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

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the evening with only time to got,dinuer
THE REPORT
Austin. Tex. Jan. -. Especial. THE
report Of the railroad commission states
that ut the beginning of It's operations
the commission adopted the mileage sys-
tenn of making rates in place Of The
blanket system, previously obtaining In
making freight rates. II says the COM
mission was guided In part by the pre-
existing rates which had becu made by
che officers Of the railroad companies
and 10y comparison of those rates
with the rates made on the samc com
muditips In other states and with the
rates on Interstate tmhic, Keeping In
view the conditions as tO the amount
of The service, fuel, etc.. and the char
uctcr of the products ON which the rates
were made. On account of the fact that
the system of making rates, which was
adopted 10y The commission, IL different
FROM the system heretofore in existence.
it was difficult to foresee the eXteut
which the revenue of the Texas roads
would be affected hy the rites No far
pun IN effect. We believed that many
Of the rates we found iu eNiste rc We're
excessive, and We Were strengthened In
this belief 10y a practice which prevailed
with many II not with all the roads of
NNA fANk AANAkNAN NN ANNM NAA " AAlfAA pun
lishcd rates. and on most of the cOmmodi-
ties, On which we have made rites we
have made some reductions, nc least on
all the roads ON which we did not allow
an increase of 10 per cent above the
standard rates. Ina some cases we IN.
creased the rates, hut relatively we kept
rates higher than the rates on Interstate
shipments 10 and from this state, and
generally, though not in all eases, we
made rates higher than the rates ON
the same commodities IN other states.
ON account Of the difficulty OF deter
mining what the effect of our rates would
be on the revenue of roads resulting
from the changed plan OF making rates
We determined 10 Keep watch AZ 10 the
effect of our rates. and II found too
low 10 secure the roads the necessary
revenue, although rates were as high
and are In most Instances higher than the
rates in other states. In vindication of
the commissin's rate the report says u
has abundant evidence showing that
many, If not all. the railroad companies
of Texas allowed rebates and special
rates much below any rate established
10y the commission.
Two hundred and eighty Applications
were made by the companies for changes
of freight rates, In most cases praying for
reductions,
The commission has 40 far. says the
freight. Soon after its organization IL
adopted the classification ana rates on
general merchandise which the railroad
companies had put in effect without
changing them The commission has for
many months past been engaged In the
preparation Of the classification and
rates on general merchandise. ON which
investigation and labor have been be-
slowed. The classification and rates were
not completed at the time the commits
sion was enjOined from making further
rates by the Judge of the circuit court of
the United States. In order that II may
be seen 30 what extent the commodity
rates so far made have affected the
transportation In this state and the rove
nues Of the roads il is proper 90 state
that from the best information we have
not less than 80 per cent of ii is inter
state transportation on which this COM
mission could not regulate the
freight rates and that we are OF The
opinion the general merchandise of the
state on which We adopted the rates
fixed by the railroads without change
would be not less than - per cent of
the entire transportation of the state
III We are correct or approximately cor
rect, ON these two points, the commodity
rates so far made by the commission
would not probably yield more than %
per cent OF the entire revenue of the
road. In defense of this policy of the
commission schedule the report says:
The reduction and charges of freight
rates mainly by the commission. but
partly at the request Of the railroads
was intended 10 stimulate production
within the state, 90 ncrensc manufac-
lures, 10 induce larger Investments of
capital, give moro employment and wages
10 labor, 10 Increase the traffic by rail
roads and their revenue, aud such we
believe were the results, The reduction
of the freight rates ON grain cotton,
lumber livestock, salt cotton seed. coal.
lime cement etc, gave activity In tlrir
movements. Ii causcd tho construction
of Touring mills and elevators and tho
manufacture of flour 10 an increased ex-
tent and saved the expense 10 TINT cA-
tent of the transportation Of our wheat
to Missouri and Kansas 10 be mada
into -four and shipped back TO as, aud
saved TO our people the bran aud shorts
resulting from such shipments.
II hy these means caused on Increase
IN the price Of wheat, 10 the profit Of
the farmers and a reduction in the cost
Of Hour. 10 the profit ut the consumer
il caused the construction of cotton seed
oil mills and increased the YNlue and
use of cotton seed and It's products. II
caused large Increase ~ The mnnn-
facnre Of salt and enabled the makers
10 market their salt IN all parts Of the
state. whf reas under the rates hereto
fore established BIZ tie companies, our
san makers cnuld only supply a very
limited part Of the territory Of the state
because salt WAS shipped from Kansas
and Michian 10 a larse part Of the state
nj lower rates fhan from the salt manu-.
fncturies nf i'eXns 10 the snulo points
IN enabled the farmers OF Texas to mar
ket their surplus OF corn iu the state
while before the commission rates were
adopted. the railroads. brought corn fr0nl
Kaeas aud Missouri 20 q great part Of
one pOint 10 another Ia Texas IL shnu-
lifted the Manufacture Of the pradncts
Of IRON. pottery, iimf. cement and dther
things. much 10 The benefit ~ fhe Deo-
ple 81 Texas, aud 90 ihe cost q the ship.