The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-27

l'dlidS NuIteN vs. lotuNNs
Joe Farley has an article in a paper
called Texas Farmer complaining abpi,
cotton rates being too high and claroriug
FOR a reduction. He has appeared before
this commission as a witness In advocacy
ct existing cotton rates. Coming here as
a Witness II seems to me, as bearing on
his opinions as an expert. II is proper 10
notice lie past history briefly. HIS first
appearance here, believe. was during
the gear 1889. when he appeared lefore
the legislature as n lobbyist In opposition
to the bin providing for commission to
reduce freight rates He was also here
in opposition to a reduction OF passenger
rates from TO ceu,s per miles lie Was
then known MS Jaclt-p Pot Farley, do not
know whore he sot The name. whether in
playing with members Of the legislature
or Sunday school superintondenis, His
next appearance was IN the lIosg Clark
campaign when he was a rahid clark man.
| cussine cut iiogg and the commission
louder than anybody. He was rot content
| with That. After the commission was ere
| atcd he wrote lct"tr 10 the Galveston
| News In which he h!tctrly attacked the
| commission rates lie said iiogg and tho
| commission had done Texas far more harm
| than Ccod by reducing rates and that they
| had scared off capital and prosperity and
80 ON. Now, IL took Light In the SKY to
| make Paul SEQ the error Of his way. 1t
q
| to muhe Farley see the error ot ais way
| As an attorney we DO not discredit him.
| but as an oxport witness his past reCoTl
ought TO be considered. lie says he wants
rates reduced TO build up cotton factories,
| According TO the figures Of Mr. Ncn'Son
| OF the Galveston Freigh, bureau, the Cal
| weston cotton mill has today an advantage
| Of T. cents over st, Louis aud greater
| advantage over New England on freight
| rates II they can not do business with
| such advantages ms thcso they ought not
| 10 reasonably expect to 10 business ut all.
| If general reduction should be made ON
| cotton piece goods We all know the New
| England mills would set the benefit of H.
| These facts lead me to believe Farley rs
making these complaints in the Interest
| of establishments In TEXAS which prefer to
| deal in New England stuh rather than
our own product. He says Texas rniion
| factories are so ptosperonr that they want
| to shut out others and prevent compeu-
! ton, That does not appear To me to bo
| true either Tho Galveston mill. which
| employs 500 people, is losing 5000 NJ
month according to its own published
| statement, and they say that unicsS the
| bond aud stockholders get together ANA
coma 10 their assistance until business
| scls better, they Will be compelled 10 Shut
| down"
Attorney General Crane followed Mr.
| IrlFN ana announced lliut VI WIS lltA''Wt
| at the invitation of the commission to It's
ten to the dscuse ~ ana put in where II
! might appear necessary, Said he: The
| courts have held that while railroad com
! panios were entitled 10 earn a sufficient
return an their Investment. yet there were
conditions under which tins might not oh
tain. In other words. the uUbhc Vas not
| compelled TO act rs an Insurer Of pros
perity TO the railroads, Did not think that
in granting franchises to railroads the gov
crnment gave them an implied Right "
earn returns on their iuve'imrnt II they
can unless economically bulit and rur
through a country whore there is business
enough 10 suppor, them Manfestly It
| would he unfair TO require people living
In the territory Of the Houston and Texas
! Central TO pay the same rates as NIGH
be necessary to enable The Fort Worth aud
Denver to earn fair return on It's invest
| mont.
While 1T was colorahly true that the
commissions rates had been observed, The
commission knew and he knew as matter
of fact said rates had not been ohscrFcd
The commisslon's EXPERT Mr.. Askcw had
cited 500 cases to him in which Texas rail-
roads had violated the commission rates
The reports made by the railroads were no
strictly accurate and 1t seemed TO hin
Tint before the commission determined TIM
case the railroads should be required u
come in ami show that they have observed
the commissioners rates Was not prepare,
70 say what the rate ought to be- bu, II
seemed 10 him that the traffic men OF the
roads resisting the reduction should, be.
fore the ratr is fixed be required ia bring
in their books and show what effect the
IT,. -, ma. ,.c,on,os
MIR Loveii interpreted that as the com
MISSIONS rules did not require inc ,ueu-
| titV of cotton to he lrrSPfNtu IL fDNil DNl