Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-03

rob the people OF their substance and that
they were rioting in their nl-Eotten wealth,
when a slight investigation would have
convinced the most skeptical what your
commission already admits, that much OF
the railroad mileage of the state was bank
rupt. II was charged that the stock of the
railroads had been watered and that the
people were being taxed in order 10 pay
dividends on watered stock when IN truth
and in fact, as Is well known to-day, there
had never been railroad in Texas that
ever paid 81 OF dividend on its stock. They
were told that bonds TO an unlimited amount
had been issued upon the mileage Of the
railroads, and that in order to pay the in
terest on these bonds the people were being
GROUND TO THE EARTH
by exorbitant rates levied upon them by
these unscrupuleus carriers. And yet there
was scarce a railroad in the state that paid
its interest on anything except the first
mortgage bonds and usually upon the basis
of about coo TO the mile, cheaper than
the road could be built at the present time.
They were told, and the apprehension
filed them with alarm, that aliens were
swarming upon US, individuals and corpora
tons were Selling upon and gradually
absorbing the lands of the state so as to de-
prive our people of their homes when as
matter of fact, If there was one thing above
another which an alien did not want, IL was
Texas land. And the people grew desperate
in rejecting upon those evils so greatly
magnified and entered upon career flegis-
lation which scarce has q parallel in the
history of republican commonwealth. We
threw behind US in our efforts to reach
remedy and a preventive for evils, many of
which were imaginary principles of
government sanctifed by the blood and
EFFORTS OF OUR ANCESTORS
in their struggles for liberty, and the effect
of our action has been only to vindicate in
lines OF sorrow the soundness of these
principles. We proclaimed to the world by
our votes that we did not want other peoples
money to come Eere and help US develop
this great land, and other people have kept
their money at home. We announced in
manner equally official and authoritative
that we believed railroads were curse to
the country, and we wanted no more of them
built, and the world has taken US at our
word and has not built any more for us. No
Texan has ever been foolish enough TO put
much of his money in a Texas railroad. and
the Yankee has been equally as smart as
the Texan, for there is but little Yankee
money in Texas railroad. They had bet
ter use for their money up in the East and
so they prevailed upon the alien to come
and put his money in railroads here through
them, and the railroad mileage of Texas
represents to a great degree the confidence
of the alien. The Eastern man
HAD BETTER USE
for his money; he kept it in the shape of
money so as 10 depredate upon US whenever
our crops began to move, and thereby he
has shown more sdgaclty than the alien, for
he doubles it pretty much every season,
either in interest or in speculation. And in
order to see that he is duly fostered and
encouraged in his depredations, we passed
an alien land law which has resulted only
in driving the alien from US and preventing
him from dealing directly with us and en-
aiding the Yankee to borrow the aliens
money
AT FOUR PER CENT
and lend it to US at ten. The logic of Gov
ernor Hogg's election two years ago was
the elimination of a series of aggressions
upon capital which had besn invited here
for investment under a guarantee of pro-
lection. 1t was the closing act of long
war inaugurated for political purposes, and
its result has cost Texas and her people
many, many millions of dollars.
l am not here for the purpose of defend
ing railroads, for they have ADLER men than
myself employed for that purpose. l have
no connection with them and no special in
terest in them except in so far as their in
terest may comport with the interests of
the people of Texas. Recent lessons in
government have taught US that these in
terests are reciprocal and inter-dependent,
and that blow aimed at one will neceS-
sarily recoil upon the other Texas cannot
destroy her railroads without bringing ruin
destroy her people without injury to her
railroads. We are in the same boat and
must float or sink together
There was no necessity, fellow citizens,
for disturbance of business or a terror
ism CT investments from the passage of a
commission law or an alien land law. Other
states have these laws upon their statute
books which have worked no serious detri-
ment to their people,
ET1T Not SrrCU LAWS
as Governor Hogg recommended and APP
proved. The administration of railroad
affairs by commission is not necessarily
hurtful to the railroads or TO the state if
conservatism prevails in our legislation and
administration. It was promised US two
years ago by those who felt that the prob
lem of railway control was unsolvable, eX-
cept through the form of a commission,
that no radicafism should obtain in our
legislation, and that those of US who were
distrustful of the plan we're unnecessarily
alarmed. But the result has more than
indicated the gravity of the apprehension,
and we have to-day upon the statute book
of Texas, a
CONSTITUTIONAL MoNsTRosITY
in the shape of law as the result of our ex-
pertinent. l undertake TO say as lawyer,
and if the test is ever applied in an y court,
I am willing to submit my vindication to
the judgment of the court, that this COM
mission law, under which $500 miles of rail
road are being operated, managed and con-
trolled to-day in Texas, win not stand one
hour of judicial scrutiny in the supreme
court of Texas, on account of its violation
in many provisions of both our state and
Federal constitutions. Thatiu has not been
attacked is due, perhaps as much to my
own efforts, as to any other cause, for my
advice has. been to these people, to obey the
law and trust TO the Justice OF the people
of Texas for q remedy. have told them
that the people of Texas
ARE LIBERAL PEOPLE
and just people; and that they would not
tolerate wrong on their own part when dis
covered. And if it could be made to appear |
to them that gross injustice was being done |
any person or any interest they would be |
moro prompt to remedy that injustice at the |
ballot box than would a court. and the |
remedy they applied would be more efica- |
cious. This commission law is not the re- |
suit of the matured judgment of your |
law makers. 1t was driven through |
the legislature under whip and spur, |
and few of the members under |
stood its provisions. or their effect |
It came as the ultimatum Of the governor, |
and was so announced and understood |
upen the floor OF both houses of the legisla- |
ture II was declared that its amendment |
would not be tolerated; that the governor
beng responsible for the commission, de-
manded this law or nothing, and the
LEGISLATURE YIELDED
its Judgment and passed the law. Other
measures were proposed far more