Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-09-29

the chage therefor out of the rate fixed on
cotton by the commission"
That question and answer puts the whole
case In a nutshell. The general freight
agents asked if they were Still at liberty to
pay for COMPRISING out of the rate es tab
lished, and the commission replied that
they were. Nothing more was heard on
the subject, andsthe rate went into effect,
the roads following the old practice.
About the time the rate went into effect
the general freight agents Of the South
west met at St. Louis to adjust through
rates, as 1t was given out, to the COM
missions Texas rates. Immediately after
its adjournment it was learned here that
the roads were refusing to issue way-billS
for any cotton to be shipped between points
within the state, unless delivered to them
compressed, the shipper, of course, stand
ing the cost of COMPRISING. This ruling
of the agents made the cot
ton tariff higher to most shippers than
it had been under the old rates, and brought
the roads correspondingly increased reve-
nue.. The commission wired the general
freight agents at once, asking if the informa-
ton it had received on that point was cor
rect. Answers came back from most OF
them that it was, and that they supposed
the practice was all right perfectly agreea-
BILE to the provisions of the established cot
ton tariff. Some of then: came here to con-
fer with the commission, and affected great
surprise at learning that their little dodge
was wholly out of keeping with their for
mer statements and directly contrary to
the intent and purpose of the commits
sion's cotton tariff Their discrimination
and mock surprise at hearing this from the
commission can be fully appreciated by the
reader in the light of the question and an
swer given above. The commission had
learned that the sly dodge was the result OF
the St. Louis meeting. where 1t had been
under discussion, and finally decided on by
a nearly unanimous vote, three votes only,
and one of them proxy, being cast against
it, While the trick was being discussed
the wires to New York, it is said, We're
kept hot with messages of advice from
headquarters. 1t is now known that the
artful dodge was inspired from that city.
The commission took prompt action and.ls-
sued tariff that enables the shipper to
compress his cotton and deliver 1t to the
roads at the rate fixed on fiat cotton.
To show the objectionable meanness of
the roads, it should be stated that they
have never refused TO pay for COMPRISING
cotton delivered for shipment to ST. .-OuiS
or New Orleans OF other points without
the state 1t is only on local shipments to
Galveston or Houston, or points within the
state, that they require the shipper to pay
the cost of COMPRISING. And not only
cents on the 100 pounds on shipments to St.
Louis and New Orleans, although they
were already far below the established
rates within the state.
The lying New York circular mentioned
above concluded with the statement that
in view of the commissions ruling on COM
pressed cotton, the roads would be COM
PEELED in self-defense to resort to means
illegal or otherwise to avoid ruin. Means
illegal or otherwise" What is meant by
the term otherwise" can only be GUESSED
at 1t may mean illegal, or such means as
will ignore entirely the commissions rates,
and the carrying things with high hand;
or it may mean more artful lodging, more
sharp practice, such as that concocted at st.
Louis. But no one fears it 1t is harm
less thunderbolt, mere sound and fury. So
far as legal means go, the roads don't
dare resort to them. They have not leg
to stand on in court and they know it, and
they know, too, that the commission knows
it. Hence the talk OF means 'otherwiSe'
than legal. They mean if possible. to bull
doze the commission. Imagine their trying
to intimidate John II. Reagan! A fox defy
ing the lightning is not circumstance to it.
The average of the commission rate on
the transportation of cotton within the
state is a little above 81 cents per ton per
mile. To be preci e, it is 5.54 cents. The
rate on the Southern Pacific, Mr.. Hunting
TONS road. from Houston to New Orleans,
distance of $50 odd miles, is 81 bale, or
l. 10 cents per ton per mile. Now here is a
rate fixed by Mr. Huntington's traffic man
ayers on his own road that is scarcely one
fifth of the rate allowed him by the COM
mission Now wouldn't he cut pretty
figure in court, should he go there with an
allegation that the commissions rates were
running his roads, The rates fixed by the
roads, or some of them, on shipments of
cotton from Dallas 10 st. Louis, a distance
Of 73S miles, is 2.11 cents per ton per
mile. or less then half the commissions
rate for half the distance within the state.
Now if a rate OF IL cents per ton per mile
IS remunerative-andw we all know that Mr..
would not haul Tor it if it was
lot-how can he or any other railroad
nagnate or man have the face TO say that
4 rate more than five times as high is ruin
,us? Cannot child see that if the roads
ire TO get rid of the commissions rates it
will not be by 'legal' means, but ''other-
wise for which they appear to
AVE a rare fondness. But when they go
lbout it there is going to be some fun, and
ion't you forget it.
Of M