The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-12-20
HOUSTON RECOMMENDATIONS.

y.
The following is the text Of the paper
filed by the Houston committee with the
railroad commission this morning in ap-
proval Of the proposed readjustment Of
class rates.
To the Railroad Commission OF Texas, Hon
John n. Reagan, Chairman.
We. the undersigned committee, author
lzed 10 represent the mercantile and manu-
featuring interests OF Houston before you,
upon your hearing to consider the matter
OF tarin of class rates to Apply on sup
ments of merchandise not embraced In
commodity tariffs,
The said interests heartily support and
approve the proposed schedule OF rates. and
careful consideration by them OF said
rates fails TO disclose any objection that
point OF view which we anticipate they
would raise against any reduction what
ever Of any rate in Texas.
We desire to submit to the commission
| some OF the reasons which we deem II
! vital Importance rs WaTrantlng an adop-
! ton Of the proposed rates al this time
I the primary objects Of the railroad com
| mission VIZ. The maintenance Of fixed and
| stable freight rates In Texas has been
| achieved, aud that one of the results ot
! this stability In rates Is shown by the
! large increase In the revenue OF Texas rail
| roads. We deem II unnecessary to present
! arguments In support of this statement
| other than to refer to the annual report of
| the railroad commission for 1901 see table
! No. %, page 23o), showing the increase in
| tonnage and earnings Of the railroads for
| the period embraced from the years 1891
and 1901, Inclusive under the railroad COM
! missions rates.
The showing therein of Increased reye.
nue. TO Texas railroads certainly warrants
! the reduction proposed at this time It
| being understood that with continued
| maintenance OF stable rates fair and equitn-
| BILE reductions could he made without Sc
rlouS detrlmcnt TO the railroad interests OF
| the state.
! Nhatovor arou,ocrt .h.ro ,,,o,- a., ,bo.
| the producer does not pay the freight, the
| fact Is undcniahle that the consumer does
pay the freight. and the proposed rates
! will result in direct benefit to the con-
| Sumers, and this benefit to them will he a
large factor in the announcement OF i'm
migration and increase Of population,
thereby stu farther increasing the rcve-
nueS Of the railroads as well as beuehtiug
the consumers at large who are entitled
to cheaper transportation.
j. We wish to he understood as dis
tinctly In favor OF and advocating In the
| strongest terms Texas rates and Texas
rate basis for Texas people.
The rates on cotton and other commodi-
ties produced in this State are based upon
the natural routes by her gulf outlets and
We believe that Texas consumers are en-,
titled to rates based on the same gulf
| gatewayS on inbound freight rates
A. We do not think II necessary or ex-
pedient at this time to place before you
| n detailed statement Of differences going
10 show the serious disadvantages which
our johhlnE and manufacturing interests
nave 10 contend with IN doing business In
Texas 10 Texas points under the present
rates as against the rates enjoyed by
st, Louis and other outside johhng cen
ters hut we have made n comparison OF
the rates on n few articles which show
consluSivcly the advantages in rates from
st. Louis as a distributing point to Texas
under the present tariffs also showing a
comparison Of same as against the proposed
rates and the increased territory which
Texas iOhhers can reach under them While
the proposed rates do not place the Texas
lobhers on a parity with the st. Louis lob,
bers, they afford some relief and will en-,
able the Texas jObhers 10 more success.
fully compete in larger area OF territory
than heretofore.
>. We wish 20 emphasize the fact that
this reduction in rates win accrue TO the
benedt Of tho Texas consumer Not one
cent Of the reduction goes TO any increase
In profit 10 the Texas johhers or manu-
facturers; the benefit 10 them Hes solely
In the Increased amount OF business they
can reach out for and compete for against
outside 1obbing centers
So far as the jOhblng points within the
state are concerned under the proposed
rates, they stand on an equal footing, and
We think should be mutt In favor of the
proposed tarih
We respectfully submit the above to-
gether with the comparisons made. and
say again, In conclusion, that we are most
heartily in favor OF the rates proposed hy
you. and earnestly recommend that they
be adopted and that the dinerentials which
the proposed rates viii make against ont
Sdo jobbing and distributing points be
maintained.