Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-01-23

cotton seed oil mills werc springing iuto
existence, but their construction Is now
arrested aud cotton seed is reduced back
10 It's old price oil about 81 or IS per
ton, 90 which Il had been reduccd FROM
about Si4 per ton by the combined sctiun
Of the cotton seed oil trust aud the
freight agents, some Of whom. 70 is be-.
lieyed are largely interested In both the
cotton seed oil manufactures aud IN the
cotton congresses. IL thus gave profit
10 capital. employment 20 labor, activity
10 trade ann traffic. aud as we viii show
further, increased revenue TO the
railroads
All these benefits 10 the state. the poo
pie and the railroad corporations have
been arrested aud held foi naught. aud a
great measure Of state policy based on
the constitution and laws have been
for the time being Ovcrihrown by the
single win of Federal judge, sitting In
chambers on the disposition Of q motion
for q temporary injunction aud without
q formal trial. when. with only u few
months delay. the eases could have been
regularly tried on full aud fair hearing
Of the law aud facts on their merits,
and this, too. when under the laws 81
the state the railroad companies were On.
Titled TO n plain and speedy remedy ut
law for every possible gric'1ncc. There
is much danger OF the inferior Federal
courts on too slight consideration. hold
ing the laws of the states To br uuc0nsu.
tutional and this danger Is increased
when such laws underle great measures
Of state policy. The supreme court of
the United States recognizes this prin.
ciple ~ strongly that ~ has repeatedly
refused To declare state laws uuconsti
tutionai simply because there was doubt
as 10 their cOnstitutionahty. That great
court insists on knowing that q law IL
unconstitutional not simply because there
80. 4 linn "a
IL insists on knowing THAI law Is uncOn-
stitutonnl before Il VIII declare it 30.
Already since the enforcement OF the com-
mission rates was enioincd the price of
wheat In this state has been reduced aud
the price of flour Increased 10y the rates
adopted 10y the railroads andthe former
practice of shipping wheat from this 10
other states for manufacture and ship
ping the Hour back TO the people with
the attendant loss Of bran and shorts
has been adopted. With our abundant
crops Of corn this year We could, II the
commission rates had been continued In
ELECT have supplied the wants of the
people of the famine stricken portions
Of Mexico with bread. giving relief TO
item aud profit to the people. but by
the rates of freight adopted 10y the rail-
roads since the commission rites were
cnioined, COrn is being shipped from
states TO the north of us through Texns
10 Mexico at rates which prevent the
marketing of our corn in that country
Considerable sums Of money had been
expended in cnlarging the plants 0f flour
ing Mills elevators, cotton seed oil Mills
cotton congresses. salt manufactures
manufactures of pottery, of products Of
iron, which, by the suspcndmg of the
commission rates on tivight by the I'M
junction and 10y the new rates adopted
10y the railroads, has wrought great
IL N.sIt Ia.s
the employment Of much of the labor
which those establishments require.
The most interesting statistical fen
lures OF the report relate to the cost Of
railroads and To the results on the income
Of the railroads, from the commissions
schedule.
The net increases Of revenue undor the
commission for the roads from which
the data has been obtained is stated TO
be.
Freight earnings, S7S3lG72
Gross enniings from all sources, SaS7,-
Operating expenses, s13S,5G5.
Net earnings S3uSbO3.
Total number Of tons of freight hauled
which yielded revenue. l 1862 SbB
Total number of tons Of freight (Which
yielded revcnuel hauled one mile l27,-
OT6.TS0
The information reported as 10 cost Of
roads built since the commission was
organized H. said to be- Indefinite. Tho
cost OF eleven miles Of the Henrnc aud
Brazos Valley road laid with forty pound
steel rails and including two buildings.
was $4,000.
Fifty-tbree miles of the Aransns Pass
were built 10y the receiver between Lex
ington aud Lott for S366.f93. Allowing
Tor right-nt-Wny, engineering and grading
the Total cost of this Is estimated M
$4,000 per mile.
Recommendation Is made for the pas.
sage OF laws tu compel the roads % die
close all the items of expense entering
into their construction.
Free transportation is discussed us nm
evil which should re0rYe legislative
attention. and the report adds: In addi-
ton 10 the evils mentioned In the fore
going extract it is believed free passes,
We're given during the political canvass
which preceded the recent election la
this state, for the purpose Of influencing
the election and for the additional pui-
pose of controlling great measure, Of
state policy 10 nm extent largely affect
ing miuriOusly the revenues Of the rail
roads aud II is notorious that on former
occasions free transportation thns been
liherally given by the railroads 10 per
sons TO visit the capital during sessions
Of the legislature 10 lobby for them
against measures Intended for the pro-
state. Il VIII be for the legislature 10
determine whether the railroad corpora
lions shall be allowed 10 continue 10
exercise such II power over the rights
Of the people aud the policy of the state.
Under the head of General Observn-
tons, the general policy Of the com.
mission idea Is discussed These are eX-
tracts therefrom. On the question Of the
prVnety of allowing the freight agpntg
ana traffic managers thu exclusive right
To make freight aud passenger rates. Il
should be borne ia mind that the officials
represent the railroad companies aud not
the people, and that there rs n direct nn.
tagonism between these. It should also
be remembered that these officials ex.
pect 10 secure the favor Of the corpora.
TONS which they represent and their
continuance ia service and their promo
tioh 10 higher salaries by securing the
largest possible business and profits 10
me roads they represent IL should also
be remembered that they mako rntes on
their own motion without notice 10 or
with the people their patrons
and in addition. IN some cases these
0hieal are understood 30 he Interested
"a branches Of business dependent on
the tr0nspOrtatiOns on the roads they rep
resent m such way as 20 operate 20 the
prejudice of other shippers. and that
they IA some cases allow rebates mud
special rates lower than their publiehed
rates, and divide profits with the bene-
hcaries Of such rate; Thus M the same
uiue unlusilY discriminating against
other shippers and deprivinR the compnn-
les they represent Of their prODer revt.
nue. II has been the policy Of the state
and the people OF Texas 10 encourage bv
liberal charters, by the donallon OF land.