Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-01-09
GOV. H0GG'S LAST MESSAGE
Governmental Reforms Accom-
pIished Must Inspire Patriots.
THE FACT THAT THE TREASURY IS NOW EMPTY
Cannot Be Charged to the Extravaganza of His Four Years
Administration.
The Commission Law Admitted Be the Strongest Law the Kind
Any Government EEorionate Rates and Rebates at
End-Rvey Department of the State Gov
Revewei---Some
Recommendations.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.

0 Of interstate traffic Is being greatly re-
[ duced. to the proportionRte advantage
/ OF local commerce and railways and 10
home industries.
Looking ahead. only one danger can
/ De seen 80 threaten the usefulness Of
. the commission, and. by timely legis-
( lative action. this can be measurably
] avoided. The trouble turks In the pg-
ideal arena should the great pow
s eTs vested IN the commissioners be
diverted from commercial channels in
10 political currents, then the danger
must De- fully realized by the people,
By all means. IN so far as 1t is pos
s-blv, the commission should be elm
mated from politics, As a business in
sutuu0I, It's beneficial work must be
keen.y felt BY every material interest
IL the state.
! As "a political machine, every revoiu-
ton ~ q would menace the hupp!-
uess OF the people. By constitutional
amendment adopted at the last cleo
ton the commissioners are made cleo
tiFe, Inis Is The nrst unfortunate
sep taken for the commission. The
people demanded H. They had O right
90 i, Now they have the privilege.
by their own act. to elect the commits
siorers. II is ia the power of the leg
+ isatlre, however. 20 throw safeguards
/ around them, so the evil that must re-
suit from their engaging IN political
elections may be restricted. circum-
/ scribed
Ia my FIRST message IN 1891, on the
i subject warning the legislature against
tGis danger, and pointing a way out Of
10, | said; This can be Gone by pro-
/ Fillus that no member OF the com
. mission shall be eligible 20 any other
I position of emolumeHt or trust for the
period OF two years after the eNpiga-
/ ton OF his term as commissioner =
I one OF the great achievements OF the
commission, desirable By all classes.
I should be the removal OF the railways
from politics. With the feature OF d ts-
/ qualification as suggested, II is NOT
/ impossible for this result to be fully at
/ tained. . BY this method the BIZ
! ennlai political agilatioua and corrupt
! ing influence OF corporate power in
! the elections, always productive of dis
content, jealousy and uuhappiness
among the jusl people, viii be at an
| end"
Every word Of this repeat now.
| There IS serious danger to result II
\ the railway commission is permitted
| 70 engage in politics. Their election.
| with all the legislative restrictions that
| may be placed around them, viii pro-
/ duce much trouble anyway. To per-
/ mt them to use their powers FOR politi-
/ cal advantage In seeking Offices. win,
/ in time. greatly impair, II not destroy.
! ths efficacy Of The law II can NOT be
/ Objectionable to any man in public
4 NE. who prefers a me record to pulltl-
! cal promotion, 20 know that the law
| Iptb,dS his becoming a candidate FOR
] another Office for named period OF
years, Ills answer TO tho frequent inn
portunltles 10 run f1r office will he sur
h2.ent when he replies that the law
fprbld5 Il. Thus hia great public work
VIII 60 on und!gturbel. 10 the honor
OF himself and benefit to the peopIp
The law needs no amendment a sim
PIE act, providing for the election Of
the commissioner, Ia obedience To the
late constitutional amendment. and de-
claring their ineligibllity to other Of
be sufficient.
That the commission case is settled
and there is peace between the rail
ways and the people, Is a blessing to
thc whole state. and the law executed
clear or political design, On the one
hand 10 prevent the confiscatlou Of
the peoples property by excessive traf-
nc rates or taxes, and on the other
so as to Insure the railway companies
Just rates that Will afford them a req
s1nablc return upon their Investment
VIII be productive OF untold benent
that must In time rebound to the
prosperity OF every legitimate inter-
80 Hthtta4A sac 1Ahh's
The stock and Bond Law.
As companion to the commission
act, the railway stock and bond law
may be next considered. Thls law,
among other things, defines corporate
franchises. provides for making pub
lie the value OF railroads. and limits
the aggregate amount OF stock and
bonds 20 be executed by them to the
value OF the property to be affected
ther by. THIS rule can not be relaxed
eNcept by the consent OF the commits
sion, ana then only In case of an cmer-
Beney ON conclusive proof shown that
public interests or the preservation
OF the property OF the company de-
mand IL; In which event the stock and
bonds In the aggregate may exceed.
by consent OF the commission, the value
OF the road TO the limit OF so per cent.
Clearly this law settles the following
essential PROPOSITIONS;
/. That except on the conditions OF
emergency named, no railroad con-
structed before the act took effect, can
reissue bonds or execute new ones
IN excess OF the value Of the property
as established by the commissions ex-
perts, under the provisions OF the law.
2 That no railway company can exc
cute bonds on unfinished road. ana
must expose 10 the commission Us prop
erty rights and construction contracts
to insure fairness to the public in the
transaction.
O. That in the construction OF new
roads and in the execution OF ali in
debtedness to be secured by lien on tho
pfQpertp. good faith to the public and
ample security to the creditor are the
prime factors that the commission must
Jealously guard
I. That TO guarantee good faith and
FAIR dealing in the execution Of alii-
way bonds. the penalties Inflicted for
Nloia lions OF the law are: nrst, for
feiture OF the corporations charter.
second, the particular act is made void.
third, each director and the president
secretary and every other offieial who
m owingly takes part In the Illegal
transaction, Is made felon. and sub
Ject to imprisonment In the state peni-
tertiary for the offenae.
Before the enaetmeht of this law. II
was the custom OF railroad companies
TO add millions upon millions OF dollars