The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-12-14

P"9HoHt7'i ldiSo VII Ant IalliOdus III
Texas
Texas Gift to Railroads.
All the railroad corporations, in
cluding the Texas and Pacific. with a
federal charter. accepted the condi-
tons Of the constitution even If they
had rights previously granted that
may hsNe been curtailed BY It. in orr
der to get the benefit of land grants
and other friendly aid and legsla-
ton Up to 1882, when the grant of
lands by the state TO railroads in the
amoaia OF sixteen sections or 1O.24O
acres 70 each mile constructed was
made. there had been G,009 miles
built, 2,A1S. OF more than nalf of the
total. were constructed in 1880 1881
and 1882, the last three years of the
land grant period Much Of this mile
age was cheaply, in1omcletely, shah
billy and improvidently britt In order
to get the lands granted by the state.
and had to be rebuilt In addition
to the lands granted by the state
cmovnting to approximately S5.O00.-
00C acres, an area nearly the size Of
the state of assachusetts Connecticut
Rhode Island and New Jersey com
bined, the state loaned large sums of
money to the roiectors Of the early
roads out OF her Subtle school fsnd.
some OF which was never paid back
with currency or coin ia kind
The Railroad Commission Law.
This statute was enacted in 1891.
alter the constitutional amendment of
1890 was declared adopted. aIthoqiz-
ing the legislature to regulate rates.
tolls and freight and passenger tariffs
through sgeh aeency as il might deem
adequate and advisable Prior to that
time thC legislature had contented
itself with enacting "a maximum rate
law limiting the amount that cocld
be charged per hundred pognds, and
had reduced the passenger rate from
to cents per mile, s the maximum
passenger rate charge. The commis-
sion as first org nized was appointed
by the goSS- +. but later the consti-
tation was amended so as to make the
commissioners term OF office six years
aud make them elective. The first
commission was appointed by Governor
HOgg. the real author OF the commits
sion law The first tlFiffs promll-
gated by the newly organized Texas
railroad commission were enioined by
AN order of Federal Judge Mccormick,
on suits brought by the tslstees OF
bond holders who we're re3lly acting
for the railroad companies themselves
or for thei controlling stockholders,
This was IN 1892 The state Appealed
the case on demurrer TO the supreme
oart of the United tates, and after a
| lapse of two years decision was rem
| dered by that tribunal upholding the
constituuonslity of the Texas commits
sion law, but shatiering the system OF
rates that had been promulgated by
the commission. Then followed the
adoption OF a system Of rates by the
! commission urCn /, higher basis than
| those eujoined rates that were ac-
cepptahle TO the railroad lawyers and
4 railroad managers Prior 20 the pass
! age of the commission law the prac'
tice had been to give rebates and
| special rates 70 fayorite shippers,
especially those at competitive points,
and the general effect OF the rates
after the litigation was TO establish
uniloTmity of rates and upon 4 level
AiNAUAAlAN 10 ANN AAtAA NNAAHf AiA W
which worked TO the advantage of the
c.rrice, and they soon became con
yerted from bitter enmity to the COM
mission to warm advocate sof IT,
Not Yet Fully Determined.
I have ever been staunch sup
porter and friend OF our commission
lew. fought to establish 1t in the
beginning and for lour years ! have
striyen 10 cmorces IL n its fun mean
ing. believing that the only PROPER and
safe course TO follow, best even for
the corporation owners who constant
ly cssau rs for 10. when I was elect
ioI a railroad commissioner i'm Texas.
aitl0ualI,I llailalod 1flfNoaid,lie a good
thing for the 81 ste to own line 81 It's
own from ed river 10 the ulf, set
Thought was nxed in my views TN
opposition TO government ownership.
And ] hope vet that the opportunity
now aiforded TO the Texas railroad
commission 10 prove the reasonable
ness OF a rate and establish a basis
which viii Furnish grounds for adiaer-
cnt doctrine than that contended for
hr me railroad lawyers in constituting
me opinion oi the eonrt In the Ne
hraska case of svnth against Ames.
And OKahoina can frame a constitu-
lion rnd law for The control Of this
Quesiiop ~ sill show that govern