The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-05

sponSible. luis was no reason. however,
for expecting a decentralization OF tine
Texas tariff or the general lowering OF
rates. 1t WAS not necessary to bring
about % per cent reduction in revenue
to cure the Fort Worth inequality II il
really exists. Judge Freeman was of the
opinion that Mr.. Earnest has been worked
by Galveston importers who wanted TO
food the state with foreign salt. This
was another instance OF Galveston want
| ing TO profit at the expense OF the balance
of the State. The snip brokers who hold
forth there wanted business for foreign
bottoms even though 1t killed Texas in
dustries. As usual they were seeking q
cinch on the earth without having 10
rustic for it,
Mr.. Earnest denied any knowledge OF
having been gold bricked, but was willing
that the rate on salt from gulf ports be
reduced. as it would mean a correspond
! ing reduction on salt from his works aad
I he was not afraid OF Liverpool salt any
how II was true that he was disposing
( OF most of the salt used In Texas. bur he
! wanted rates that would enable him TO
supply the entire market, Just as the Kan
sas salt men are supplying the entire Kan
sas market
Judge Perkins OF the Cotton Belt said
he was not surprised that MIR. Earnest
\ was not afraid of the Galveston PROPOSE
/ ton.
/ You had better read the story OF the
old man Of the sea-" remarked the judge
addressing Mr.. Earnest. They used to
| get rid OF that old pirate by getting him
/ drunk; but YOU cant get rid OF these
Galveston PHI ttes that way. When they
start after yoi, YOU North Texas people
had better hide cat, because with a Gal.
weston OF the sea astride OF your back YOU
are gone up. There is no choking hin
| loose
]
For the International and Great North
/ ern Judge Stedman denied that Kansas
and Michigan salt could compete sue
cessfully on his line with Grand Saline
salt and did not believe that either could
compete with him successfully TO any
| extent on other lines. Either the pub
! lished rates from Kansas were not main
/ tanned, IL Mr.. Earnest's statements were
| correct. or the salt trust was getting II
| its work on him, II the interstate rates
| are being violated the violators shoult
| be gone after. If the trust is doing th'
work 1t was not fair to ask the railroad'
TO sacrifice their revenues tosmake Mr.
Earnest even. This closed the discussion
] as to salt rates and the matter was taRer
under advisement.
The next subject considered was that ol
providing plan for the prevention OF
the fraudulent billing OF cotton by placing
| the Weighing of Same under the super
vision OF the Texas Car Service association
and requiring congresses to furnish the
weights of compressed cotton.
Chairman Peck OF the Texas Car Service
! association read paper in support OF ms
1 proposition, and Chairman Becker Of tbs
Galveston freight bureau was willing thai
the weighing of cotton be entrusted to tbs
Car Service association, but wanted all
cotton treated alike in this matter. Nat as
we'll as compressed, through as we'll as 10
cal IT. would be preferable, however, II
his opinion, that the correct weight be as
certained st the initial point and the rail
roads should be compelled to charge OF
said correct weight.
Judge Freeman of the Texas and Pacihi
opposed the proposition to place tn
weighing of cotton in the hands OF TN
Texas Car Service association Said asso
citation was nothing but sideshow h
maintained, to which the railroad commits
sion could not delegate its authority e
make rules for the gov eminent OF traffic
The petition for the placing OF this matte
In the hands of the Car Service association
was nothing but an indictment of the cot
ton shippers of Texas, he declared Tn
preservation of revenue was nothing but
pretext with the lines signing said peti
i ton. II they had ever been as careful II
the matter of protecting interstate rates
they now profess to be anxious to force tn
honest billing of cotton. their revenues
would not prevent the ragged appearance
which characterized them. To his min
this was another Galveston scheme 10 hos
the movement of Texas traffic.
Suppose we do not care to remain Il
the Car Service association" he asked
"can the commission force us to stay In
Can the commission compel MS to ODE
the associations rules? We don't reeog
nize any authority except that of the com
mission, and II there is any regulating L
be done here 1t should be by the commits
sion itself--by the main circus and not b.
a sdeshow.'
Mr.. Moeller OF Galveston charged tina
the railroad agents themselves had frs
instgated the undertaking OF cotton, there
by being enabled to give rebates in
roundabout way. He did not think tn
practice as universal as formerly how
ever. The railroads could easily ascertain
the true weight of cotton IL they wante
to, he thought at an average cost of
cents per bale. and II the alleged swindlip
in weights did not amount in the aggre
gate TO cents per bale, what was the us
talking about Il? Had been In the ship
ping business twenty-five years and han
died upwards OF 100000 bales OF cotton
and in that time the weights of only on
shipment of cotton handled by him ha
been questioned by a railroad and part Q
IL was reweighed with the consent OF tn
shipper, and not enough discrepancy foun
; to make it worth while to reweigh III
! whole lot. Discrepancies in weights be
tween ship bills OF lading and rairoa
bills OF lading he accounted for on tn
ground that shippers added certain pc
cent to the railroad weight in forwardln
by ship to Offset the deduction for the tar
on the continent. Saw some objection I
accepting compress weights because man
congresses are owned by buyers and ship
pers. The railroads under the commo
law had the right TO have cotton reweighe
whenever they doubted the shippers
weight, 30 what was the use OF establish
ing new rules in the premises?
Judge Stedman Of the International an
Great Northern was strongly IN favor @
the Car Service association proposition an
: could not see where there was any inten
ton OF delegating the commissions powe
!. to an outside agency; neither could he Sc
: where the proposition was an indietmen
t, OF the cotton shipping public any NOR
! than the penal code is an indictment q
! the whole Texas population.
Judge Perkins OF the Cotton Belt as
4, serted that the arbitrary change Il
a weights at Galveston was admitted by Nj
: Moeller to Offset dedustlons on account {
: taTe on the continent was greater dis
! crepancy than the one sought to be guard
ed against by the Car Service associatio
I prODOetfion and he yapted the rom m 4