The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-01-17


efforts in the ssst - arrest and pre-
vent these mischiefs tv the pUoi LIS OF
frcights and the divisions OF ea,nings.
But as such contracts were not au-
thortxcd or regulated by law. and
rested only on mere moral obi-
cations. they were. as a. rule,
violated as soon US Traffic inslagcrs
found d 20 their interest to disregard
thsm and instead OF rcmclying the
evils they generally intcnaiici tte ratio
wars, aud aggravated their c:..ss. Be-
sides which, such puoiilg 0srsuge-
n.outs were SO often made Is contribute
to the selfish interests OF the corpora
tons making them, and ogeri.cd SO
unJustts on the tntvrests OF their pa
irons as 10 cause numerous an-,als to
congress TO prohibit the pra.t',e. In
answer 10 IN sc appea,s conIrcss In the
fourth savtion OF The act To rcguiatu
commerce Of February /, lsSs, pro.
hibittng pooling. and in the saa,e act
provided tina, .celght rates should TO
reasonable, and prohibited unjust dis
Srinfnation between shippers Eete-
totore. under tho rulings OF the Fed
era, courts the Interstate eomniurce
commission has found i.sl'ifnlult. II
not Impossible. to enforce the law OF
1887 To regulate cainmorv2 so Us to
carry out the PURPOSES vpicli tcnpl ss
ana unjust Determinations less onerly
have zone as before the passage az the
law. though NOT so Esuerallv. And
understand that the puInosc iog which
our committee was appotlscd was that
they should report anon the Questini az
to whether as 4 means O, Alrcycniing
= evils herein menti1nad. urov .s,oLs of
law should be made a,ithori1ilg and
regulating the pooling OF ll,slgh.5 and
the divisions Of railroads. N consid-
crlng all questions of thls asi.4, two
\ things should be lept constantly in
mind aud provided fer: )n0. The lic-
lection of shippers asainst excessive
freight rates and unjust d,scsnalna-
lions; the other. the preservation OF
the NECESSARY revenues TO pay FOR the
III management and repairs OF such rail-
Z roads. and for reasonable interest ON
the. value 81 Tho property vi such
roads. ms far as the business DC them
viii permit.
There IS no doubt tia. liz The conf
petition for business rates are citeE
cut and thereby the revenues O. the
reads are reduced, ani II TONG this
that unjust determinations are made,
and this. to an axtent seiios.sS aNert-
ing the interests u t1o railroads and
OF the public.
AS Ia the commerce v';hit, the State
of Texas no such provision IS necessary.
because OF the fact kat by the law
OF this State the railroad Iunilihs.oh
OF the State is authorized AMI ciupcw-
cred To nuke, regulate AMI naiatain
The rates on State shipments OF f.,sght
And III congress would atttiorsae AHA
empower the Interstate ee9ipi estan io
rake, regulate and maintain .a;cs On
Interstate shipments of ii.iSbt. there
would be no need OF laws or rosula-
tions governing pooling. In he alb
sencc of such u law nave helieNrl
and do believe that the "oolins 81
freighis and divisions OF earnings
could be authorized by law ard 50 reg.
ulatsd as to prevent, 10 a large event
IL not entirely. railroad wars an'i I'M
Just determinations In freight ialcs.
with advantage 10 10th Railroads anu
10 shippers.
To accomplish this purpose Ill con-
tracts for the pooling of freight rates
or divisions Of earnings on Interstate
commerce. should bv law be REQUIRED
10 be submitted, and approved iy, the
interstate commerce commission. The
difficulty In tho past NJ enforcing com
pliance as between The rnilr,ils phder
such agreements. grow manly out OF
the fact that there MAS 30 LEGAL tenaity
to be enforced for the collation. OF sven
agreement In any effort 10 make such
agreements effective j. would b.. nee
!. essary In provide uIfinisnt re3n lies by
LAM fjor their violation ps betwesn the
contracting parties. and rFo 10 bu-
thorize the enforcement OF such per al
ties by the proper officers Of The gov
cTnmeDt.
With such provisions as these adocn
TO the requirements. that e,'th agree
ments should be approved by the in
terstate commerce commission before
beccming. effectiYe, the public wurid
be protected against excessive rates
and unjust determinations, railroad
wars and their bad effect beth on the
interests of the general public and OF
the railroads. would be prevented, and
the necessary revenues OF the Ipads
would be preserved. as far iis tho
business on them would be sufficient
for that purpose.
To authorize the pooling OF iIeishts
and the divisions OF earnings BY the
railroads. without the limitations atcse
mentioned. would be 10 sanction fno
restoration az the abuses and wfcpRs
which caused congress to afopi the
fourth section OF the act TO regulate
commerce II the policy above ihdi-
Gated could he adopted gnd carried out
In good faith IL would certainly dc
much toward arresting and de'tn'inr
the enormous amount OF Deceit ana
Fraud which so often .haraeterlaes the
conduct of freight agents and traffic
managers. and which does 80 mud
toward demoralizing the public, by
causing each shipper 10 fear :hat his
competitor in business Is getting bet
ter rates than himself. and thus tempt
ing him 10 seek rates which would be
unjust 10 others. Very respectfully.
John N. Reagan.
II will be seen that In this letter m.
purpose has been TO state NV Jews a
TO the system OF railroad MANAGEMENT
which would secure a Just and satisfaction
solution OF the railroad problem. withou
entering into the details nj the system.
will send cDDy OF this 10 Hon. j. y
Sayers. and possibly others. Very respect
fully. John III. Reagan
Hero for Examinations.
II. II. Milan, Katy brakeman OF
iilIsboro Is In Houston TO visit his broth.
err, j w Milan. night yardnaster Of
the Houston and Texas Central and fol
the purpose OF undergoing an examination
for total disability claim against ths
OF Railway Trainmen. Mr
Milan was caught between drawheads al
Waco about year ago, from which BIT
claims that he received injuries that per.
mancntly unfit him for work.
Demand Prepayment 81 Charges.
Corpus Christi. Texas. January I'D. NJ