The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-12-21
THr AFTrRNOoN SESSION.

At the afternoon session General Freight
Agent Turner Of the International and
Great Northern opposed the proposed re
duction in merchandise rates on the ground
that the time for making 1t is luoppor-
tune. as 1t Is evident that there is big
shortage in the cotton crop ana pros
pectlye shortage OF revenue Is reducing
tonnage i'll othur directions for the cur
rent year, lie asSer ed, furthermore, that
every cent of surplus earned by his line
Ia being Invested in new steel rails and
additional equipment and that it Is not ac.
cumulatIng large balances at the expense
OF Its patrons
san Antonio aud Arkansas Pass asserted
that the proposed reduction meant loss
Of revenue which his road could not stand
ana that It would henent neither the Texas
JoDbcr nor the Texas consumer.
j, Farley, manager Of the Dallas freight
bureau, declared that this Is not queS'
ton of shutting out the outsider, but mat
1t was question of keeping from being
smut out 10y the outsider, IaRe candy, Iot
Instance, ne said The commission had
recently made n rate for the benefit Of
Texas candy manufacturers, yet Their
Shreveport competitor Is onerlng to sell
them candy for less thnn they can diStFl-
butte IT, And so 1t went all along down
the line Taking up the question of rail,
road earnings, he quoted nGures to snow
that they were phenomenal aud that this
was keeping up to such an extent that mo
tive power was lacking TO move IT, Inc
proposed reduction. he said, was not great.
or than should he onset by the Increase OF
Uathc and aggregate revenue. In con
cluslon he submitted that distributing rates
are lower in other states than In Texas,
while the difference between class rates in
effect with the former Is greater tnan
those carried 10y the proposed tarlu under
Judge Terry, general attorney for the
santa Fo, said that after years of hard
STRUGGLING his road had struck year in
which 1t had earned enough TO show a
slight surplus and that he seriously object
ed to Il being deprived Of It's receipts dur
ing prosperity for the benefit OF few
DALLAS iobbers who refused 10 disclose the
measure Of their earnings and prohts lie
seriously doubted that there would be more
money for the Texas lines in having tao
most OF their less than carload business
originate I'm Texas, as the double handling
required TO such a condition would more
than Offset the possible ADDITIONS to rcye.
nue. II might result In. Therefore, he did
not know of any one, Uu- few tobhers
calling for the proposed reduction who II
II was made. would in short time he
calling for protection against Interstate
reductions TINS must surely follow and
which the Texas roads could not prevent
lie thought that the common point sy5-
TEN. TO a greater or less extent. perpet
uated by the railroad commission mltlgatcd
against the building up OF large iobbing
houses or large manufacturers in Texas,
Concentrated al few points the iobhers' aud
manufacturers interests OF the State would
make q good showing and the railroads
could probably afford to make concessions
for thei benefit. In his opinion. Hous on
and Galveston were the only logical Ioo-
hlng points In the state; however II was
an open question whether II was better
TO concentrate business and population in
few large cities OF distributes them
throughout the country In conclusion. he
denied that as a rule the divisions earned
on Interstate business by the State lines
are less than they would earn In the same
BUSINESS when II originated within the
State. Furthermore, II was subject 10
demonstration, he said that fuel, labor
aud other elements OF expense in the opera
lon Of railroads cost more ia Texas than
In the States quc<ed as carrying lower
rates than Texas. II was the lack OF lib,
eral home patronage instead of the alleged
high freight rate, he thought, that inter
fered with the development OF Texas manu-.
lacturing enterprises.
Judge Spoonts general attorney for the
Fort Worth and Denver company, entered
a protest against the proposed reduction.
40 his view the spread Of the jobbing
b0sineu 10 most Of the county seats of the
state was conclusive that the Texas fob.
Ders are In prosperous condition and not
In need OF protection, The Inability TO
compete at long distances with the outside
come by the establishing OF distributing
agencies at different points. To attempt
to establish condition that would ex-
cMde the outside jOhber from Texas would
be 20 attempt TO destroy Interstate COM
meree and TO come in conflict with the
Federal constitution.
President Trumbull Of the Texas uarl. |
ware Jobbers association, offered a.. an
in fayer OF the proposed rcdlc- |