The Ocala banner., 1906-03-30
Mr.. BROWNE AND THE RAILROAD
COMMISSION.

iNOAAhhAS OA SAAO oo~hSOANhAC Jun W
demonstrate that the railroad commits
sion Of Florida has been a benefit to
the people Of the state to the amount
Of many hundred thousand dollars a
year in saving on freight and pas
senger rates; shows what the rate is
now and what it was before the COM
mission was established, and says that
whatever reduction had been made
was for the benefit of all and has done
away, so far as it is possible, with
making large shippers a favored class
for rebates.-Ocala Evening Star.
So we are told that taxes in Flor
ida have been reduced. When Gov
ernor Drew assumed the gubernator-
ial duties his partisans claimed that
his first act was to lower taxes one
half The partisans Of Governor
Bloxham, no less than the partisans
VI OONCAhCA DAO"B NAoAAhC4 NhAS AO
also largely reduced the rate of tax
alton. The partisans Of Governor
Perry, Governor Fleming, and Cover
nor Mitchell put forth the same claim
for these distinguished officials. The
partisans of Governor Jennings put
forth the claim that he did more than
all the others along these lines, and
now come the partisans of Governor
Broward and are covering him over
with flowers for his successful efforts
in the same direction.
Notwithstanding the fact that a
million dollars was paid into the state
treasury by the sale of lands to Mr.
Hamilton Disston; that large amount
of money was obtained from the Unit
ed States government in settlement of
the Indian war claims fund, and that
We now obtain a large amount Of
money from the hire OF the state and
county convicts, and a large number
of rich capitalists have come into the
state to help share our tax burdens
with US, we have yet to see a single
tax payer who says that his taxes
have been lowered.
Paradoxical as it may appear, the
partisans of the governors that we
have named, actually prove by the fig
ures that taxes have been reduced yet
the tax payer comes along with an
exhibition of his receipts from year
% year and show that on identically
the same piece of property, instead of
being reduced his taxes have actually
been increased.
| What boots it to this man if the of
ficers at Tallahassee prove from the
| figures that taxes have been reduced
if his tax receipts fail to show it?
What matters it to the shippers if
Mr.. Commissioner Browne shows from
the figures that freights have been re-
duced if the shippers daily receipts
show to the contrary?
1t does seem that If. as Mr.. Commits
sioner Browne says, there has been a
reduction on nearly all classes of
freight that some shipper would have
realized this fact, but we have been
and have failed to find a shipper who
is cognizant of the fact that he has
been the recipient of the favors mar
rated SO beautifully in Mr.. Commits
sioner Brownies table Of figures.
Mr.. Commissioner Browne admits
that the commission is powerless to
lower rates on fruits and vegetables,
as these shipments are interstate, or
that the commission can give the in
terror cities any relief from unequal
freight rates, as compared with the
seaport cities, because the courts have.
with great uniformity, held that rates
made by the railroads to meet water
competition" are not "unjustly dis
eliminating" Then of what benefit is
the commission to the whole scope of
COuHlTy SlISlCIlIuS lEOIII TeuSdCOld 10
Cape Sable?
Except on outgoing freights, prin-
cipally fruit and vegetables, the COM
plant is not so much against high"
freight as against unequal freights.
Here's the rub.
What we want is to be put on an
equal footing. That's all. The inter
ior country, embracing all the terri
tory from the Atlantic 10 the Pacific
oceans and from the great lakes to
the gulf, cannot forever pay tribute
to the seaport cities, and if. as Mr..
Commissioner Browne says, that the
courts are in the way, then We must
change the courts. We must arouse a
sentiment that will do this.
Mr.. Commissioner Browne, as an ex-
cuse for the commissions existence,
points TO the fact that passenger fares
were reduced from four cents to three
cents, but some of the railroads in
the state took the iniatiVe in this mat