The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-05
RATES ARE SATISFACTORY.
Consensus of Opinion of Witnesses
Before Commission.
Il0UST0N-GALyEST0N DIFFERENTIAl
Was Postponed Until "Wednesday.
D"ii"s ana Galveston Freight Du-
renus Want Change.

Whe!ihins development of the fact that
there is 4 very pronounced opposition in the
| Interior to the Galveston demand for n
| one-rate cotton tariff, as well as an earnest
desire for the continuance Of the localizing
and concentration system. 1t n,so trans
pred that Farmer Farley of Dallas who
| announced that he had been commissioned
| by Mr. Heating, also of Dallas, to speak
for the agricultural classes, was the only
| man present out of large number of wit
| nesseS representing the rural districts who
| had any complaint TO make against tho ex-
| isting cotton tarln.
According to his statements the farmers
Of Dallas county are in an awful plight, and
| daily send up prayers to the Dallas Freight
| bureau to save them from the operations
of the commissions tariffs. The youth of
said county are negotiating In ignorance and
| grovelling in rags, all on account of the
present oott9n rate. md a generation of
young savagee is growing up there be-
cause their parents are unable TO send them
to school and pay freight on their cotton
at the same time. In fine, nothing but
| misery and despair prevails at the forks of
the creek at the head Of Trinity river navi-
cation.
| In contrast with Farmer Farley's tale of
woe was the testimony of the sure enough
farmers from Denton, Johnson, HILL Ellis
and Brown counties. They and their peo-
| pie are doing well and prospecting, they
said and all they asked for was to be let
alone. They had TO freight bureaus ia
their midst which depended on an ability
| for turning out hard luck stories for an
existence. The cotton rate was AN right
to their minds. and they did not care to
see it disturbed to meet the exigences of
the Dallas political situation.
The Galveston Houston diTerential ques
ton will come up tomorrow, and the rail-
roads will submit data and testimony in
support of their contention that the prevail
ent cotton rate is a reasonable one.
Austin, Texas, May 4.-Hearlng of the
proposition TO reduce the rate for the
transportation Of cotton from Texas points
to the gulf was resumed before the rail-
road commission this morning, with j.
Farley. chairman Of The Dallas frsight bu-
reau. on the stand.
Mr.. Farley started out by announcing
that he proposed to show why the present
cotton tariff was TOO high. and gradually
drifted into the subject of cotton factory
rates. If these were reduced. he main
tanned. the farmer would be benefited
w. c. Howard OF one of the Dallas cotton
mills had told him. he asserted, that he
did not want the present rates reduced be-
cause If they We're lowered other mills
would be established in the State and d
vide the business with him. Said the
farmers OF Dallas county tell him that
their children are growing UP in ignorance
because they have TO work in tS cotton
patch on account of the high cotton rates
and can not 20 to school. Did not believe
that this young people Of Dallas county
were now in a better condition in point
Of intelligence and education Llan ever be-
fore. Had au idea that the railroads of
Texas We're good paying property. Hat
been instructed By Mir. keatlng, chairman
of the governing board of the Dallas
freight bureau. TO look after the interests
of tho farmers of Texas. The bureau had
come to the conclusion that the Texas rate
ON cotton was about 81 a bale too high.
so far as he was concerned he was OF the
opniou that the rate on cotton factory
| products was responsible for the loss TO
Dallas OF several proposed mill plants
| Asked by Mr. Lovett what effect 1t
would have upon his position as commits
sioner of the Dallas freight bureau II
Texas rates were SO adjusted Us to entirely
| satisfy the members OF said bureau, ne
said he did not know.
Asked If 1t was net TO his interest 10
keep the Dallas merchants In stew ana
make them believe that thew could not get
| satisfaction from the commission, ne re,
piled that no one would he better pleased
than himself IL the rates were 50 au!usteo
ns 10 meet the views of the Dallas people
Admitted that he had in the past CON
| trlbuted anti commission articles 10 inc
newspapers, and said that he had ehahseu
| his mind as to the adyisabiiltV OF ALLOWING
the railroads 10 make rates Wltho"t
| latlon when he became chairman OF inc
Dallas freight bureau. Said that the iarih-
ore who belonged to the annex OF the Du-
rem known as the Dallas Business Men
| league. had been invited TO come III by CIT
| cu!ar. ,.i,i
In answer to Commissioner Mayueir,
who wanted TO know II In his opinion lne
| compress charge should be reduced IN pro.
rorfion with the freight rate ON cotton ne
| said ha had not studied that question anu
| could not renlY .,otod
his people preferred a ohe-ra.s ~ ba
! tariff to the one now III i.Goc anu nc ,,na
| desired to submit evidence along that me
as well as on the subject OF the houston
| Galveston differential. c.roy,
Mir. I.oyett stated that Messrs. Harro"
and helms. representing the Houston cot
ton people, desired that Major Hutchinson on
handle The case for them; and ina, as ,bn ns
could not be here until tomorrow aney
would nsk that the hearing OF the dluer-
entail question DO POSTPONED until his ar
rival. which was agreed TO and Mr., !; ~
benson. chairman OF the Galveston freight
bureau. was placed on the stand
| He said that the desire Of Galveston PEE ~.
plo was to have rates so adjusted as 70 , os
placed in position TO compete for iin'
rotton When cotton is concentrated ii
the interior the railroad paws the com,
prossage, which practically makes the r9 IN
,le,,,,5s When cotton Is hauled flat u
Gaiveston the railroad does not pay 'S er
The compressege, thus leaving the rave ,o SD
cents The cotton business ~ "aIs go
| L. a.no q, n cost nj 70 cents per DAic