Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-21
THE COMMISSION,
And the Question of Manu-
factories in This State.
NATURES OWN CONDITIONS.
Suggestions in Considering Their Estab-
Ishment-Freight Rate Conditions
An Interesting Oommunlca-
ton on tho Subject
FORT WORTH, TEX, Feb. IL, 1892.
Editor Gazette.

Editor Gazette.
FUNDAMENTAL CONDITIONS.
Texas in its fundamental, or what might
be called, natures conditions, ranks to-day
above par with any state in the Union in
its natural resources to encourage home
manufactures. The mineral and agricul-
tural resources of the state with which to
supply the raw material are unsurpassed
IN the world, and more than sufficient TO
justify great expectations resulting from
the establishment Of many different classes
OF manufactures.
TRADE CONDITIONS.
The trade conditions also justify favorable
expectations. Practically speaking, there
are very few manufactures west of the
Missouri and Mississippi river, were all
conditions on an equality, that could hope
10 compete against home enterprise within
this state. The expense and the time con-
sumed in reaching market is very materially
lessened, likewise the expense and time
consumed in receiving goods from market
which every business man recognizes to be
OF great Importance in these times OF COM
petltive enterprise and push.
FREIGHT RATE CONDITIONS.
Admitting what has already been said to
be true, and hardly think any man will be
found to contradict it, does not the axiom
stand out boldly, that were the freight
rates from any manufacturing point IN
Texas to any other point within the state
elgn producing markets outside OF the state
10 same points within it, would not the
freight rate conditions still be favorable to
home manufactures, and, under like rate
conditions, until distributing distances out
side the state equaled or exceeded the DIS
tances from foreign manufactures TO same
distributing centers, would not Texas man
ulactorieS be on a parity, to say the least,
with foreign works to such foreign CEN
terS} Can any one dispute this Logger
Are the freight rates on any product or
article manufactured within the state, from
point of manufacture to any point OF destl-
nation within the state, in any instance as
high as they are on same product or article
from any competing manufacturing point to
same destinations l doubt if such an in
stance can be found within the state. Ii
such rate or rates do exist, it is in viola
ton of law, and an unlntentlonal
error or oversight in the tariff,
subject to immediate correction. The
rates on all commodities and classes from
St. Louis TO Denison, Paris, Gainesville,
Fort Worth, Dallas, San Antonio, and all
other Texas common points are the same,
which means that any manufactured pro-
duct or article from St. Louis to any COM
mon point in Texas would take the maxi
mum, or highest rate. Now, the rate from
any manufacturing point in Texas to any
other consuming point within the state
on the same product or artlcle
would not reach the maximum
or highest rate, until distances
OF from $50 TO 500 miles had been reached,
and the maximum rate when so reached
would still be considerably less tnan the
ST. Louis rate and to all intermediate
points between the point first taking tine
maximum rate. and the Texas point OF
manufacture the rates would largely de-
Q ease. thereby giving'the home works a
lirge differentiaI percentage IN the rates IN
their favor, which would be very materially
increased when the manufactured product
or article came from competing markets
east of the Mississippi river, and
all Texas knows that the bulk OF
manufactured articles used within the
state come from points on and east Of the
Mississippi river, reaching largely into the
Interior, New England and sea board cities.
Has it not now been proved beyond cues
ton of dispute that natures conditions.
trade conditions, and freight rate conditions
are all favorable to home manufacturers,
against foreign competition, and yet the
railway commission informs the people that
the railroads are res ponsible for the failure
on the part of investors 10 avail themselves
Of these favorable conditions, and
invest their money in Texas manufacs-
cries, and when any such Investments are
made and failure is the result the COM
mission informs the people the rapaclty OF
the railroads was the cause. The COM
mission evidently believes that the railway
Commission law gives them the same
licensed monopoly of abuse and invective
that it does Of the railroads constitutional