the well Informed
know. existing rates of tariff are lald with
but little reference to
ANY RULE OR PRINCIPLE.
To large extent rates are purely arbl-
trary. and the result of temporary and acct
dental cause, shifting and unstable. On no
two roads are they the same, or controlled
Dy like causes. Since the commission or
ganized June 10, and the roads learned that
they could make no changes in rates with
out the consent of that body, the public has
obtained glimpse through the daily an
nouncement of the changes authorized by
the commission, of the manner in which
freight rates are fixed without much refer
ence to rule or precedent. If one considers
the numerous applications coming IN daily
to the commission for permission to alter,
decrease or modify rates by the various
lines. he would be able to form a definite
idea of their instability and
CAPRICIoUs CHARACTER.
As has been before stated in The GAZETTE
the existing system of rate making is based
on policy ds latitudinarian as the scope of
traffic itself and the opportunities it affords
for the widest margin of profit. As long as
that policy prevails the roads will be com
PEELED to adhere TO the arbitrary system in
vogue, and fix any given rate with sole ref
erence to the isolated facts and circumStan-
ces governing the situation. circumstances
alter cases is a saying that is peculiarly
applicable TO this business. Most rates are
il SCENE, the creatures of circumstances,
and not the result of principle, such as
the cost of service.
Whether or not it is in the power of the
commission to change all this or to SO
modify it as TO bring freight rates
within the scope or influence OF a
DEFINITE RULE OR PRINCIPLE
is to be determined. Such change was
foreshadowed in some of Judge Reagau'S
remarks to the traffic men when here some
weeks ago. II is probable that the com
mission will base its action on some such
principle Us that indicated and will work
forward to the establishment of a base line
of coordination from which regularity and
order, as well as stability and reasonable
certainty may follow. If this is to be its
course. as everything indicates. its early
success will depend ON the willingness of
the roads to cooperate with the commits
sion ii on the other hand they choose to
adhere TO the existing system OF go-as-you-
please, and to resist the policy of the com
mission, there will be a struggle whose
character will depend on the
TEMPER AND GOOD SENSE
of the contestants. 1t will be remembered
that the traffic men, when in consultation
with the committee some weeks ago, de-
clared their preference for the existing
system of rate-maling. which, as they said
was. the result of years of experience
fflHs the highest order of administra-
ESe.abllity. They expressed grave doubts
if it were wise to attempt setting it aside
for theoretical system that to them APP
peared fallacious and injurious to the
roads. If they continue in that frame of
mind, and the commission shall decide that
they are mistaken. then there will be 4
contest. and that very soon, too. Inside Of
q few days we shall learn what are the real