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


have the right 20 demand Of railroad cor.
poratOus ihat they shall honestly admin
lister their several trusts and that they
shan obey the requirements of the con.
slit ion and Of the laws 10 the end
of " lucing them to do so Il has boon
necessary for us IN this report 10 perform
the duty not pleasant 90 us of pointing
out abuses which should he corrected
Tue railroad commission understood and
our people understood that their inter.
csts aud the interests Of the railroads
are SO intcr-dcpcndcnt that any policy
which would eject iniuriousy the rail
roads would as certainly operate against
the prosperity and welfare of the people
SO well Is this Understood Tint we would
not consider "a reference To il necessary.
out for unpatriotic efforts which have
been made TO produce prejudice against
the commission law. the commits.
sioners and the people OF Texas
as means Of oyerthrowlng the commits
sion policy and of restoring 90 the officers
of the railroad corporations the uncontrol-
led mastery over the cOmerce of this
state The persons operating some of
the railroads in this state have NOT been
able TO make them pay dividends and
some OF them have gone into bankruptcy
before our commission law was pissed
aud before the commission was organ
ICED, Notwithstanding which the commits
sion has been blamed aud denounced for
not making them do for their stockhold-
crs whit the managers of them ala not
do aud were unable to do
No railroad has been driven into bank.
ruptcy or gone into the hands OF receivers
IN this state since the railroad commits
sion was organized but several of the
Texas railroads which were In the hands
of receivers when the commission was
organized have since That time been taken
tina hWWNU IA aud ~
stored 90 the control of management,
or their board Of directors. Complaint
has been frequently mnde to tho commits
sion that the general managers and
freight agents oi railroads are often i'm
tercstod as partners or stockholders la
various business enterprises tnd that the
power Of mulSinL rates and controlling the
movement Of ears vested In them 10y
virtue OF their official position is used 10
the doterlmrnt of tholr competitors Cot
tom seed oil mills. congresses and
other manufacturing aud commercial en-
tcrprifes it IL alleged are owned and
controlled either wholly or in part by
railroad officials or 10y persons represent
INC them aud holding stock in TRUST for
them. These charges nre in part nt least
true. In some cuscs railroad officials n
this state prp the owners OF stock in
business enterprises along the lines of
the road they control aud therefore la
nctive competition with other enterprises
of the same character Our purpose Ia
culling public attention to this subject
~ TO secure such legislation as muy be-
necessary to correct these abuses Of
official position
Railroad corporations by the torn of
their charters are restricted to the husi.
ness Of operating railroads but their of
hcers are not, aud what thoy in their
corporate capacity are forbidden 10 do
All aaNIt L. I...la u.
are at liberty 10 perform and hence
while railroad corporation cannot eu.
gage IN The business of running oh mills
congresses or other manufacturing or
commercial enterprises rn lrond officials
can and frequently do embark In such
enterprises.
The reason for prohibiting a rnilroad
corporation from combining with the
business Of a common cnrricr the bust
ness of n manufacturer or merchant Is
Obvious. No individual or corporation
could stand Cor dizzy IN competition
with 80 formidable combination. rhc
power that levics freight charges ON com
mercc aud provides for hadling aud
Transporting IT, the law intended tn
l@ rlitnlN DISH ,,Uste and impartial
This h evident from the restrictive char
ncter Of railroad charters with reference
20 the transaction of other business
10 Is also emlnently true Of the law Una.
der which the commission is operating
The commissioners are prohibited from
becoming interested la rlilruud stocks.
bonds or other securities or from pu-
garing In amy other business inconsis-
tent with their official duties Were IL
otherwise they could become the owners
of congresses oil mills and other husi-
ness enterprises aud hN rates n their
own interests. They could enter The
the managers Of railroad 10 a disintcr-
field Of speculation aud boy fixing rates sq
MS 10 appreciate cor deprpciate railroad
stocks aud bonds buy or sell them us
personal interests might suggest Tho
transfer Of the rate mixing power from
ested and impartial tribunal destroyed
their power 10 discriminate between ship.
pc-s I'M rates, but discrimination IN rates
is only one method OF discrimination,
twaw-i ottith aOling ,;;
failure or refusal iu furnish cars,
impartially to, all shippers alike, the
building of side tracks AT one compress
or oil mill and the refusal 10 furnish like
facilities tO another. the delay IN
transit OF the goods of one shipper while
those Of another are dispatched with all
possible luiste. are methods hy which
business interests can be destroyed and
the fortunes Of favored persons and
places established. " those who control
the operation Of roudn are permitted 10
become interested Ia tho commercial aud
manufacturing enterprises In the state,
and thus competitors Ia the business of
private citizens who have neither control
nor voice In the management Of these
great agencies Of transportation upon
which depend the success or failure of
their business IN large measure, il Is
only a question Of time when no impor
taut business enterprise will Doe under
taken without their consent and approval.
To view of these conditions surrounding
the business interests Of the country IL
seems that additional legislation Is nee
cssIy 10 carry out the purpose Of the
law 10 restrict the business Of railroad
officials 81 the business of common car
riers.