The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1905-04-11

resentatives of the Texas legislature
passed the Southern Pacific merger
bill. a bill authorizing the Southern
Pacific company to purchase a num-
Der of short lines in southwest Tex
as and consolidate the same with the
Galveston, Harrisburg and San An
tonic. The bill passed the house by
a vote of IS to SO, Mr. Alderdice of
this county voting for the bill and
Mr.. James being paired against it.
Under the title Annexation of Texas
to the Southern Pacific" the Lantern,
a monthly journal published at Dallas
| by e. q. Senter, deals with the pas
sage of this bin in the following man
ner:
The bill now goes To the senate,
and backed as 1t is by the most power
full influences and the most power
full lobby ever brought to bear upon
a Texas legislature, there is strong
probability that II will pass that body
and go TO the governor.
Thus endeth one chapter.
The beginning was at Houston in
August, last year. when a gentleman
whom Governor Hogg in a speech at
the state fair described as the chief
lobbyist of the Southern Pacific Com
pany for the last ten years was elect
ed chairman of the Democratic, State
executive committee"
| Gov. Hogg's statements had the
effect OF bringing out rejoinder
from Mr.. Andrews as to his connec-
ton with the Southern Pacific and
defending his right to prosecute the
demands of that company before the
Texas Legislature. In reply Gov.
Hogg maintained that it was the pur-
pose of this company TO seek the con-
sent of the legislature to the consoli
dalton OF several lines with its own,
taking in the old bonds OF the lines
purchased. thereby evading the com
mission law and the stock and bond
Law, and saddling upon the commerce
of the state several millions of dollars
OF fictitious Indebtedness which the
traffic of the state would be com
PEELED TO bear The Governor said
"One of the issues that the
Southern Pacific's attorneys and rep
resentatives discussed with members
of the last legislature. was the con
solidation of that roads system
which bears SIS 600 10 the mile OF
stocks and bonds. with another rail
way that has been construssed under
the stock and bond law, which had on
IL only $4,000 to the mile In other
words, the old road carried SIS 900
10 the mile of debts. and the new
road $4,000 10 the mile OF debts
To put the two together fastened ON
the new road the difference between
$4,000 and SIS, oa0 10 the mile
making $4,000 to the mile gain BIS
the Soushe~n Pacific without any adj
Vantage TO the public.
This is case in point. and Is ex'
actly what | am complaining of Some
OF these days the people viii also
complain OF this They will do 81
| when they find that in this way the
consolidation bills fasten upon the
new roads the fictitious debts Of the
old roads. which their traffic will
| have 70 pay through excessive rail-
/ way rates Any man must know that
q railway with only sl0.oa9 TO the
| mils of debt against il can make
money out Of a rate one~haif less than
| the rate which a company must Ob-
| tain that owes over five times that
amount. And right here | openly
charge that every act OF tbe legtsla-
| ture consolidating q new road with
an old one. since the stock aud bond
| law passed in 1893. placed upon The
new road more than double the tn
| debtedn-ss IL owed By this method
nearly all the 3 00u miles OF road.
with an average of abost s 5000 to
/ the mile, built under the new system.
/ have been absorbed By the S,ae0
miles with an average Of over $40
/ GOO 30 the mile, built under the old
| system. thus spreading out and fas-
tening on the public their vast fic-
/ titious Indebtedness about which We
have so long complained
Commenting on this the lantern
says;
The pending merger bill is no
new scheme OF the Southern Pacific
Patiently and persistentiy il has been
working on II for more than a decade
gradually widening rs sphere at ia
fluence, enlarging The number of its
political retainers. and the reach OF
its influence and power IN the poiitl-
cal affairs of The state In 1885 It
appeared before the state Legislature
with an symy Of veteran lobbyists.
asking tor a merser bill and after
its operations IN aud about the legls-
lature had created grave public scan
sile. Governor Culberaon sent pun.
gegw special message to the lagis-
iatnte In which he said
A foreign corporation thai has de-
hauched The state of California and
corrupily imperiied the rights and
liberties oi her people b. cOnaoiida-
ton at corporations aud otherwise.
has invaded this state for like puF-
puwes and is permitted ia operat.
here
THAT appeal fell upnn deaf ears
ia Legislature Witch had ALREADY
been introduced 10 ihe charming NJ
Holmes Cummings aud his assoel-
asen the merger bill ~as passed