The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-01-17
JUDGE REACAN'S LETTER.
Interesting Treatise 90 Freight and
Passenger Rates.
ROADS OWNED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
woaia he Patriotism Raa Mad and
Endangcr the Liberties of the
People of the Republic.

The following is the full text Of letter
written by Judge Reagan. Of the railroad
commission. which will be Of interest to
railroad people:
James L. Cowles. Esq. 3si Crown Street,
New Haven, Conn:
Austin. Texas January 13.-pear Sir: I
am In receipt Of your letter o, the Cd In
slant with its enclosures l have Slso re-
ceived a copy o. your book entitled Cen
eral Freight and Passenger Pest"
have read the printed slips enclosed IN
your letter, which / suppose. in conuec-
ton with your letter. give q fair idea OF
the purpose and scope OF your book. / Will
also read your book as soon as can COM
mand sufficient leisure.
L / agree with you that there are many
abuses by the railroad companies which
require correction. ! also agree with you
that the charges for transportation should
be based on the cost OF the service. as
nearly as practicable and not on the value
OF the service 10 the shipper But do no,
agree with your view that the railroads
should be placed under government man
agement Apd control, Nor DO I agree with
your view that the lowest rate charged
between tho two nearest stations should
be the uniform standard rate for freight
ana passengers for all distances. or that
the railroad service should be controlled by
tue PoSlhuiNt department. II the same
price should be paid for a haul between
the shortest distances between stations and
the longest distance hauled. this would
make tho charge for freight or passage
between New York City and a station ten
miles out and between New York and San
Francisco the same. Under such plan
the charge for the shorter distance would
necessarily be unreeSonahiy excessive or
the revenues to be derived form the longer
hanfz YnnfN ~. H..
the management and repair Of the roads
and a reasonable sum as interest on the
value OF the property. The idea Of cstab-
fishing uniform charge for the carriage
OF property and persons and without refer
ence 10 the character or weight or value Of
the articles 20 be carried. or the distance
they are 20 be carried. the same as letters
Dewspapcrs and small packages are now
carried under the authority OF the post
office department seems 20 ne 10 be ut
terry in practicable. Letters newspapers
arl mali packages Of little value, which
may De carried in mail bags NAY be 80
carried. Frcights Of commodities and iner.
charAlse are 80 diversified as TO value,
weight and bulk as 10 render such a rule
As bat which applies to the carriage Of
mail natter lnappl!cablc. SILK goods and
other light and costly fabrics should pay
different rate q freight charges from
what would be proper on grain. meats. cot
ton. I've stock. iron and productA OF iron,
stone. coal. sand ctc These would be-.
carried by weight in pounds. tons or car
leads. Then there are other articles, such
az carriages furniture show cases. etc.
which would BE- required 10 pay according
% the pace they would occupy The ahicst
eslerls IN ne mailing ot freight rates have
1evrr been able To formulate fixed rates on
which 30 base freight rates. LiFht and
valuable articles arc required to pay higher
rates Of freight Heavy and cheap articles
pay lower rates Of freight. And there arc
articles which enter into the commerce OF
the country that are carried hy railroads
offer ar rates which 10 no, pay for carry
'ra them. bug which ~ is necessary should
be carried. And the loss OF revenue by the
roads IN Such caseH must be made IN on
Other articles which viii bear higher rates
~ freight And 4 rate which would nav
the carriage Of heavy and cheap articles for
short distances. II applied TO long hauls,
might make their carriage impracticablo
such questions come up constantly with
rnr.onA charged with tho duty OF making
freight rates and are 10 be decided in each
zse hy ,hc sound judgment OF those max
tnE the rates guided hy their every day
e2fer ience How. with the vast humber
AMI great variety ~ articles carried by the
railroads, are uniform freight rates for all
oifian'fh. the sam. FOR short as for long
hanls 10 be estaolrh-d2 And would not
thf attempt TO DO 30 provo utterly imprac-
ticahie as wei as disastrous TO the inter
"stE Of both the railroads and the peopio7
la reference 20 yonr suggestion that the
fp'eFument should take charge o. the rail-
reads aud guarantee 20 the owners a roas-
% ahle pr cent on them you seem to sug-
E"st that this could be done with the CON
sem ~ the Railroad corporations. For tho
fiscal year andlng 1893 there was ia SCI "a
ID. - Hthi= u |a. q -.
iht.r llahlnics az thst time amounted TO
.ilt'g ,tNl. fif irc.udiug their stock aud
Dpris nnfinaed and current debts. DO
foN li'An inst me goycrnment would guar
uALe@ 20 20" raiirnaf companies a reason
able percentage 81 profit on all the nabil
t'iss ~ the roacS7 ! have not an exac,
statement ar 20 what part OF this great
fau 10 made ~ q watcred and fraudulent
F'DF and bonds, but f. is between 81 600
oh9 0e and 3 600 100000 II would be n
gro4t outrage on the public TO be compelled
20 pay Interest end dividends on this vast
sum - fraud n you do not mean this.
"h what SURF 10 you suggest that the gov
eFrfneai shall guarantee interest? Do YOU
me-n on tho real value Of their property
ana 'fanchiaerf " 10, how do you propose
10 sscsrtaln wbat that real value is2 And
Z you rFypose q guarantee interest on
thor real yalro. ! suggest that Won could
uoi set 'he content o. the railroad com
panifF And The gofcrnncnt, In this coun-
iry where the owners OF all property are
protected by Law in their right to 1t. IT
can not be taken from them without their
consent
Under your proposed plan. n the govern
mont should take possession OF the rail
roada ana guarantee the interest on their
value 10 the owners. It would OF course.
have 10 employ and control the men to be
charged with their management There
are now. Including the different branches
~ the public service. over $50, 900 an
l0iniees and employees in the service Of
tho fe'.ersl government. And there arc
now about 500 Ooa employees In the service
~ the railroad companies Of tho United
ftate. and all experience shows that uu-
der the authority OF the government more
men would be required to perform this ser
vice ihan are necessary under the vIeilant
supervision Of private and corporate in
flnfhce. So that, with this addition. there
would be about i.oo0. 600 men under an
tointment by the Federal government,
win this number Of government empioyes
and the control Of the vast internal COM
mrvcs OF the United glutes nna 80 ~