The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-01-17
Has Given Matter Much
Thought.
SHOULD BE UNIFORMITY.
There Are Three Moth
DDS of Dealing with
Railroad Probicns.


| the opinion that when the number Of gov.
ernment employees should reach loo, 900
! II would endanger our present system Of
| government. We have pissed that roint,
ana the number OF government employees
now exceeds 150ao0. Add 10 this the number
OF Iuiiroad employees, without reference
| 10 their Inevitable increase under govern.
/ ment ownership and management, and we
would nave al least one million persons
under government appointment. This much
OF an increase of the patronage OF the
| feuerai government could not faie to
still further dwarf the State governments,
ana to consolidate enormously the power Of
4 the Federal government. And Il would q,
doubt change the character of our political
system and endahser and sooner or later.
overthrow our system of constitutional,
Tree popular self government Any man.
who may be president. with that amount
/ OF patronage, could continue himself In
! that office indefinitely. This plan must
result, therefore, and be held to be im-
practicable and impclitic. s
| As to regulation by law state that
after much study OF the railroad problem,
| believe its true and only successful solu
| ton is regulation by law. The railroad
companies If unrestrained by law. would
rob the people to enrich themselves. The
people il they could carry out their wishes
i uncontrolled by law, would, to promote
their own interests. reduce rates aud
charges TO such an extent as to wreck tho
railroads. To meet and control these two
| extremes. the legislation of congress should
provide for commission OF Just aud
impartial men to stand between those two
interests. and make such regulations as
would protect the people on the one hand
ana the railroad corporations OH the ether.
is the management OF Interstate COM
herce. and the same should be done by
the several States IN tho regulation OF
STATE commerce. The power should be
conferred on these commissions 10 make,
to regulate and maintain all rates and
charges by the railroads, with a reserved
power in the courts 10 correct errors or
abuses OF power by such commissions. Such
are the powers conferred on the railroad
commission of Texas. but not MS yet con
ferfed on the commission of any other
State, or of the Federal government. The
legislation OF the Federal gcvernment
falls far short of this, and therefore fails
TO meet and solve the problem of the sue,
cessful management of the railroads, Tho
nearer congress can come to these con-
dltions that much nearer it will approach
what must be the final solution OF this
problem.
You VIII see that am stating the gem
eral outlines of a system and not attempt
ing TO deal with details / will say. how
ever. that when the Federal commission,
by Investigation, determined questions of
fact the courts ought tn be required to-
accept the facts SO found and TO be limited
In their action to The settlement OF the
questions of law, unless charge OF fraud
in finding them should be made.
The question has been much discussed
as TO whether contracts for the division OF
the business and earnings OF the rail-
roads commonly called pooling, should
be allowed Pooling grew out OF the cut
ting Of rates by the railroads, which was
alike injurious to the railroads and TO
the general business of the country. and
besides this purpose. 1t became means
In many cases of maintaining excessive
freight rates being unragnlated by law
and controlled by the managers OF tho
railroads when used for this purpose. In
their own interests
The two causes which produced the
greatest amount of complaint IL the action
of the railroad companies. AMI cahfed the
greatest number of petitions TO congress to
pass the interstate commerce. law were
pooling, as then practiced. JEl the chsrg-
ing Of more for shorter than for longer
hauls and by the Ict Of Congress- of lSs1,
and the amendatory at Of iSSa occjng
was prohibited.
Under the railroad e-iDlation or Trxas
there is no occasion 10 discuss the power
10 make regulate and main,ain freight
rates. and the railroads "an not employ
any rates hut those authorized by the com
mission. And II congress Should adopt The
policy which Is in force in this .s;0te,
n, .tp,tld no 4 Ian n
question of pooling Nv that iioiy hut II
congress shall fail to provide that he in
terstate commerce commission shall have
10 Inake, regulate ara na'ail'n ii"isht
rates or to enable chat commission 10 de-
termine what rates snail be charged and
no others. then he anestioti VIII have 20
be met as to the best method pf prevent
ing the cutting OF rates and rate wars. and
~ preventing the evils which necessarily
glow out Of these practices
In this question. rs ny roy'iion on "
has been so often misrepfoasnied OF mis-
,irnerstond copy an ppirioa wllra l
gave nearly two years ago. and adhere to
that opinion unless ccnsress Will f.ye TO
the Interstate commerce commission The
uower 10 prescribe the rases OF freight. il
IS as folloHr:
w. M. I.iggett. EST. 81. Paul. MINI.
Austin. Texas April II, iS96--Dear
Sir: Mr. Edward a. M,sc;cy secretary
OF the Interstate colnms,.'e comniis-irn
calls my attention {, the flet thai al
Inc last annual con,sfit;ri OF ABROAD
commissioners. the c0ium.tter on pool
ing OF freiahts l.ia divisions OF earniiss
az appointed Is imposed Of john ~
ltpngan OF Texas. = T. Le3@ 0. Nd
nois John Il. Sanford OF Massachusetts,
j.. w Wilson ~ Aorth Carolina and
IL. Al. Liggctt Of Minnesota.
had no inforn ltia Of ny being an
pointed ON this coipIn; ts,s uni. J re"
le.Yea Mr. Moseley !etter Il a...fses
me that ~ the committee 6esidss 70
make a written report the) WOULD
be glad TO receive it a iew dsis IN adj
vance OF the nierting' tthe next an
rt.;a meeting undsTstlldl 10 t.iai
il may be printed and 10 shape % sub
init 10 the members
i do not suppnse /. win he practical
BILE for his comsalftee 70 meet ana tfe-
parc 4 report in advance OF the meet
Ing OF the next annual convention OF
railroad commissioners. = siSw Of
this iect VIII state sc'nc giras on
-. 4 - - .~x..f