The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1909-06-18
F0MMISSION
IS DEFENDED
[.,.,C. Dunn Answers Criticism
IS railroad Commissioners
MAT TIE RESULTS ARE
,,oortsot Reforms are in Operation
~ :. f,e;0ht and Passenger Rates Re-
d,red Through Their Hard Work

orower to articles criticizing the
a,o o Commission, Royal c. Dunn
Sw ,s the Tallahassee News as fol
'. ~ recent article criticizing the
~ Of the Railroad Commission for
nsst six years and more, in which
p give the impression that nothing
bssn accomplished for the benefit of
nablic, whether intentional or other
are a misrepresentation OF the
sts in the case and are very unjust
those who have been members of
Commission during the period named.
y an article of the 29th ult. you state
y the expenses of the Commission
siy wears and five months have been
9 S88O7 and you ask: "What are the
ults?" - .,...
rates on fruits and vegetables from
Rrlv all the producing points on the
aboard Air Line railway, Atlantic
ast Line railway, Tavares & Gulf
road and Tampa & Jacksonville rail-
d to the northern markets. 1t pro-
.es an annual saving to the fruit and
retable shippers of this State Of from
~ to fifty thousand dollars per an
m-the saving in DeSoto county alone
oranges and grapefruit amounting to
re than $4,000 per annum. Isn't
"results?'
What are the results? A reduction in
rates on fruits and vegetables from
hts on the Florida East Coast railway
the northern markets, amounting,
ording to a statement of high Of
al of that line, to a reduction in the
enues of that railway of $45, 900 per
um. The reduction on vegetables
five cents per crate from the heavy
piping points in Dade county, and ac-
ding to the last report of the Com
sioner of Agriculture nearly one mil
crates of tomatoes alone were ship
out of that county in 1908. Doesn't
look like action instead of "talk?'
Vhat are the results? A reduction in
light rates on the Seaboard Air Line
way and Atlantic Coast Line rail-
covering almost every article that
aten, worn or used. 1t has reduced
rs to every station on those lines in
rida, and those two lines operate
Re than half of the railroad mileage
Fhe State. The Commission saved
people of the State more than $780,
per annum in this one reduction in
rs. Is it any wonder that certain
bspapers think the Commission is a
less institution?
hat are the results? Through the
hence or order of the Commission
benger rates have been reduced on
Florida East Coast Railway, Sea-
I'd Air Line Railway and Atlantic
st Line Railroad, saving the people
asands of dollars per annum; this
item amounting to several times
amount expended for the mainten-
of the Commission each year.
hat are the results? The Georgia,
thern and Florida Railway in 1902
led tariff raising all its freight
3 IN the State. Thee Commission
PEELED that road to restore its form
|ates at once. Without a Commits.
the people living along the line Of
railway would have been helpless
revent the increase and they would
doubtless be paying the increased
b.
hat are the results? A reduction
ne rates on the Florida West Shore
nch Of the Seaboard. This order
contested, but the Commission was
eid by the United States Supreme
~. The reduction saves the people
PradentOwn, Sarasota, Manatee and
nett0 63 cents on fertilizer and 50
car on lumber alone, not to men
hundreds of other articles. Ought
people of Manatee County to think
commission is a useless institution?
reduction has been secured in
phate rates, which has been a large
SSg to the phosphate producers OF
0tate. 1t was necessary to carry
case to the United States Su-
ne Court where the Commission
successful.
le Commission has compelled re-
;on OF ten per cent on all shipments
ing over two or more railroads, ex-
on classes l., NO and P. This item
= inc people of the State several
.ssnd dollars per annum, and re-,
rates on freight on every railroad
ne State, including the L. & Mr.. r.
Is the kind of talk" that makes
newspapers say that the Commits
y useless institution.
nat are the results? A forty per
reduction in the rates on carload
%ents, sash, doors and blinds,
nenware and crockeryware and
g; This order while general has
eject Of beneftting merchants anc
amers in the interior of the State,
'sOIes such towns as Ocala, Gaines
ana Orlando to do wholesale
n l. "a