Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-24
A RAILROAD TRICK
Attempted On the People to
Defeat Their Viii
is WHAT GOV. RoGG DECLARES
To be the Object in Ciamorirg For an
Elective Commission IS This Time
Vigorous English Ussd by the
Govsrnos> In a Letters
Tn. Reason why.


AUSTIN, TEX, March fs-The following
copy of letter by Governor Hogg to a
friend, stating the reasons why he favored
an appointiye in preference to an elective
railroad commission, contains some inter
esting reading. 1t is as follows:
OFFICE OF j. D. FIELDS n D., /
Ex-PRESIDENT OF THE STATE FARMERS
ALLIANCE OF Texas
MANOR, TRAVIS COUNTY, TEX, March
Governor James S. Hogg:
DEAR SlR-Wlll you please give me for
publication your reason for preferriug the
appointive TO the elective railroad COM
missions A great many people would like
to know your reasons. Having full faith
in your craftsmanship and honesty of in
tention, l feel that you have just grounds
for your preference, and would ike for II y
people to have the benefit of them.
| would further say that your adj
minisuation has been success in every
particular, and has given more confidence
to people abroad that the laws would be
executed and life and property protected,
than any other administration. realize
that the fight is on, and that corporate
power, assisted by the saloon and rabble
element, will do anything to destroy you I;
but I believe the people viii stand by you
in the end. Yours, etc, ]. D. FIELDS.
AUSTIN, TEX, March g. 1892.
Dr. j. D. Fields, Manor, Tex
DEAR SIR-In reply to your favor OF the
4th inst. l beg to say that from the begin
ming to the close of the campaign two years
ago / advocated an appointivc commission,
and the people elected me on that issue.
My reasons were given them for preferrlng
an appointive over an elective commission.
At Rusk, in discussing the question on
opening the campaign April 10, 1890, said;
Then three competent, honest men, APP
pointed by the power that gave these rail-
ways life and existence. would certainly
subserve the general interest of all more in
harmony with equality. justice and fair
play than committee of traffic managers
under the control of spectators whose
chief aim is private gain"
At Houston, April &c, l said: ''The COM
missioners should be appointed by the gov
ernor and he held responsible by the people
for their efficiency and honesty"
At GreenYille, on June Z, l said: eff [
am elected governor and am trusted with
the selection of the commission, shall APP
point men who cannot be bought or bull
dozed, and who possess ability sufficient for
the difficult task they will have to per-
form"
At Austin, on the 22nd day of May, I
said: Railways should be removed from
politics Their power is too often felt at
conventions to the detriment of public inter
ests Their forces are always organized
and well drilled for immediate action. No
one should underestimate their cunning
and strength. In the great scramble for
the various county, district and state Offices
they would keep an eye single on
the railroad commissioners, if they are
made elective, and it need not be doubted
that in the contest they would get one or
all of their fayorites. Keep them out of
politics. Remove all temptation from this
source from them to exert their wonderful
power against the interests of the people,
by making the commissioners appointive.
Hold the governor responsible for the
integrity, ability and efficiency of
the commissioners. If l am elected gov
ernor l shall appoint men whose character
cannot be questioned, whose abilities are
equal to those of our ablest men, whose
backbones are as strong as the capital
dome and who cannot be run over, nor
bought nor bulldozed by corporate power"
All over the state in the three-months'
campaign 1 uttered similar sentiments.
In my message to the legislature, dis
eUssing the commission, L used the follow
ing language: German to the subject, I
therefore with great respect suggest that
the commission to be created should be
composed of three members, to be ap-
pointed by the governor, with the advice
and consent of the senate"
Again: lone of the great achievements
of the commission, desirable by all classes,
should be the removal of the railways from
politics THE constant friction
resulting in so many antagonisms between
the citizens and the carriers will be abated.
The biennial political agitations and cor
rupting influence of corporate power in the
elections, always productive Of discomfort,
jealousy and unhappiness, among the just
people. VIII be at an end.''
In all respects l nave been fair, open and
consistent on this question. For fourteen
years the people had been trying to have a
commission law passed, but had failed.
During that time every bill presented in the
legislature that I have been able to sea or
hear of provided for the appointment of the
commissioners by the governor. OF all the
bills introduced and acted on by the COM
mittees during the last legislature not one
provided for the election OF the commits
sioners. After what is known as the Ter
rell substitute (Which is now the COM
mission law was offered it was
sought to be destroyed in various
ways. one Of which was 20 make the COM
missioners elective. While some faithful
friends to the commission favored that fea-
ture and always had, they soon learned it
was trick played ut that time for the
purpose OF breeding trouble among the rep
res entatives and friends of the commits
sion movement. You know there was q
strong railroad lobby here for three months,
as great in numbers as either branch of tAe-'
legislature. 1t was so large, and attended
the halls with such punctuality each day.
that it was called aud known as the third
house, Every member CT it and every
enemy of the commission zealously fought
for an elective commission" They be-
came very Democratic, all of 4 sudden,
and wanted the people to have say.'
AS 1 remarked. no bill had an elective
feature in it. The proposition to elect the
commissioners was made at a crisis and for
bad purpose. 1t is never good policy to
The commission friends refused to accept
help from tine lobbyists, and they did right
under the circumstances. The people,
without corporation help had got exactly
what had been promised them in the cam
paign-the best commission law il the
United States. with three as abe, courage
GUS men appointed to execute it as ever
lived in the state.
Tennessee and Florida lost their commits
sions by experimenting with TIE tricks of
corporations. 1t is well to beware Of them
in Texas. All the lobbyists, al the enemies
of the law, all the calamity. shriekers,
favored and are iayoring an elective COM
mission. ard the railway employees are or
gaining all over the state and passing reso-
buttons 6enouncing the commission and de- !
handing the election OF the commissioners.
Why's Because they bellows this is the
way to defeat the will Of the people and
overthrow the law. They want the rail-
ways turned loose in politics.
Many good men, friends to the measure,
want IN elective commission. but they are
getting shy of recent converts" VINO have
iDIurt.d in ahead 70 advorata II They ara