The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-01-24

Texas. ending June 80, 1896, which was the
last one submitted.
"A reduction In revenue necessarily
means u reduction In train service as roads
could not possibly AFFORD TO maintain the
service at It's present high standard. and
II n ust be admitted that the Texas pas
SEM n train service IL such, There are
very few limos In the State OF any consider
able mileage operate less than two trains
each way daily. aud some OF them more.
1t can readily be seen that with a reduction
of 80 Is per cent at one swoop. II must
force these lines to reduce their train ser
vice to the lowest possible minimum. They
could not do otherwise, and a decrease In
train service will perforce result In incon-
veniencing the public. particularly the bust
ness men, who for the most part use the
night trains, which will be the first 20 be
taken OFF. as. II lines only running two
trains day reduce their service, they
must make the remaining train do their
local business with daylight runs.
at this tmc, as there is great deal
of immigration into Texas by people seek
ing lands and homes, the railroads are Of
fcring to these people extremely low rates.
with view OF inducing them to settle In
the State. No doubt the argument will be
brought TO bear that II railroads can make
these excursion rates at less than cents
per mile fare, they can do likewise with
their local business. This argument would
/
other hand. we are familiar with the stock
argument that railroads do their share to-
| ward inducing immigration, and bear their
| portion of the expense Of advertising the
State as haven for the farmer OF the
North and Northwest. Witness the rimi-
| grafton agencies scattered throughout the
country, the expenses OF which are borne
by the railroads. Costly maps pamphlets
and books are published and distributed by
| the roads.
"The injustice Of legislation IN the direc-
| ton OF reduction OF the passenger rate
of fare IL made more apparent by the fact
that in no other state In tho Union except
| New York Is the legal rate cents, and
/ even there rate Of cents is made for
! branch lines. The difference In the condi-
! lions in New York and Texas may he noted
| by these comparisons: The New York Cen
trail and Hudson River railroad. with Il
mileage OF $40 miles OF road, according to
the authority OF tho interstate commerce
| commissions report, handled in 1894 49,
500. 465 passengers. In Texas, roads aggre-
eating a mileage Of 1856 miles Of road.
handled In 1895 653I,250 passengers. The
total passenger earnings of the New York
Central were sl3,792,717, and the total pas
senger earnings OF the lines In Texas were
s7.2sa.69i.
1.-The interstate commerce commission, In
it's report for 1874. grouped certain sections
| of the country and uses these groups In
making their statistical comparisons. Group
No ! includes Massachusetts,N Vermont. New
HAMPSHIRE Maine. Connecticut and Rhode
Island. The roads In this group show that
their passenger earnings were 1873 per cent
of their entire earnings. IN group No.
is included Louisiana, Texas and New
Mexico, and the roads in that group show
their passenger earnings were 2O.22 per cent
OF the whole. This comparison indicates
tho difference Of density Of population. I'm
til our State can show such volume In
passenger traffic as approNimatos the travel
over the lines on which the 2-cent rate
applies, 1t would seem TO be unwise legis-
latlon that would force this reduction In
revenue upon the railroads OF Texas; nor
can It be said that reduction In rates
would bring corresponding increase, as
shown in the reduction from s to cents
for the railroads have not recovered thf
proportionate revenue which they derived
, from passenger traffic under the 5-cent law
The figures in support Of this are as fol
lows: In 1885, two years after the 3-oen'
per mile rate was put In effect, there was
total mileage OF 5S55 miles. and in 1897
5 the total mileage was 1856 miles, an In
5 crease OF so per cent. The revenue IRON
: the passenger service In ISM was 20;
$40, and in 1895 1t was s1.2so,eei, only 2
I per cent as against 80 per cent In mile
age.
b at must be conceded by all thoughtful
persons that the figures above quoted ar
'tellsome.' and that the passage of the pro
posed bill will bring disaster not only |
L the corporate interests. hut 10 tho peopl
, as we'll 1t will delay improvements wh,cl
are badly needed and aid in the reduction
OF the number OF employees and the wage
. Of those retained. It will benefit yer
small proportion OF the people in the state
and the agricultural and laboring classe
5 in particular rs, on occasions when inc
travel, excursion rates are tho genera
, rule"