The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-05-06

regulations everything worked satisfac
torily and the producer could secure Ia
good price for his cotton in a small
town as in big one. A one-rate tariff
would lead to concentration of the cot
| ton buying business in Houston ant
| Galveston. Had heard no complain
among the people against the present sys
TEN of rate making or against the rates
themselves. Thought it would cost buy
ers more to handle cotton in Galveston
than in the interior; was satisfied will
] existing cotton rates.
Anderson, a Fort Worth cotton buyer
said Denison's proposition would drive
| interior buyers out Of non-cOmpress
| towns. Effect of existing system was Il
| build up the smaller towns and give pro
Queer an opportunity to sell cotton there
at as good rate as in compress towns
Building up of small towns, beneficial to
surrounding country as created nearby
markets for the farmer. Under the one
rate system Galveston alone would be
benefited.
Mr.. Evans of Pilot Point, who has
been in the cotton business five years,
was well satisfied with concentration and
localling system. TO abolish it would
drive cotton buyers in non-compress
towns out Of business.
The Denison proposition was all in
favor of compress towns, and incidental
~ for the ultimate advantage of Calves
ton. TO adopt il would give rise to a
universal protest. Did not know that
the people of his section were dissatis-
fled with the present cotton rates.
McIKie farmer Of Abbott, Hill coun-
ty, was here as delegate from several
small towns to object to any change in
the present situation. No complaint in
h 10 a
against existing system of rate. His
town had prospered since present rates
went into effect Cotton was marketed
there at the same price as at compress
points.
Walker of Grandview was delegate
from about 1000 citizens of Johnson
cotton, selected to come to Austin to
protest against any change in present
system. His section was prospecting un-
der it.
Sterling of Temple was opposed to the
Denison proposition and to any change
in present system. Was engaged in COM
press business and satisfied with existing
conditions. TO change them in answer
to the Galveston demand would give
compress towns an advantage over non
compress towns, and incidentally give
Galveston and Houston presses an adj
vantage over interior presses.
No complaint in his section against
present rates. In answer to question
from Terry as to who made the most out
of present conditions, the railroads, the
presses or the country merchant, he re-
piled that the country merchants profits
needed scaling and that if Mr.. Farley
was to be sent out as a Moses by the
Dallas Freight Bureau to lead the farm
ers out of the wilderness of financial
woes in which he was supposed to have
become cntagled there was plenty of
missionary work for him to do in the
way Of reforming country merchants
profits.
Hamlin, a merchant of Italy, Hill coun-
ty, said his town and the country sur
rounding ii were prosperous and develop
ing rapidly. Asked to state what the
feeling was among his people with regard
to the present situation, he replied: "We
are deeply in love with our commission,
our railroads and the present rates"
Everybody smiled, and Judge Reagan re-
marked, that's refreshing"
Peasants of the Cuero compress said
his section was satisfied with present
rates and compress regulations. Thought
said regulations should apply to inter
state shipments of cotton.
L. s. Smith, upon the authority of del
egates from number of other small
towns, stated that the present rates and
regulations We're satisfactory, and COM
mission took recess until 9:30 this morn
Ing, .....