Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-01-13

llue4 10 many million acres nrs nos, veefet III
ses 1,e lanes withheld from settlement ex.
Iegnist'ng or controlling or limiting the cor.
kofate rights IN any reapest Whatsoever
there - danner N this condition. which seenk
yeniion last August, they adopted the follow.
ing Platform on that subject
10 We demand the enactment OF n law that
wii delne perpeiuitiea and pr0hibitthe orer.
avon ot land corporations ia this state re-.
surfing those nov holding title o. possession
y, lenas iot eRricnlturaL horticultural, graz.
lle 49, apeguamg purposes. excepting
overhowed and irrigation lands 70 dispose AZ
the same within snoh reasonable time 81 may
not impnir vested rghfs
The purpose OF this demand "a wise and iuat
l,hna corporations having In view the owner
thlp Of large bodies % soil pottand land
no institution more iuiInitai 10 ths genius Ola
Tree governments none that should be more
sIenuousiy prohibited. Permit corporations
OF this class 10 operate much longer In THIS
state, grouping together LARGE bodies of Rericui-
tuial and graging lands and the time Ia not
tet on When u the people are permitted TO buy
homes ~ sil' they can only do 20 at prices and
on such terms that bondage ct Themselves and
their posterity must be the result for nn e.-
oessiye mortgage debt IN a home bearing an.
plus produces Of labor o meet H. mems no
mcrQ nor less than bondage of an agrrayated
iorn. Tue condition OF other states in this
fetss 'un0 's'' WsGs , fS'u HS lesson g
Texas amounts 20 about seventy four acres per
eapito Of her population, she IS confronted With
Tue most serious condition OF corporate owner
ship Of about uefourth Of ID am Statistics
show that In the United states from 1870 10 lhs1
the culuvable lands % stable crops Increased
tlAty-siN per cents while from 1870 10 1901 the
increase thereof was only tweniy.six per cent
The evident cause OF this IS the growing
scarcity Of agricultural lands through
producing land OF the world r. fast beng
exhausted, while the broad consuming people
are Increasing As the ratio Of prOducuOn de-
creasea, the ratio Of hrerd consumption from
year TO year steadily increascs The land
problem, after all, underlics the bread prob.
lem II is the duty Of the government 90 un.
derstand this and 20 act wisely FOR the good OF
po8tority. This can best be douc by restrictive
laws, making corporate land monopoly impos.
Moie f9f the future WhRe the American
oily under the laws OF primOgeniture OF the "a
world they may y, { nud' Themselves involved
Ia more serious condition thai OF land mo-
popoly nom utlea I'm perpetuity caused by
corporate ownership.
10 comply with this demand OF the people
Of Texas, Therefore who had the right 20
make Il, n law now becomes necessary by your
honorable bodies, ana the following suggest.
Ions thci Elm arc respectfully made;
/. Declare that land corporations are contrary
70 the goniua " n free government. and shall
hereafter oNcrcise no rights in Texas except
Hucn ~ may be exprehsly authorized by law.
y That no such corporations shall here.
after be uttered or be permitted TO DO bust.
ness In the state after n limited period named
.. That further acquisition OF tue or interest
IN land for speculative, agricultural or grazing
Z. That those now holding title 20 or interest
IN lands Ton agricultural or grazing purposes, or
shat may, under the lrovisions OF the law au.
thoTlziug them 10 purchase roai Estate In col.
lection ~ debt, hereafter acquire interest in or
utle 20 auch land, shall within = specified time.
con6istent with vested rights, alt nate them 20
natural persons, wind up their corporate affairs,
aud leave Che state on pfeSeribod penalties aud
forfIturos
It Won la be we'll to 30 frame the law aa 10
other corporations whose purpose may not bc
the owner hip OF laudg, "a posSesr, use and re-
tain 90 much real estate Hs may be proper for
corporate necessities, that those engaged In the
building and Improvement OF nnrbOrs, homes
and additions 20 towns aud cities shall not DC
checked in their work; that the Wholesome
laws. regulating aud controlling irrigation and
mining companies in the improvement dCypl,
Opment and use Of arid and mining land, shall
not be affected that all corpo. atiUns engaged
Ia rrdceming swamp or overlooked lands may
80 on unCisturbed.
Under existing conditions there "a no public
necessity OF placing any further restrictions
Around corporations eugnged now in improve
ments and industries b ueaclal 70 The public
The aim OF the movement - 20 prevent the
further Investment by land corpoaticna tn
agricultural and grazing lands aud all other
lands Tor speculative purposes.
The Railway Commission.
Before the adoption OF the commission
amendment 10 b came generally conceded that
under the constitution the power 70 make aud
railways ia this state was vested the legis
latuTo without authority ~ de,esete sc 20 any
| government agency. Ihit power WA partially
| exercised only b. the legislature and. there
| fore &c Wus perform ca without restraint by
the chosen agents OF the corporations them
selves
The authority 20 collect tolls or trafic taxes
Is governmental function that cannot be
legally exercised except BY the consent OF the
government Until The commission was
created the railroads by consent ~ tho state,
tswH "A wi ~
Ing changing or maintaining truilc rates 60,
lrCtod from the commerce OF Texas without
notice 20 or oousu ting the shipper. uudis
turbed from any source The commission law
simply withdrew this lranchlso from the rail.
way c0mpNnit1 who nud ulWgy9 ac ed
through agents selected hy themle yes, and
delegated Il TO three cluzous ~ agents of ths
state government, calico O railway commits.
sion BY that Jaw the power aud authority
Wa vested IN the commission, and 10 WAS made
its duty % adopt nll necessary rates charges
and regulations 20 govern ind control railroad
freight aud passenger tarihsi % Correct
abuses; % prevent unjust determinations
and eXt0riiona thcrein and 70 enforce the
same by having penalties inflicted on tho DO
llnquent companies as prescribed ia the act
jurisdiction Of the case the main object
aud purpose OF the Law was 10 vest the state
ago IL With power % 40 under OATH what tho
corporate agents without opth mad always
dOne-to levy the franc taxes or tolls the
PEOPLE must pay when they ship over the pub
i!c carriers, called railroads
eTal parts the power and e6oct OF neither one OF
which depends upon the existence OF he other.
Fint lhe FIRST pertains the Organization
Of The comm ssion and its authority 90 estub.
fish rates and prescribe rules and regulations %
govern transportation ol traflc. IN the eNcf-
Csc of this power the commission Is required
before &c eau establish nuy rate 20 give tho rni.
road company % Doe affected thereby ten days
notice Of the time and place when and where
10 shall be liked aud guarantees The company
the Fight 10 be tully heard 90 such time ana
place 10 the end that justice may be done, and
provides Tor public investigation aud Tor pro-
cess 20 enforce the atteudeuce OIL as NituetaeA
second the next division OF the law simply
prefcrihos a rule OF eYideuce 20 govern all the
parties including the railways hnd other per
SONS. when the rehHOunllenets OF rate 80 liked
by the CON mission may be HtHHlled Ihif ru2
Oi evidence is established by section y. ana pr0
ties ind railway companies hrcuBht under the
law the rates prescribed by the commission De-
fore tho iuEiitutiOu Of such action 6qal ne Aeiu
conclusive ana deemed and accepted " b. tee
snuable fair and lugt. ana 90 such respects fhall
nos be- cOutroyerted until Officially ioand 9th
erWisp in "a direct HctiOu brought Tor tAat par
pose ia the manner authorized Ia two olnor
sections OF the law.
have been aNordtd an opportunit 20 - heard
befo the Commission on the establishment oi
the rates. they are simply lrphlmed from col
latefally attacking tAc judgement on we com
mission In this respect a Well-tflalliahed
rule Ol evidence has breu observed. when ex.
orcislur rs power under the constitution ana
law. TIE commission 81 required g give All tAe
railway Compsnlcs inttt rtiea meaning aiicf
die notice before en- legally cs.sb.ish Fate.
AHera rsto az been thus established By tho
cpmuiissiOn IL ~ no morn nor loss thhu judg
Tuenf OF competent tribunal Wltnlh ephlgia
platlon OF Jaw HAT cRunot pe cohnieniiy A.
tacked 80 avoid Huy probable lnluMice that
NAV be- indicted on ihe iniere ted railway By
IN fudueme nt 81 the commission 10 uAlnF thelr