The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-04-16

owner OF one of the mills gave us the
price OF house building material at SO per
1000 feet. and your committee fourd Kun
ses corn selling on the streets OF beaumont
at 90 cents Der bushcl. SO 1t can be read
lily seen how a reduction OF .rcight rates
could benefit both sections aud stimulate
tho trade In each.
The day your committee ives on the road
to Galveston they uassed about twenty
five trainioads OF cattle going north. and
each train consisted OF from twelve to
eighteen cars. and but a short time before
your committee visited Galveston ship
load of some 800 ncad OF cattle was sent
from Galveston to Liverpool, tping the first
shipment & tho kind that Vas ever made
from this port. and word came during cur
STAY OF their safe arrival In good condI-
ton.
Texas is opc vast pasture. filled with
thousands Of head of cattle. and the peo-
pie are Just awakening to the fact that
they may as we'll fat,eu their own cattle
for export trade as to send thom North TO
bc fattcncd IN Illinois. Iowa. Missouri
Kansas and other Eastern and Northern
States, and shipped via New York and
Newport Ncws.
II takes corn to fa,ten n steer. and Texas
can hardly be counted corn State. being
more adantod 10 cotton. which is really a
moro profitable crop. while Kansas is ono
of tho greatest corn states In the Union
aud haE n larger exportablc surplus one
wear with another than any othor State
In tho Union. But 40 long as the present
fire. eht rates prevail Texas will have 10
send her cattle TO the East 10 tie fattened.
while Kansas will be Obliged TO send her
corn after them anil New York will reap
the final benefit. which hv right belongs
only TO tho West and South.
Kansas in 1895 furnished 5l,19oo0O bush
els Of corn for export. and hut three States
In the entire Union furnished more corn
for use outside the state.
In the same year she furnished ll,9l7 $50
bushels of wheat for export. despite the
fact that hur crop for that year was the
smallest for many years. Her crop of
wheat in 1892 amounted to 10000 900 bush
els and under ordinary conditions Kansas
can DO counted on for a crop of at least
81 000, 900 bushels. and it must be borne In
mind the larger the crop the larger tho oN-
portable surplus.
Kansas in 1896 had go, $50 milk cows and
JIG I66.3i5 head OF other cattle. and her
cattle interests arc constantly increasing,
though she now stands seventh III tho
Union as a cattle state.
In 1896 there were l6IG,iSI head of hogs
in Kansas, These figures prove the value
and magnitude of the Kansas trade
But your committees found that while tho
DETERMINATIONS against grain were onorous
and inoNcusablo and against the best iu-
tcleStS OF our state ana tnc olNlc vi
Texas and the Territory, the discrimina-
tons against the interior on imported
goods are even greater, and as an instance,
we found the rate on sugar from Galvest m
TO St. Louis to be 20 cents per hundred,
while tho rate to Wichita was 80 cents per
hundred, despite the fact that Wichita
is much the shorter distance.
The excuse alleged is the low rates from
New Orleans to st. Louis While wo are
willing to concede that there is some
ground for discrimination in favor OF st.
Louis In the matter, We fail to find any
Just reason why Kansas point located
within 700 miles Of the sea should pay a
rate $50 per cent higher than Ia paid by
point some 200 miles more distant. or why
an oklahoma point $50 miles yet nearer
TO Galveston should pay this same rate
which is absolutely prchbitory; or why
even points In the State of Texas herself
should pay these same rates.
And while We are discussing this prob
lem, we beg leave to call your attention 10
tho fact that the DETERMINATIONS against
tho Territory OF Oklahoma are as great
or even greater. than those suffered by tho
people of the State Of Kansas. while Ok
lahoma is new sho Is rapidly developing,
and the products of her farms VIII soon
cut n no inconscquentlal figure IN the com
meroe of tho world. But while the dis
examinations against cereals are great, The
against cotton are greater.
The rate Of cotton from Fort Worth to
Galveston is G. cents per hundred. and the
ratio from oklahoma is 70 cents per bun
drod. which makes the rates on cotton
about equal to first-cla freight and 30
per cent higher than sugar.
This your committee views not only In
The light Of discrimination. but rather In
the light Of an ineXcusahle outrage.
In conclusion lot us state that NO have
met most cordial reception by the people
of the great State Of Texas. Everything
that could la done to make our stay both
pleasant and profitable has been dom"
Her citizens evidently are awakening TO
the full inheritance Of lower freight rates
10 tho North. and your committo are fully
that the business men and rhe
people OF Texas generally are standing
ready TO Join hands with lis in any move
that viii bring about this much desired
result.