The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-12-05
4 THE STATE CAPITAL.
~. 4 a Fight on the Railway
p' Commission
val Be MADE BY NOIRtcTION
!. n. spsakership Contest Show
Gains y .,,body's Figures Are Wrong
hit ES Nj Atmosphere Of Austin.



- Deeember 4--(stafr Spe
A''a ~, beiIevo a necessity exists IN IeNas
~ .,,lroad commission, and that 1t IS
~ tne 80. good for the people OF the
filns go - ,s organized on wrong lines
shie' wv .a.tures of 1t should be changed
- ~ n'r ns,t legislature"
*fy IDs ,.,t was made by one Of a trio
lIs .,smen in the rotunda OF the capitoI
y ssu ,ast nil Of whom upon inquiry were
" y he business men from Northern
fne .,,nses in the organization OF
Al NN4' ,ss,on and the law creating 1t
R .Vl' 4'. s,,,eestY' asked The Post CORE
tous .1t without disclosing his profession
Isn,,,v. or revealing his purpose In
..,nr fot this information
y s' rsup another member Of the trio re-
81 .,o think the law should be changed
sltu' clve the commission less power
Plainly, one of the two things
Ia he done. The power OF the com
'..,o, 10 control railroads should be abso'
~ else the extent of its authority cir
'a ~. conversation at this point unfortu'
..dv was interrupted, and these gentle
n ~. loft town IN a little while and hence
1,,s was no opportunity to renew it.
rnsprh however, was said, and the
II ,-s,ts contained degree Of mysterious
4 ~s,nng. and It may be said in sincerity
s,, nut The Post correspondent to think
Bg
WV were these business men from an
Fl ,,ssr state 50 sollctous about the commits
,,o and what did they really mean b!
n sewing the commission should have NOR
I ,n,borIty or less2 The law creating th
commission appears to confer on it ampI
,,borlty TO regulate and control thes
,,,asnortstion companies. For instance,
n ays: -.-.-.
n ,ss n shall be its duty, to fairly and just
A d,ssfy and subdiyide all freight and proI
Al I'M Of whatsoever character That may b
,tsnsported over the railroads OF tni
ii sI6e commission shall have power an
81 n shsl be It's duty TO tx TO each class q
N subdivision of freight a reasonable rate fC
M each railroad, etc.
M 'Tbe said commission may fix dinerer
n Management etc.
Ri The said commission shall have powC
NJ and It shall be its duty TO fix and estahlls
I'll for all or any connecting lines Of railroad
"a Ia this State reasonable Joint rates
N freight charges" etc.
The commission may adopt and ontor'
such rules, regulations and modes OF pr
ctdue as 1t may see proper to hear an
determine complaints" etc.
~
ID These extracts from the laws conferrn
& lathority on the commission to contr
md regulate railroads might be eNtend'
almost indefinitely. They are not quote
because they are not known TO the We
Informed business man, or for the reasC
IL that It will be news 10 the masses at Il
Ri people, but simply to show the commissi,
has ample power under the law TO conrr
NJ railroad companies, and TO show that the
IA nay be sinister purpose actuating me
III from elsewhere to come to the next Leg
M hiuTe with the remarkable proposition
III give the commission more power or less
III Reading between the lines it is clear IN
tas trio OF business men represented
EXAMINATION Of enemies to the commissi
a outside Of Texas, and would train tho
Ia guns 50 as 70 assault It by circumloCut
and lndirection.
Their proposition would be from the POI
uon Of friendliness TO the commission.
must have more power The real frlen
~ would reject this, because consult
be law they hnd It has power already
90 anything except to sit as court a
a ifg me roads in cases where damages a
sssed for manning people, or destroyi
VIZ Having failed in this first sure
q ulous and insincere effort TO cripple t
commission, II not kill II, they win
Leat fall back under cover OF an embaI
uent from which they will attempt to
Nmplsh their purpose in a different W;
Tive the commission less power. the T;
"a Iosas VIII be more submissive. resist
"A ssglng and decisions less in the cour
nate and Federal. and 1t will accompl
isi more good for the country and people
"a is believed that this trio formed
saysnce guard Of powerful outside org
nauoa OF anti.commisslon men, who v
lp lohby TO Austin during tae next s
sgl OF the legislature in January, in
ss 'e friends, and entirely from
snhup0lnt or friendship 10 accomplish q
snSompass the destruction and death of
M TBroad commission Of Texas.
81 pusihess men, as n rule, confne their
IA asrqIV.h 70 thelr own aftaiis, and when ii
III Im.te from this rule, leave their o
# Angicks. cross State lines and seek
Fl Gntrol or influence the action of the
II stuVe department Of the governme
eeli schemes should be very Garrett
a M,5LguhiEed and considered before they
ri svpled, or their wishes deferred to NJ
III AZ measure, important or unimportant,
wy welfare II the State.
~
mere are no new developments In
"a'sst for the speakershlp OF the liver
ri ughth legislature.
q AL the issues in this interesting r
IA IN TO have developed months ago,
ven mas counted noses and claims to h
oncn on seyenty-two votes, which is
1Is han Is necessary to elect him.
Ri ,oputers friends around the capital eli
# tNea castiron obligations and uubrt
sent promises from screnty-eight rel
~ ,ssuatNes, which Is twelve more than
~ seass needs TO seat him comfortably In
n Tlkers chair.
ID MAJ, only necessary To resort TO a II
"a ds,h9tics TO show that one OF these
81 49, Is wrong There VIII he Just
"a hse y the house Of repres natives.
"a ssns te no other entries IN the race,
ScSi,gi the vote east for Mr.. Nem and
bu,fr ought to he 100. the whole II
to,.% votes TO be polled. But seventy-
RI II, t0r Mr.. Neff and seventy-eight
"a esbteSSuu 'nter would make $50 votes
~ more than the total vote with 1
ri VI me eandidatls, theref re, is
"a .s-lar-s-sH u,-urs-sup...,--yv.wE4,wr-