The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-14
THE HUNTINGTON GRANT BILL
NH. PITTS SAYS TT Is A MOST DAM
AGING MEASURE.
VIII Soc to 1t that the Next Legis-
Inturc Is Petitioned to Repeal
the LAW.

Austin. Texas, May 13.-In response to
a telegram from Hon. John D. Pitts to the
editor OF the san Francisco Examiner.
yesterday, asking whether the railway and
wharf monopoly of the Southern Pacific
company had been an advantage or dis
advantage to The people and the CONNER
cial interests OF California, and asking for
reference to press comments aud other
expressions upon the subject tho following
telegram was resolved in reply;
Hon, John D. Pitts, Austin, Texas.
San Francisco Cal, May 1.-THE
wharf and railway monopoly OF the
Southern Pacific company in Caltfor-
MIA is almost universally regarded as
disadvantage to the people of the
State, See the files of the Examiner,
Call and Chronicle OF this city for
the past ten years; the fight OF Los
Angeles against fixing the government
deep water harbor on the Southern
coast at Santa Monica, where the
Southern Pacific would have a monop-
oily, and the resolutions OF the Los
Angeles commercial bodies in favor OF
San Pedro as the harbor site and tue
expressions of the Los Angeles Times
upon the question Will show the popu-
lar feeling. A. NJ Lawrence.
In connection with this matter, MIR.
Pitts said; For the last twenty-sevcn
years there has been no legislation IN
Texas so dangerous to the interest OF COM
merce and the people as the recent grant
OF perpetual and exclusive wharf privileges
at Galveston to Coils p. Huntington aud
virtually to the Southern Pacific Railway
company.
The vast Importance Of the deep water
port on the gulf is felt not only by Texas.
but by the great grain, cotton, cattle and
lumber interests West OF the Mississippi.
The enormous increase OF these In ,erests
in the near future Will magnify this impor-
lance beyond any expectation and the
grant OF any exclusive privilege 10 a single
individual or company, especially In port
made by National and State aid. lie In my
opinion an outrage against the public well
fare.
Il reassert that the grant is uneonstitu-
tional and challenge its supporters TO re-
flute the proposition. The most serious in
Jury, IL this measure remains in force.
will fall upon the producing classes OF
Texas. who must ship the annual output
OF the State through the port at Calves
ton, and as the Southern Pacific owns n
controlling interest In the prlnc.pal rail-
ways OF Texas. Coils P. Huntington can
crush all competition in Texas as he has
done in California. II will not be long
under the usual oppression and extortion
VI tuat Solpoi 1e'vh petoIe the people or
this State will say In the words that now
cohe from our Western sea ports, The
wharf and railway monopoly Of the South
ern Pacific Railway company an California
Is almost universally regarded as a disad-
vantage to the people OF the State.
The powerful influence OF HUNTINGTON
and the Southern Pacific company over
National legislation affecting their inter-
ests. has often been demonstrated, espe-
oially in California, where Il controlled
and placed the National appropriations ior
ports at such places as Il pleased. And
having procured It's location to their IN.
terest they secured their wharf and rail.
way monopoly In California and through II
have ever since dominated and oppressed
the people OF that State. Following thi:
mercilefs march OF corporate conquest
that eSporation has captured the ,onls