The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-05-06
THE COTTON RATE MEETING.
THE SECOND DAYS SESSION OF
THE COMMISSION
MEETING
THE GALVESTON SIDE HEARD FROM.
The Galveston People Want To COM
pete for Flint COfton-The Pro-
ceedings of Yesterday
Session Interesting.

Hearing of the proposition to reducc
the rate for the transportation OF cotton
from Texas points to the gulf was re
sumed before the railroad commission
Yesterday morning, with j. Farley, chair
man of the Dallas freight bureau, on
the stand. He started out by announcing
TINT he proposed TO show why the pres
ent cotton tariff was too high, ana
gradually drifted into the subject OF
cotton factory rates. If these were re-
duced he maintained the farmers would
he benefited. w. G. Howard of one OF
the Dallas cotton mills had told him, he
asserted that he did not want the pres
ent rates reduced because ii they were
lowered other mills would be estab-
lisbed in the state and divide the bust
ness with him. Said the farmers OF Dali
las county tell him that their children
are growing up in ignorance because they
have TO work in the cotton patch on ac-
count of the high cotton rates. and can
not 20 to school. Did not believe that
the young people of Dallas county were
now in n better condition in point OF IN
telligence and education than ever before.
Had an idea that the railroads OF Texas
We're good paying property. Had been
instructed by Mr.. Heating. chairman OF
the governing board of the Dallas freight
bureau, to look after the interests OF the
farmers of Texas. The bureau had
come 10 the conclusion that the Texas
rate on cotton was about 81 bale 100
high. SO far as he was concerned ne
was of the opinion that the rate on cot
ton factory products was responsible for
the loss to Dallas of several proposed mill
plants. :.
Asked by Mr.. Lovett what effect it
would have upon his position ms commits
sioner of the Dallas freight bureau II
Texas rates were SO adjusted as to en-
tirely satisfy the members of said bu-
reau, he said he did not know.
Asked IL it was not to his interest TO
keen the Dallas merchants in a stew and
make them believe that they could not
get satisfaction from the commission, he
replied that no one would be better
pleased than s.lnsef If the rates were
so adjusted as to meet the views OF the
Dallas people.
He admitted that he had in the past
contributed anti-commission articles to
the newspapers and said that he had
changed his mind as to the ACCESSIBILITY
of allowing the railroads to make rates
without regulation when he became
chairman of the Dallas freight bureau.
Said that the farmer who belonged to
the annex of the bureau known as the
Dallas Business Mems league. had been
invited to come in by circular.
In answer TO Commissioner Mayheld,
who wanted to know il, in his opinion,
the compress charge should be reduced
in proportion with the freight rate on
cotton, he said he had not studied that
question and could not reply.
Mr.. Il. j. Ballinger of Galveston stated
That his people preferred one-rate cot
ron tariff to the one now in force, and
that he desired to submit evidence along
that line as well as on the subject of
the Galveston diferential.
Mr.. Lovett stated that Messrs. Garri-
son and helms, representing the Houston
cotton people, desired that Maj. Hutche-
son handle the case for them, and that
as he could not be here until today, they
would ask that the hearing of the diff
ferential be postponed until his arrival,
which was agreed TO, and MI. D. Is.
Denison, chairman of the Galveston
freight bureau, was placed on the stand.
He said that the desire of Galveston
people was to have rates so adjusted as
to be placed in position to compete for
Hat cotton. When cotton is concen-
trated in the interior the railroad pays
the compressage, which practically
makes the rate thereon to Galveston %
cents per 100 pounds. When cotton is
handled fiat to Galveston the railroad does
not pay for the compressage, thus leav-
ing the rate 60 cents. The cotton bust
ness in Galveston is done at a cost of 30
cents per bale above what the interior
cotton man pays. AS a solution of the
difficulty, Mr.. Denison proposed the
abolition of concentration and "localling'
of cotton in transit and the pronunciation
of one rate, with the provision that the
owner of the cotton pay for the COM
pressage He favored mean rate, to
be arrived ut by a comparison OF the
tonnage of Hat and compressed cotton
handled by the roads. In effect, he
thought charge of % cents per bale for
concentration and compressage in transit,
to be paid by the shipper, would he more
equitable than the present system. "A
one-rate tariff would put non-compress
and compress towns on the same footing.
Recess until 3 p. m.
At the afternoon session Mr.. Dennison
admitted that abolition of concentration
system would have tendency to draw
wagon cotton away from non-compress
points. His theory was that shippers
should pay for compression in transit,
but should have privilege of shipping on
the through rate from the initial point.
Asserted that in practive as well as in
theory cotton shipped fiat to Galveston
costs the price of compressage more to
20 TO Liverpool than does cotton com
pressed in the interior: thought concen-
tration and "localling" privileges unfair
inasmuch ms they, give interior points an
advantage over Houston and Galveston
but admitted that they were beneficial
10 buyers In non-compress towns and tC
the railroads as well, as they give them
control of the cotton handled into non
competitive points on their lines.
Representative Burns of Brown county
made the statement that the people OF
his section had no complaint to make
against present cotton tariff, but that
they would object to any change in com
press regulations that would deprive 10
cal presses of local cotton,and that they
did not want the concentration system
abolished. Anderson of Fort Worth sale
Burns voiced the sentiments of % pei
cent Of the cotton growers of Texas.
helms of Houston said that compress
ed cotton was worth 10 points more thar
Hat cotton at the shipside; thought ship
pers and railroads should be allowed I,
agree upon points of concentration. i
one-rate tariff was put in and buye
paid compressage and ship refunded com
press charge, everybody would be ON al
equality.
Myare nf Taxoc Citv pomnresS Sai,