The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-08


validity Of the measures, he has taken the
prudent aud wise course In conforming his
acsions to the judgment OF the attorney
general"
Have you any panicky fears about The
effect Of the proposed antitrust law
Not the slightest. In fact, think
there has been great deal OF deliberate
exaggeration and methodlcai and designed
distortion OF facts on the part of those who
are SO zcalously opposing the passage OF
this law. But even II their contention
be right and the passage of the bill would
drive out of the State some OF the corpo-
rations now having agencies here, II
would not be an unmixed evil. The busi
ness would still be acre and wherever you
ind business YOU ind little difficulty IN
getting hold OF people TO transact H.. THIS
talk reminds me very much o. the Hugs
Clark campaign stump speakers and the
daily press with tlrcsome re'terston pre-
dictcd that II Hogg was elected every land
title In the State would be attacked ard a
torrenual Hood of disaster unloosed on the
state filling II from border 10 border
With the wrecks OF ruined homes. This
wild and basecss mis- statement was uted
to great advantage by Northern railroads
and landowners who had it reprinted in
pamphlets and folders. suire OF which |
saw, In partially successful effort TO
divert immigration from the fertile delds
Of Texas TO other and less inviting aec-
tons. Instead OF shrieking Woe. woe,
woe. II these corporations viii so to the
statute books OF Kansas. Iowa. Missouri,
Illinois, or even the conservative state
OF New York they Will find laws rsFu-
lating corporations which arc much more
drastic than any have heard OF in Texas.
The state OF New York, by virtue Of u
provision in the charter OF the New York
Central railroad requires that nearly half
OF the net earnings OF that road shall be
paid the State Tho laws of New York
require every life insurance company dong
business In the state TO spend certain
percentage of It's gross revenue within The
State and has stringent statutes providing
for examination of the books of these
companies aud inquiry into their methods
OF doing business. Yet we never hear L
charged that the people Of New York are
cormorants and anarchists who are en-
gagged In wholesale coneplraces 10 dcp-ivc
persons OF property without due process
Of law. The trouble with the great COspo-
rations Is that instead OF cheerfully aud
willingly contributing their Just share TO
the support OF the government, their whole
aim seems to be to evade the payment OF
the smal! percentage they now pay
am In favor of any legislation which Will
tend TO equalige tho burdens uf govern
ment, which will stop and stop cfiectnaily
the further progress OF tho unnatural
rest, u Il does not paralyzc, the oiganl-
cation OF trusts and monopolies. which
will check the ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF Hyari-
cious aggregated wealth. and above all
and more than all which will Increase
tho opportunities and rewards OF labor. No
one can fail to look with feelings Of deep
est soicitude at the gradual development
OF a system which is putting the Control
Of the prices OF everything consumed and
produced in tho hands of a few men and
the logical result. unless new conditions
arise, Will be dozen money kings and
millions OF paupers. If the National gov
eminent can not or will not restore nat
ural conditions and enact such legislation
as will secure Justice for tollng men, then
the states should do 1t as far as in their
power lies"
Has the present legislature enacted any
laws which in y0ni opinion arr unneces-
cary or unwise and does not It's member
ship compare favorably With previous leg
,slatures for character and ability
so far Us the legislation enacted at
this session is concerned the tax commits
sion bill aud the bill creating the office
OF purchasing agent for all the State insti-
tutions both meet my hearty approval as
being in the direction Of economy and re-
forms in the methods of assessing and coll
lecting taxes and the conduct OF State in
stltutions which are needed and To which
platform The Dallas charter seems TO be
the greate.t novelty which the Legislature
has introduced into Texas. A great deal
of the criticism of that measure has come
from municipal corporations and part Of
II is due TO the apprehension That The
principle of regulation by commissions viii
eventually be extended so as to ipclude
other cities in the State While | took
| no part in the charter fight due mainly
TO possible removal from the State | am
free to say that wherever the commission
has been tried It has been found to be the
easiest and most satisfactory solution yet
devised for many of the perplexlng Lroh-
lens OF municipal government Boston
and ST. Louis are now practically go''cir-
ed by commissions and IN both these cities
the experiment has been pronounced sue
cessful and its results commended. It
Is entitled TO fair trlnl here and | am
satisfied will be accorded one. Believing
that some of the provisions of the Dallas
charter are extreme, yet ] believe that
Governor sayers will appoint on the com
mission men Of such acknowledged wis
dom and discretion that while the laws ere
enforced every interest will be protected
and that whatever of error may be found
in the charter will be promptly corrected.
! want to say here that | hope the gov
ernor Will appoint on that commission only
free silver men. as ] believe that Just as
good and just as capable mon can be found
inside the democratic party as out 81 It.
'As TO the character OF the legislature
comparisons are always dstasteful. nut II
must be true that as the people progress
In the knowledge OF the affairs OF severn
ment they are the better able 70 choose
men with some knowledge of conducting
| the government and the members Of the
/ legislature coming directly from the people
they are In the highest degree repro-
sentative. This legislature is certainly
not behind any OF It's predecessors In pst-
riotsm or intelligence and its acts when
fairly and impartially considered will
demonstrate It,"