The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-19


been placed by the representatives Of for
eign governments. Exports have quad
ripled to South Africa and Increased so
per cent to all European countries. There
viii be no trouble for many canning con-
Germs In the United States to sell all they
can put up.
Mr. T. w. Tomlinson of Chicago deiiv-
cred an address on Railway Rates" He
said in part:
There are no unusual features about
the transportation of live stock. and,
everything considered, 1t can be safely
stated that II is very desirable aud
remunerative class OF traffic, Generally
speaking no fault can be found with the
service OF the railroads in handling live
stock. 1t is superbly efficient
If there are occasional elements OF dis
cord between the railroads and live stock
shippers, they arise mainly on the point
OF what price should be paid for this
splendid service. What most concerns the
live stock man is the rate. It Is his duty
TO pay what the service costs the rail-
road and reasonable profit on the ia
vestments He ought not to be compelled
to pay more, nor ought he to expect to
get 1t for less. No industry can prosper
NiuiVut receiving a IdiT return lot the
commodity 1t produces, The commodity
the railroads create is transportation.
Should they sell it to some for less than
what 1t costs with fair added profit,
they necessarily lose money, and 10 order
to exist they must charge others more
than what 1t costs with the same fair
added profit. Therefore every shipper Is
interested, not only In what he himself
pays for transportation, but in what
every other shipper pays. II fierce
freight or passenger war loses to the rail-
roads million dollars some industry has
already paid or will have to pay for that
loss by excessive rates
What is fair ratc-whether Il should
be based upon what the railroads originally
cost, or upon what they are bonded or cap
italihed for, or upon their tax returns. or
upon what 1t would cost to reproduce
them, are phases OF ar intricate question
not yet definitely decided but this at
least is self-eyident, the profit ought not to
be measured by all they cain exact Ship
pers would not be impartial judges of
what is or is not a fair and reasonable
rate; nor on the other hand are the rail-
roads any more unbiased in their jndg-
ment No imputatiou is intended TO be
cast upon the fairness or integrity of the
railroad management but they are actu-
ate by precisely the same motives as other
men. They are placed In charge of rail-
road property to operate it, not for the
public, but for the owners; they are asked
for results and the tenure OF their office
depends upon the showing made Their
lot is not entirely bed of roses; they are
fmportuned for privileges they ought rot
TO grant; communities clamor for favors
that prejudice other sections of the coun-
try. Large shippers use the traffic they
control as leverage to secure less rate
than their competitors. Railroads have too
long been regarded by designing persons
as legitimate prey; any subterfuge was
justifiable If II succeeded in beating the
railroads. To what extent this feeling may
be engendered by unreasonable acts of the
railroads ] can not say, but In any event
it is not right. There is only one code Of
morality, one standard of fairness, and IL
the public demands Just treatment from
the railroads il ought to accord them the
same fair treatment In return.
The railroad problem, so far as 1t re-
lates to the much discussed evil OF unre-
stricted competition among the carriers,
is slowly but surely solving itself. The
Capitalization of the railroads of this
country into large, systems dominated by
few financial interests makes possible a
stricter maintenance of public rates anu
Will eventually enable the railroads, II
they are so disposed d, to adjust their tariffs
On a fair and equitable basis so that no
/ traffic viii be handled at q loss, and all
will be taxed a fair profit ! am fearful,
however, that the public can not safely de
pend upon the railroads it left to them
selves to charge only what Is fair and
reasonable. Their selfish interests might
Outweigh all other considerations and
tempt them 10 increased PROFITS.
| That other phase of the railroad problem
1.-The Federal regulation of fares and
| charges--is not Ia satisfactory shape and
we are today without adequate and effect
| i've power over interstate rates The pub
/ lie can not longer rely upon free compe-
| tition to level rates, and any attempt to
compel competition among carriers is
bound to prove unsuccessful in the end.
| Perhaps il is we'll for too often compe-
/ tition results in forcing down rates all
ready unremunerative and thereby placing
a greater burden on other traffic less able
TO stand it. The conclusion Is unavo;da
! BILE that we are. or soon will be, confront
ed with transportation trust. and wholly
without adequate means of protection.
! AS an excuse for the recent general ad
vance in rates the railroads assert that
| times are prosperous and that they should
| receive their share of the prosperity II
am not mistaken, they have been enjoy
| ing a goodly share of the prosperity under
| the old rates and on increased traffic.
However, it might not be such a bad plan