The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-05-25

y.
lines and the communities thev servc viii
he brought closely together In a very short
Tine ana he promoted to very much
greoter extent than II has been possible IN
the past because each officer under the nre.
Nious organizations has had as Much M no
could DO In his own particular depnrtment
with no one to look out for the general wei,
1t seems to me that instead Of blocking
or embarrassing the proper aud elTicIenf
management Of these properties tho au
lhent In the work they have I'm hand md Ito
EFFORTS to economize in expenses and M the
same time develop the localities which they
serve
UNION or HOUSTON
h hElG1lT STATIONS
1t has been suggested that the union OF
the freight stations at Houston is evidence
that these lines are under a common man.
ngement and control. That union was pre-
ciptated by the collapse and destruction
some months ago of the Houston aud Texas
Central station, but no matter what may
he the cause what is the objection to IL?
How is 1t that the international and Great
Northern, the Missouri, Kansas and Texas
and the Galveston. Houston and Hendcr.
son may have Joint yards Joint frelnbt SIN
tions and joint agents at Galveston, while
the Southern Pacific lines may not have tie
same in HouStonY Why is one legal and tho
other, Illegal Why can all the lines
entering Galveston have II ioint passenger
station, Joint ticket agent, Joint baggage
agents, etc, while the Southern Pacific
lines may not have the same at Houston?
VIII the interest of thu public he suhscrved
ny having the ngent Of each llne In q sep
arate person and In separate locality more
than by having a single agent at one pince
accessible 70 all: IT, as We know TO be the
case, the convenience and wishes Of tho
patrons Of the road are promoted nv the
arrangement II ought not to he intcrfcred
with unless clearly Illegal and no one will
contend for a moment that there is any
Illegally In the arrangement IN question
The Texas and Pacific the Missouri Kau
sas and Texas, the Rock Island, the Cotton
Belt tho Denver road, the Fort Worth and
Rio Grande have d common station in Fort
Worth. Some Of them have common yards
and terminals. The same condition exists
TO greater or less degree at nearly every
junction point IN the State. and no one has
contendcd for n moment that IL is any cvi-
| donce that the lines concerned are under
common control or management, or that
there Is anything Illegal In tho situation,
On tho contrary. every one recognizes that
such arrangements are greatly 10 the inter
est and convenience of the public. Then
why should these lines be singled ont for
attack
The work OF the little shops n the iIous
ton East and West Texas Mt Houston was
transferred to the Southern Pacific shops
because it was found that in the immense
plant CT the latter with tic vast facilities
the work could he done cheaper at the lat
ter than Mt the former. Not man tn tho
Houston East and West Texas was thrown
ont Of employment by the change. but on
the contrary, they went to the Southern
| Pacific shops. Instead NJ complaint the
| change brought only rejoicing Who're IS
any law in this or any other state which
! prohibits railroad company from having
It's shop work done where II can be done
! cheapest. or from maintaining shops which
| It does not need? All the public and the
| State are Interested in is in having rail-
! wit n
| adequate supply of rolling stock and to
/ keep the same In proper condition. Where
| and how they do this Is not matter Of
! any concern.
There are and have been for years ibnt
shops Of other lines at Galveston. at Fort
| Worth. at TeXarkuna and perhaps at nth"r
points Why may other lines do ,hG So
MED that privilege?
The old IIutChlns house site Iu Houston
has been recently purchased by these IN H.,
nre going 10 erect general office building
thereon that Will cost in all probability
over 100000 more. Is that what provoKed
Rad bTqR s pa9s NE o! peopc
ioiced upon learning that these companies
We're to make such large investment In
this State and do so much toward lmpr1F,
ing and adding IN the taxable values OF
the town where their headquarters nre To-
Gated. As 1t Is. their general offices nre
scattered throughout the city Of HonSiun
commodatlons are inadequate as well ms IN
comfortable. VIII the public Interest he
subserved more by continuing this roNnl
tion or ny having all the general Of yes
brought together In modern office hulh
ing located in the heart ~ the city con
venient to access for al having business
with any NJ the compnniesl There Is Ger
tainly nothing in the law 70 prohibit thcst
companies from making this Improvement
and II is difficult TO perceive why any one
should object instead Of applaud then
for It,
CONTROLLED ny BOARDS
OF DIRECTORS
The truth is. as I said at the outset, tha
am at a loss to understand the reason o.
ground for this proposition. Each NJ thes'
companies maintains a complete organiEh
ton. There is no company In the Stat'
that complies more fully and strictly VIII
the general office law than each Of thes
companies. All their records are kept II
the state, and the records In each 0fhc
are complete. No member Of this colnihls
sion will dispute this for a moment pthe
lines have common officers and why, shoul
not these be allowed the same PrlAllVBy
In ordinary private business enterprises !
is as every one knows, quite colnmon ~
the same individual 10 be an othcer OF ~
eral different companies sometimes ~
, same individual Is director or a pfeaIueH
or a vice president OF halI Dom ~" ~
.N.AH
town. and Il Is true in great many otheF'
, No man Is confined exclusively ia one co
poralion or business III he has the ehei I
and ability and the means 10 engage
several why should he not be allowed
40 so? Bankers are frequently otheers
various other enterprises, and 80 II y W.
every class of business. IL has never ny
suggested in any such case, so lar us
know, that such different corporations ~
under the came management A conln'
Z president or vice president or olhel
I fcer does not at all make common ma
Z agement or control. The management
every corporation Is vested In us boafu
directors. This is particularly true el ~,
( road corporations. Article 1885, heNlss
( statutes reads as follows: .,
"All The corporate powers or every ~
road corporation shall be vested IN anu
exercised by, Its legally constituted poD'
Each OF these, corporations has legal
Z constituted board OF directors, Iney a.
( vested by law with the management vi y
4 corporate property, and may select ~,
officers and agents and give thein hh'
power respecting the appointment am w.
troll OF subordnates rs they deem P.p
The directors are elected only az. requ..a
8 by law, and no corporation IN tue, ~.
x complies more strictly With the law " n
81 erence to their annual meetings CIV,
s. Of directors and officers, etc. than ihe
y companies. 60,
X But IL has been suggested that the SOU
j ern Pacific company owns the STOCK
y these corporations. and that the oWnstfl
" 80 rnanagpmoQf ana SO