The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-30
". n. Giles Of MineoIa Is Ia The
Race for the Nomlnatiou.
EXPLICIT STATEMENT OF HIS VIEWS.
ne Mas Hsd Actual Experience In
the Operation OF = RRilroad end
Made n Record Doing 1t.
40 thc pemocra,c,y q Texas.

= III
democratic primaries
In Offering for this important trust.
take 1t to be my duty to give to the public
briefly, my views on the important dutic
connected herewith for the reason that
i regard It as one OF the most responsible
offices III the gift OF the people OF thi
State. and one about which they have In
greatest concern.
! believe that a well-rcsulated and Jus
commission is essential to the citizen wh,
pays the freight. and to every produce.
consumer and shipper in the land. Thu
rate OF freight should be adjusted an,
fixed for all public carriers in this State
and should be adjusted, settled anu fixet
as rapidly as, possible, upon fair basis
both TO tho puolc and to tho corporation
and should not be disturbed unless fount
to be unjust.
continual disturbing of rates confuses
and interfercs with commerce and inIuros
both the shipper ana carrier.
The great question in the sentiment oil
freight charges is To ascertain what sun
should be allowed TO be charged on each
character OF freight, so as TO pay all on
Grating expenses, improvements, and Il
reasonable per cent on actual cost OF con-
struction OF the road and the rolling stock
This can be ascertaned by finding the
earning of each road for n given period
from the books of the railroad company,
and also finding thcrefrom the actual cost
OF operating the road for the said period
then apply n reasonable per cent ON the
actual cost and you can then SEQ what
reduction can be made on the rate OF
freight, for instance, there can be no
trouble to find the exact cost of running
a train of cars across the State, or any
given distance, to find the amount such
train earned. and then find what would be
a reasonable per cent for wear and tear and
reasonable interest on the investm mt
for said period and deduct from said earn
ings and get the difference. which should
be deducted from the freight rate. aud find
thcrefrom whether reduction Of said
freight would be jnstlfiable. and If so how
much.
II requires close calculation and thor
ough inspection often of the books OF the
different railways and express companies.
More cnn be learned in this, way In a short
while about the extortions, rebates. OVER
charges and so forth. than can be learned
at all by listening to the general attorneys
and general freight agents of the different
as there can be no doubt but
that they are among the smartast and most
intelligent and best posted men OF the
business. and IT is not to be supposed that
they are attending the commission meet
ings constantly to give the commission any
Information that will damage their EN-
ployers the railway companies.
believe that the larger part OF the heavy
freight. such as Is almost invariably moved
In carload lots. towit: Grain. corn. flour
wheat. bacon, lumber, cotton. cotton SO ID
and salt, is charged too heavy o freight
rate: for instance ii costs to ship bale
IF cotton from this point to Houston s2.T0.
md TO Galveston 81. a car carries sixty
bales OF compressed cotton which makes
$50 per car. The railway company pays
rom 40 to 50 cents per bale for compress
ng, leaving net, for hauling the car 2bo or
100 miles, $50. Not "A cent Is paid by the
alway comrany for loading aud unloau-
ng the cars, all Of which If done BY the |
'onsignor and cousgnee. An engine can
ull twenty cars, making in The aggregate |
5000 from here to Houston or Galveston. |
distance of $50 or 800 miles. as stated |
bove when the cost of said shipment COR
cctly computed. amounts to bui a small |
err cent of faid sum. II costs 81 a bale to |
hip cotton from this point To Boston or
lew York, a distance OF 1900 or 1000 miles,
'hich shows conclusiveiy TO n reasoning
lind that our State Is greatly imposed
pom This rule applies TO nearly all shlp-
lenis Of like goods I heard a business
ian saw some few days ago that certain
lasses OF freight were shipped from 81.
owls 10 Teyarkana In carload lots for 81
nnts per 1oD pounds while East Texas
oints were charged 81 cents per 100 pounds.
ow any sane man knows that II does not
)st 60 cents per ION pounds by the carload
IT to cross the Arkansas line into East
oXas points.
We may meet and hold our deep water
inventions az long az we live, but il viii
ever give us the deep water on cur coast
lat VIII benefit us much as Ions rs our
,mmerce Is Disseminated against thus
Use.
Before the commission changed the rate
carload Of freight from Chicago was
larged ! cents less per 100 pounds 10 a
,int In Texas than for the same freight
Dety-fiye miles, shipment entirely
thin the State. to the same point. Many
stances OF this kind could be mentioned.
ID when shippers undertake to reduce the
te on short shipments the roads claim
at they were only grouping tho rates,
Iarging the same for long distance ms
r shorter distance in order to make H.
ere equitable for the consumer: but
we never known my such grouping OF
ties and making them the same Into
,Xas unless II was In competition TO
.xas' manufacture or trade.
II this were true. why do they not group
e rate from outside markets, such rs
ansas City. ST, Louis Chicago and other
aces to Texas points instead OF to It's
le, and then put on nearly 200 per cent
hen bringing said FREIGHT within the lin
OF this State for delivery. Il 10 aimo : I
possible to ship grain RAISED In this ,
ate In competition with that raised With
I on account % fayoFs shown outside
ipperf. II freight can be shipped from
insas City 10 Galveston as cheap as II can
pm North Texas 10 Galveston then II,
rs not cost any more to ship cotton from
nth Texas to Houston aud Galveston |
an II does from Willis Hampstead or In
'aDge. aud should be- put on the s4me
riff. Try and see II yop eau ship freight
IN Teses points 70 81. Louis as cheap n.
u can from Kansas City or course the ,
has no jurisdiction over inter-
ate commerce. with which fact the rail-
ads arc nlso cognizant. but such facts
CHI be used. as The arithmetic Is for the
rpose OF learning the actual result cf
urGs.
We know that freight nap moi be carried
low IN sparsely settled country as ia
thickly settled and well developed conn
!, but The larger portion of Texas toby
esents the appearance OF a eity--in frav- J