The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1907-05-04
MEASURE Is DRASTIC
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r rom asts st+~riyf WI 5sfFi fstfssszsfsss
Austin, Nav STae bin before
the special session of the shifsi.th
Legislature 10 compel the railroads to
reduce their passenger fare Ia two
cents per mile IL the mass, drastic
and nnsotunase legislation probably
ever proposed In Texas since bih
was introduced into the sixteenth
legislature to prohibit the Use of
wire fences. Wire fences and rail-
roads have done NOR. for tn. dcyel-
opmsnt III Texas than aii other agsn-
eias combined. and in future years
our people will look with sg'untsh
ment on legislation that was prupos
ed to cripple aud tatard these two
forces OF great public necessity
When one takes state ~tde-Yie~
when he recalls that west OF the
ninety-ninth meridian of longitude In
our state there ~ hundred aud
twenty-five million OF acres undssei-
oped and only one mile Of railroad
To hundred square miles of land,
he can hardly imagine why railroad
conditions In Texas shonld he com
pared with those In other states
where the population per square mile
and per mile of railroad is SO much
greater. Texas has only one-tourth
of the railroad mileage per square
mile that Missouri has and much less
than Arkansas. TO pass such laws as
that compelling IA two-cent fare
would retard the development OF the
state in its entirety as much AS If
the law advocated by many oppon-
ents of progress thirty years ago had
been passed TO prohibit wire fences
viii Only Benefit Foreign business.
The reduction In fare will mostly
benefit foreign business concerns
that send thousands of drummers
here to get Texas business. This class
OF travel will secure nearly fifty
five per cent of the reduction in fare.
The foreign concerns are not in
terested in Texas, they pay no taxes
here. whether the state adopts wise
legislation or not does not concern
them as much as the chance to do
business at a less expense.
On the other hand, Texas mer-
chants are DESTROYS that legislation |
be wise and prudent and that the |
transportation companies be dealt |
with fairly and none of them or their /
are demanding a |
two-cent fare bill. At this time we are |
so much in need of more railroad ia !
ciiities and more material wealth to |,
pay taxes to support the government |
we should be careful not to cripple |
our railroads when the only real |;
| benefit Will be to foreign competitors
of Texas merchants and tax payers
If the radical cut is made in regu-
lar fares the railroads will be COM
PEELED, as they have III other states,
TO discontinue the reduced excursion
rates which are now made for every
fair convention. association. public
meeting, for all the holidays and for
| every other occasion where a bene-
fetal or public purpose is in view
! These low rates, which range from
/ a half cent to two cents per mile, are
| the most potent factors in Jhe success
of every public enterprise They are
made as low as possible to aid in
! the social, educational and material
/ progress Of Texas The railroads give
more aid and encouragement 10 pub
! lie enterprises than other business
Interests. all of which share in the
result of the advancement of public
interests
Why should their revenues be CON
fiscated and they be compelled to
discontinue to aid i'm those public en-
terprises so important to a compare
! lively new and undeveloped state?
\ large majority of our people
travel only at those times when
there are conventions of their church
es. frateynities. meetings 10 advance
education or agriculture to fairs and
, cxpositions and on the holidays. and
all of them secure less than two.
cent rate. should they be made "a
, pay more. that the man who profits
] who makes money by travelling
, should have lower rate
VIII Cut the Employment of Labor
The passage of such law viii
meau am eva of rieid economy vil
, mean Jess employ mepJ and hardship.
ou tine aborins men and u Limitation
, of bol. purChasiue power. end as ai
/. evidence uf this fag note that eyvr'
railway labor organization iu TeNa
a is upposiup f Hud apps1IIuI io ttct
fellow luf,u ro usu their Influence
i. aeriu.f o.
VIII Rcdur. Passenger tfatu ~.rttv
uUr.us fU, plF. two Ur1r uum
Dew af additional Ioeal p4@eusv
Iu hHtr u,.n Wn. IH s-,ie" %
Ts.. rruarii. oil. nr'u fhu lmmI