The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-10-28
AN AMENDMENT is PROPOSED,
A REMEDY SUGGESTED TO cur OFF
THE SYSTEM OF REBAyEs.
Suggested that the Man who DE.
mands or Accepts One Shall lie
Punished the snmc MS the tsivcr.

Austin, Texas, October a1.,-The Post cor
respondents has, In conversation with at
torneys representing the different lines OF
RAILROAD operating in Texas gathered that
they have come 10 the conclusion that the
statements of traffic men can not be re-
Ned upon whenever they relate to trans
actions involving violations of the railroad
commission law. One general attorney In
particular was not long ago placed in a
most embarrassing position by banking
upon the assertion OF the general freight
agent of his line that the commission could
not prove anything on him. Taking II for
granted that said assertion was worth par,
the aforesaid general attorney prepared
himself for a vigorous fight IN CERTAIN pen.
alty suits filed against the road he repre-
SCENTS and gave II out cold he sid moi pro-
pose to plead guilty, as others had done.
Great were his dismay ani disgust there
fore when II WAS made PLAIN TO him by
the Stances representatives that there was
plenty OF proof mt hand to convict his traf-
lie men OF all sorts OF unlawful practices
and that there was no way of escape open
TO Them on earth. lie promptly yicldei TO
the inevitable In consequence and the
road he represents paid fines amounting
70 something like $50 600.
this case has been idiat OF others to such
| an extent that now they are inclined TO
ask traffic men to sight" them before
they WAL. without corroborative evidence,
believe their smtemends as TO doubtful.
! freight TRANSACTIONS.
III is natural for trlffic men TO juggle
| for business" said one railroad attorney
while discussing the subject here yester-
| day, ant the only way you can stop re-
| batting Is to impose the same penalty upon
any person soliciting or accoptins te-
| ba.c that traffic men are inuleted In when
caught givifls one, and he law should be
! amended to SO provide.
, Before the comm 8Sion was created job
bers and manufacturers in several North
Texas cities held up tho railroads Tor re-
| bates TO such an extent that they drove
| all competition out Of business. since
tho commission has been operating, these
rebates hsvo been cut off anil the former
benefIciares have appealed TO the commits
| sion for special rates that would enable
them 10 maintain their commercial sn-
premacy. or course their appeals were
frui lass, as they could not be satisfied
withcnt violating the law From the com
mission these erstwhile cinch enjoyers
turned to the freight men and solicited
socrea rate cuts. They did not meet WIZ
much success in this, so they tried ne"
plan Of getting what they want. Assuming
to represent the farmer, they Started
general campaign for reduction OF Ices
rates TO bluff the traffic men into siolat
ing the law The bluff d9dn't work. -
they changed thSir tactics and drecte'
their attacks against the commission. The,
orsardzes freiehs BUREAUS ard appea 81 Z
the people--wldli whom they neyer dside'
cent Of the rebate they COLLECTED IN tn
days when they had things their own way
TO join them 10 an effort to paralyze IN
commission so that they might agsln b
placed In position TO hoet tho roads u
: at will II Is mighty little these fellow
! care about the farmer except y gst VIVA
obey can OF hts substance, Under the oil
system % rebates they pocketed what tht
could hold the railroads up for and n
, corsumerhs paid tho full freight rate
/. It's mighty coti day wher. they ar
solicitous OF anybody'H interests but tae
. own unlsss there y something n u 70
them Amend the law so as to punish on
OF these fellows whenever he solicats 2
accepts rebate the same as the freigf
agent Is punished who gives one. and the
VIII soon be gotter rid OF 10 the u TIM
{ berefit Of the states commercial interest
y at large"