The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-02-22

,urers and other shippers to produce a
cphultlon OF things which win cause each
W., ~ thrm TO fear that his nelEhtcr Is got
,hg the advantage Of him In rates, and
then cause him TO make dishonest bids
LOT unlawful rates. aud to produce n con
utloh or general confusion and uncertain
~ W commercial matters and a condition
VI Reneral Generalization among business
men Ihese have been the bitter fruits
" competition between railroads wherever
!, mas existed, and this view Is sustained
Y uli VINO nave experienced its effects
II Is strange then that the legislature o.
neNas Shouts by our laws repndiate the
a aany OF competition, and should have
uuopteu In Its stead system of rates lust
equal and uniform to all persons and
places; by providing that the railroad
commission shall make, regulate and main.
MA lust freight rates equal to all people
,, General e Crane says such a system of
iust ana equal rates lis repulsive to
republican form of government" and he
reilroads on the same grounds as the right
OF, private parties to contract with each
Mher. If he had given his usual thought
anu study TO this question he would have
known that all Intelligent writer's on this
SUBJECT, and all courts treat railroads as
common carriers, owing a duty to the pab-
n nc, ana morally hound to equal service
ana equal justice TO all, with no more right
W discriminate between their patrons
imam miller, ferryman or a hack driver.
he may say. and may say truly, that
ANt HtNhil tulSs dUfl can nDi sup
pose that he does But he uses this
language, viz "A refusal to pass this law
VIII prevent the cities and towns
of Texas from deriving a henehi from com.
petition, would be most hurtful to all of
cur interests and unjust to the cities and
ioWils involved. Ii will be practically say
hig TO the towns and cities Of Texas that
huNt put up so much money tn secure com.
retlne lines of railroads that they shall
nave none of the benefits of this competi-
ZION Tor which they have so dearly paid,
except III the matter of interstate freight. -
u ne does not mean that freight rates
should he influenced by the wealth and
power OF the greater cities of the State.
ana should influence freight rate. and
give them an advantage over places OF
less wealth and power what docs he
mean Whatever he may mean, II the
nollcy he advocates should prevail. and
rot be n doubt but that 1t will he fol
lowed by the evils ! have pointed out,
! DO not hesitate to express the belief
would be followed by little less than a
calamity TO Texas. | regard II as the
most vicious measure which has been
brought before the legislature since the
time Of the Davis administration Its pas
sage Is urged by some as means Of re,
uuelhg freight rates. The commission has
reduced freight rates 10 about as low a
no'nt MS they could ut present be reduced
the volume Of business considered and
leave TO the railroads a proper remunera-
ton Tor any service they render the pub
This bill and the argument of General
frame, and his direct expression, consti.
tutc an elaborate attacs on the railroad
commission law. He saws that "Thc rail
road commission law seems TO have been
passed for the purpose of destroying com
petition between railroads." The commits
sion law and its administration has saved
70 the people of Texas many, many mil.
lions of dollars, and has projected the
people and different localities against ex-
ccssiVe eXactions and unjust dscrimna-
tons of more value to them than the
money saved. And General Crane in his
position and In the performance OF his
duties as attorney general was in posi-
tion to know this and does know It. Aud
II Is to he regretted that he is now al.
lowing his great abilities and high char
acter 10 he used by few men. who have
constantly made war on the commission.
because they could not use 1t, for the pur-
pose of securing to single city and its
people commercial advantages, In violation
OF the law. over other places and people.
My respect for the late attorney gen
eral makes II unpleasant to me to combat
his views but think my duty to the
public requires this much of me
John ii. Reagan.