The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-02-22
DEN0UNCING A MONOPOLY
Citizens Of Houston Consider Present
PiIotage Laws Class Legislation.
HONEST COMPETITION IS IMPOSSIBLE
Under law that Empowers Pilots As
ISOLATION to Determine Who Shall
Apply for License.

arc becoming very much interested IN the
efforts Of Representative Grlggs to break
up tho Galveston pilot monopoly, and Give
free expression TO their hearty copncra-
tlon aud Endorsement of their legislative
representative.
Representative Griggs has commenced an
earnest aght oh the monopoly, aud mas is
sued a pamphlct, WHICH, among many other
things, exposing class legislation rclatlge
10 II, says;
Article 1902. REVISED Sututcs, provides
that no person can ever be or become a
pilot In Galveston bny until he has served
u term not more than one year as u dep
uty pilot under one Of the twelve pilots
belonging 10 the 'rilpts association at
Galvt stun
That association has in It's power uu
der The present law ia prevent ans man
no matter how efficient, from ever follow
Ing tue uNocation of piut In Galveston hay
anu 1t has SHOWN ~ actual denlonsli,t.
Ton NOW last ana tight II grip il has uA
the situation ny preventing irttersun ul
sen hnu II score % olhcrS FROM Following
ihe Nocaiion OF lHioi for twcnt3 .n,e
cars. - ths MONOPOLY llns a 1rcC
Anleticitn cithcn The rlgnt to cant his lis
ing 10y me sweat of ms throw uudur inis
law. II not. are you willing to pcrpciuttc
the law as It now IS. and thereby pcrpctu
ate the Galveston pilot monopoly
In reference ~ TIC probable effect uf
INC monopoly an lloustons aud limits
conntys shipping interests the pamphlet
CuntaiuS the ioluWing
he Federal government las alrcddy,ap
propriatod n barge stun of money for ma
mas begun actual work ON the cuustiuc-
non OF a deep channel FROM The jcttirs at
Galveston TO Morgan Point aud Honstun
~ Harris county that ships of commerce
may come fifty miles closer 10 the unrkrts
~ Texas. Every ship viii nave 60 cross
the Galveston har over which the Pilots
association has supreme control. This as
hociatiun might not harass Hud Interfere
with the successful voyage toward ltuus-
ton. hut II 1t IN capable Of preventing live
or SIX o. the host citizens of Galveston
from following thoir chosuu profession Tor
twenty five or thrlN yrnrs II Is .alc to
ASSUME that what II would dc 10 Harris
couniyS prospects would hr plenty.
his lazy stands as menace in me
Vert rae" Of the prospect, of the shipping
Interests IN Harris county. rs well ~ th,
states commerce through thr gates OF
Harris county. 80 one run hc injured ny
tne change In tho law proposed IN house
bill No l0T, which seeks TO repeal Tint
rNrt OF the law plNCipg IL Ia the power al
those twelve pilots ia say who SNAIL ar
who shall not become pilot THIS will
give rise 10 conpcttlon. and, besides, the
governor of The Stutr can then soc after
the interest Of Harris county and State ot
Texas relatiNc Ia commerce seeking passuJe
over Galveston bar
"A fair honest consideration of thls
matter ~ the hands Of the legislature Is
demanded 10y the citizens OF both ojnlvcs-
tou and Houston as wen Of the state #
Texas. II !. he galveston rilots' asso.
citation vs. The stat Of Texas
\ representative OF The Post called on
numhuI df business men and ctizcus Of
llogston Yesterday for the purpose OF get
mug expressions FROM them IN the prem
iscs
lion, Presley *. Ewing said:
! may promise that am mialtcrably
opposed TO legislation which boStoWs upOu
- favored few special privileges and nd,
VHntHgcs that ought of right 10 hr wilhn
the grasp of ihe many. Gs violHtiyc OF
fundamental principles of n democratic
government. Such legislation, auurt froiu
som" emergency for rlr Immediate p,,l,.
lie welfare. onght never 10 he tolerated Yea
udlum IS the same. though its pernirior4
Effects may he different In degree whether
applied 70 the money monopoly that nos
curses the country. OF To the spollatinc
tariff, or 10 the proposed ship subsidy Htra,.
or whcther applied TO the pots of Gp'-
weston. In my judgment the only srfc
rule Of legislation ohcdicnt to the spirit
of the Declaration of Independence. *
equality of right ana burden II follows
from these Views that the statutes In uucs.
tion rs 10 ptoiNgc are In my opinion,
FUNDAMENTALS WRONG and vicious as on.
nhllng the brunch pilots. fortunate few.
60 mounnolizc tho business, hv refusing to
others however worthy and competent the
opportunity ia quality; that Is, hv denying
10 them the requisite probationary seryrc
Rs deputy. WHY should u praCtical mo-
nonoly such Us this bc foStcfcd by dcn,o
cratic legislation? What public Interest
Ia, ,rinctnin ~ o,na,tt, ~ III, -, ~
DEM
Hon. charles Y. Ashc Judge Of tho
Eleventh inaicinl 1istrlct GAIA
at seems 10 me that tho stat,tc vol,
tive to pilot regulations WAS nurposcl, ~.
ranged 10 create a mouonol, for ,haso
twelve pilots al Galveston II Il ohsoIn,o
IN preposterous ia ,.,,piro a ,.,,,,,,,',,'.,,
NM :, s,,.,,, u, w., ,"i"pN,V"N
L" cl,Siti " plpnufiuhqrN period before
n, nItot ,,,,,,, !" trNnnl'haIon by ne hoard
ot;hn,, = V"',issi'lnls, Nhai can ne ihr
in ~, t,Sn - i,,"SIIS'on Nneh tne pilot
hiE. ro,n,ctnr, q" rN"H ,, 10 ueirrmln"
lilo thn nnr,rs '", Wy ~ 'l'atN iooIS
100, Nip pnrpmSf o. NE s!aintr was To
III IA n,,i, ~ io' luN nAINesionlans
"a Won. ,,r,,n, i ~ ~ '"frc,teu y vs. liable
iptnrests nhn, 'u nv W. tions'Nh shipping
wster II iym,id su1,, nlNc svcnred deep
Galveston Pilots nssociation 10 TolI u it ny
TON bound ocean going vessels outside IN.
I'm. ~ Iasesa"n Yer any length Of time.
and ccnsirnees nrobahiv ami 1'' Snal,nHts
the hoats to such extent that they would
heV sr Sun sh lor ne Houston port Agniu
suit their own c"nvcnrnae 'r P r,,.ar may ~
bringing boats across The har ana il can
lr fcNuliN seen what II would mean for