The Waco evening news. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 1891-1894, 1892-05-09
GOV. H0GG'S COMMISSION.

is commission with full and COM
plete power to manage the railroads OF
Texas as it sees fit without being re.
sponsible to anybody for its acts, 1t
can make rates on one road different
from the rates on another road and
both or all the roads are compelled to
carry freight at the rate fixed by this
commission whether it pays to do 1T
or not. The commission that Hogg
wants, and he now has that kind, can
even exempt road from the commits
sion law while maintaining rates fixed
according to their own noion on other
roads. Is it presumed for moment
that there are men who will build rail
roads in Texas so long as they are
subject to such unjust treatment?
Men who have money to invest will
not put it in state where the law
presumes that they are all criminals,
and the moment their money is plant
ed here assumes the management of
the property without permitting the
owner to have any voice in it at all. If
the governor and his appoiutees think
there are enough railroads in Texas
now, they would not be wise in advo.
eating such a policy. There are other
industries TIE multiplication of which
is just as necessary to develop the
state as air aud water. II the COM
mission can assume absolute control
of the railroads of the state without
the consent of the owners and fix the
rates according to their own sweet
will because, perchance there had
been in the past some exorbitant rates
charged on some of the roads, we
could just as we'll establish commits
sion to regulate the price Of manufac-
lures and agricultural products if it is
urged that prices are too high. 1t
was never contemplated by the people
who adopted the commission amend
ment, that it should be the foundation
for plenary commission. Upon the
contrary when Gov Hogg was charg-
ed with favoring chat kind OF com.
mission his friends everywhere denied
it and he knows and they know that
the defeat of Hogg would have been
Just as certain as the annual levy of
taxes if he had ever said
in 1890 what he said at Clarksville.
That Was the most vital point made in
the dlscussionsiin 1890. Judge Clark
said then, that commission with alb.
solute power to take the management
of the railroads out of the hands OF
the owners was what the agitation
would lead to, and he was met with
the denial that nothing Of the sort
was contemplated, that Hogg was just
as much opposed to that sort of
commission as anybody and that such
undemocratic laws would not be per.
mitted to go on the statute book in
Democratic Texas. We elected Hogg
adopted the commission amendment
and when the legislature met ii was
soon discovered that Hogg would not
have any other kind of a commission.
THE NEWS contends that Gov. Hogg
violated sacred trust committed to
him when he signed the present COM
mission law. Every man who does
not believe the commission should
have absolute power, ought to oppose
the denomination OF Gov. Hogg 1t
is dangerous Innovation farught with
injury to the state beyond repair An
endorsement of this vicious doctrine
by the reelection of Gov. Hogg would
make further progress toward the de.
velopment of Texas absolutely impos-
sible, 1t is question of which do we
love best Hogg or Texas The en-
JorsaDant If tba ana &c a ooDdauna