The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-06-19
NEWS OF THE RAILWAYS
Hon. John II. Reagan and Mr.. h. A. Jones
on the Stand.
They TESTIFY REGARDING EXPORT GRAIN
Judge Reagan Suggests u Remedy
for Rate Cutting and Dis
ordinations.

The interstate commerce commission
has concluded its hearing on export and
domestic grain rates, the last session hav-
Ing been held in the Federal court of an
peals room in st. Louis on Saturday. The
greatest interest was manifested in the
proceedings, and railroad men and LAWYERS
from nearly every part of the country
were in attendance.
Judge John H. Reagan. formerly United
States senator from Texas. and at present
chairman of the State railway commission
of Texas, was the first to be heard
He said: There is no doubt that the
present traffic arrangements of the rail-
roads operating in the great granaries OF
the West not only discriminate against To-
cal grain dealers and millers, but is ruin
Gus to the railroads themselves. This rate
cutting is the result of a WELL laid plan on
The part of the Eastern exporters to get
the Western grain to Eastern ports for
Shipment to foreign countries under tho
best possible arrangement. The result 10
that the western grain dealer and miller
suffer- A'''i'e'
AS remedy for the present condition
OF anairs he suggested that the country,
De divided into zones and traffic rates for
eacn zone DO established by convention
OF representatives of all railroads in the
country. Rates from all parts, those from
the East to the West and South, and those
from the North and West to the gulf and
the East should be equalized
When this arrangement is effected a
penalty should be fixed for q violation of
the rates as established"
In answer to query from Presiden.
Knapp of the commission, he stated that
he did not believe the present law per-
mltted the enforcement of such an ar
rangement, but he declared that the Fed
eral statute could and should be so
amended as in this way to effect an equit-
able traffic agreement throughout the
country.
Il am inclined to believe it would be
necessary before an agreement could BIT
reached that we would have to have some
legislation on the subject. This would
be necessary, not only to make the agree
valid and binding, but also to fix penal
ties for its violation. Certainly the spirit
of suchan agreement is not opposed to tn,
spirit of the law against pools and trusts
Such an agreement would be for the bene
fit of the people and the shippers, as vel
as the railroads. There is certainly somt
middle ground upon which all can stant
with equal advantages"
a. S. Dodge general traffic manager O.
the Cotton Belt, said his road was purel!
an intermediate one, and not actively in
terested In the export question.
j. A. Middleton, assistant general freigh
agent of the Frisco line. deplored tn,
present situation, because the low expor
rates deprived his line of its just shar,
of traffic under normal conditions.
H. A. Jones, general freight agent of tn
! Houston and Texas Central. said his wa
an intermediate line, which always got full
rates "gwine an comm" and didn't car
a snap which way the wind blew 1t al
ways caught the straws.
The interstate commission will interview
| the testimony taken and will hand dow
decision on the subject of export grail
rates some time in September