The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-03

sight rates OF tho Texas roads which we're 9
consequence OF the injunction against the 9
Judge Mccormick Yesterday. by the Texas =
Texas railways. This puts tho cotton ratio z
the Texas and Pacific said tonight:
'ment among the roads It Is my UNDER 9
81 as they existed prior to the first tariffs 9
sslorcd at once by every line in Texas
ssssssssssssssessssssssssssssy
season and was really regulation thmt
| worked a great hardship upon all interests,
| W. nc ls true that these compress reEula-
uons arc also set aside by Judge MoCor-
mSk decisson. I am truly thankiui. and
mink cotton men throughout the State
| should DO Mlled with gratitude.
| Nm regard TO other features OF The IN
Junction, can mot say very much. 1t has
hecn very evident, however, that the rail-
| fosi commission OF Texas WAS extending
| MS mowers TO unnecessary lengths In rocent
tarltls and rules promulgated by that body,
ana II seems 10 me THAT this decision came
lnst at the rfgha tbmc II the commits
. aohers had been allowed to carry out their
latest decree II ia very likely that they
would have gone 10 further extremes.
| III Is now incumbent upon the railroads
10 strive to show the people of Texas thas
chey arc anxious to maintain Just ana
| equitable rates. / understand that they
| construe Judge iMoCormiclSs decision TO
mean the canccling OF all tariffs and regu-
| lations established by tho railroad commits
sion since August, 1884, aud thaG they arc
| therefore forced 10 name the rates In effect
pugor TO that date. This means, am in
| formed t1at they will advance tho rate on
cotton fran Texas common FONTS TO Gal
weston from 80 cents to 10 conts rer 100
| pounds, or an increase OF 30 cew,s ior hale,
! Perhaps that is the proper constrNntjou OF
| tho decision. but n 10 ds the railroads
| should Immediately submit q lower tariff
to tho commission. Probably the present
F., rate of "a cents to Houston and 10 cents 30
| Galveston is 200 low, AZ the railroads con
tend. but II seems to me that the mater
could be adjusted upon some basis that
would not cause the Increase 10 look too
severe. | certainly appreciate tho fact
that the railroads OF this State have euf-
fered severely AT the hands or the conniis-
sion. and my synpathics are with them.
bu really believe they will make grlev-
Gus mistake II they strive TO maintain rates
on the 7o-cent basis"
Judge r. p. Iilll, well known attorney
and citizen of Houston. said, The opinion
OF Judge Mccormick clearly defines the
is5ue between the commission aud tho rail
roads. which Is as to what is the iuSt and
corrsc. basis for the making of rates. Tho
q mnt scion proceeded, ,sider the law. 10
make valuati-n af the railroads In Texas.
and upln taat valuation az u b.sip have
made rAlos that would allow the roads an
GbunnapG inOOnn. but the railroads con-
tend that the commission valuation is
too low by halt and more, and attack
the theory Uf6n which the commission
based its Valuation. Judge Mccormick
sustalns the RAILROADS in that contention
and IL remains for lhie supreIne court OF the
United States to determine and settle what
Ii the lust and correct basis for the max
Ing OF railroad rates That court has
touched upoD the question In several casee,
but has never decided VI. When IL B de-
cided the commission will have a basis for
making rates and can proceed with ref
ertnce to that basis and II As mistake
TO suppose utat TIE commission has been
destroyed or deprived OF its urofulnrss.
Fer the present and until the United
States supreme court settles the question
at Issue aud declares what the right basis
10 nar raGlroud rale making the commission |
can not weii make any rates at all. Tor
Tho plain reason that It cam not we'll adopt |
che ra3lfoad contention as basis and thus
abandon itS own position for the time being
at least. Meantime The commission re-
mains In full possession of its power and
authority under the law 10 prevent abuses |
and unjust determinations IN any rates
tho railroads may make"
Mr.. Bryan Heard manager OF the George |
II, Mclsd4en cotton agency said;
II was very much pleased to learn OF tho
granting OF dhe injunction, and think II
was Just and righteous decision. We I
found freight rates over the State In n |
muddlcd up condition today. however but |
supBagc this could not DO avoided under |
the circumstances. Al GONE points rail |
road agents refusdf 10 issue our buyers |
bills OF lading, while at either places we |
were tJld tAat a big advance IN rates would |
bs named wibhin the next twtmty-f0uf |
hour Our Fort Worth man wired that |
the Texas and Pacific would name q 10 |
cent rete on cotton. and ! understand that !
the Santa Fe and other lines will announce I
the same tariff This may be their priyi- |
lege under tine courts order. but IL Will |
certainly cause n great loss TO f.rms TINT
have bought thousands VI bales OF cotton 1
IN tho interior uni@er the belief that the |
freight TO Houston would be "a cents and I
10 Galveston 80 cents. II means that We
VIII be forced TO lose 30 cents per bale I
that we had not counted upon when buying |
this cotton.
"FIcm other sources 1t is announced.
however. that the railroad commission
will immedistcly name new rates. walch |
can probably be done. as only the old rates
were enjoIned.
Really, everything Is badly mi xeJ up
today. and neither ralroa1 men nor cot
ton men Feem 10 know exactly where they |
staad We are all glad to know. however.
that the commission has been dlascked In
YsIne VI us unwsIrranted and unnecessary
decreos. and that everything will be
Strengthened out within dae next few
DAYS.
Mr.. C. G. Mairgay. local representative
OF Knoop, Frerichs CO.. well known
Russian cotton firm, said: 1T plenses me
10 know that the authority OF the Texas
railroad commission is limited. was be-
ginning 10 think. as Judged by the con-
iIrued entertainments Of that body, that
the members thereof believed II their duty r
To rule and regulate everything connected
with railroads The commissioners have
certainly acted unjustly toward Houston
Coptinued ON Third PngcD