Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-21

the farmer. Under the present conditions
the markets of the world are open to Texas
farmers, and regardless of the rate of
freight Texas miller has TO pay for his
grain the highest market price made by
this general competition. The greater the
competition in an agricultural country
the greater is the home protection.
The millers of to-day can buy wheat and
lay 1t down at their doors at what we con-
slider to be reasonable freight rates. The
fact that we extend these freight rates to
other markets at extremely low figures
does not in any manner prevent
the Texas miller from obtaining
his supply at home, but it does
give such 4 general stimulus in COMPETE
ton to the grain interests of Texas that the
farmer feels he is not at the mercy of any
clique or combination. Mr.. Chairman, the
enterprise of the merchants within the state
of Texas is beyond expression. They fight
for every inch of ground they believe can
by any possibility be brought within their
territory. They come down on US and
say the town forty miles from
them has such rate, and wheat
tributary to my town is going down
there; we cannot stand it; we have in
vested great deal of money here; we
have come into the country to build it up,
to develop it, and we want the protection
of the railroads in order to do II. In other
words, Mr.. Chairman; it is not an exaggera-
ton to say that the railroads to-day have
sacrificed themselves to the interest Of the
people of Texas, and 1 wish to, state here
that If this commission Will ADJUST US fair
and equitable rates, on basis of rule thirty
of the Georgia commission, they Will save
US from ourselves"
The people now have my official utter
ance, when general freight agent, repre-
senting the roads, to compare with my
statements as private citizen, represent
ing the peoples interests as well as my
own, and it will be observed that when
tinctly stated a commission that would
adjust rates fairly and equ1tabiy
would be a benefit to the railroads
and not to the people. A commission means
to throttle competition. The present com
mission has announced its fixed determine
ton to entirely disregard competitive con-
ditions, and the only salvation the people
have against them in this respect is that
they don't know what they do mean, and no
sooner make one announcement in theory
than they reverse it in practice.
We will now get back to our. enterprising
investor He has made his calculations
and knows just about how his competitive
conditions stand. We will say he finds he
can reach home territory within a radius of
that the rates to points beyond put 1t
little out of his reach. He goes to
a general freight agent for relief beyond,
and says to him: If you could average these
rates up little so as to make a little more
on your short hauls and little less on your
long, the result would be about the same to
you, and 1 could start up my works. The
freight agent says; That is fair PROPOSE
ton, but unfortunately the power to ac-
commodate you has been taken out -of
my hands, Such suggestion from me
to the commission would set them on ire.
Perhaps you had better try them !; and now
we have our would-be investor before the
commission with the chairman holding the
tariff under discussion up before him and
explaining that the rates in that tariff were
made upon what the commission sup
posed to be just and equitable
rates, for service performed,
and that being the case. it would be legally
impossible to change them as suggested
for just think what burden it would be to
consumers on the short hauls to increase
their rates and lessen them to
consumers on the long hauls.
The commission then endeavors To- convince
the would-be investor that the consumers
on the short hauls would prefer going a
thousand miles to market and paying maxi
mum freight rates than they would to have
their market at the home manufacaory and
almost at their door if in this advan-
tage to themselves they were COM
PEELED to show any charity to their state
neighbors little further of On truth, no
charity would be shown. Merchants
in Texas only ask to be put on an equality
in freight rates.) The chairman, then,
in little over whisper, states,
commission did have q theory once that
it could confscate the railways property to
support manufacturers and play fast and
loose with the states honor, but when they
came to practice it, they were surprised
to lind the people of Texas loved fair
play better even than man ufactories,
and their fate has been warning 10 US,
besides which, logically reasoned. it was
discovered the proposed remedy would
result in efectually killing i-stea d Of curing
the patients. What has been said in regard
to the would-be investor, who goes back
home stating conditions here were not
feasible, applies equally to all other enter
prises. II the people feel a commission
necessary for protection, and this they
have right 10, elect an advisory commits
ion a freight agent then after due notice
TO the advisory commission can accommo-
date his rates to the requirements OF com
merce, and every citizen can have protec-
ton in his appeal 70 the commission !