San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-16
WANTS MERGER
ACTION FROM
| TEXAS BOARD
San Antonio Moves Rail
road Commission to Make
Recommendation.
CITES THE LAW
Strong Testimony Offered
Against Gulf Ceast-I.-G.N.
Consolidation.
CITES THE LAW

announcement made by Chairman
Clarence E. Gilmore at the opening
of the hearing of the Gulf Coast
Lines application TO purchase the L.
G. n. that the Texas Railroad Com
mission would refrain from making
any recommendation to the Inter-
state Commerce Commission when it
transmits the record in the case to
that body, Claude V. Birkhead, of
San Antonio, this morning filed mo-
fion with the commission asking that
such a recommendation be submitted.
Inc recommendation, he asserted, is
vital to the interests of the people of
Texas in view of the fact that the pro-
posed merger violates the plain letter
of the Texas Constitution.
Points Oat Commissions Function.
In his request for a recommends
ton by the Texas Commission 10 the
interstate body, Mr., Birkhead called
to the attention Of the commissioners
the fact that the Railroad Commission
Of Texns is q state tribunal estab-
lished for the purposes of supervising
railroads that operate within the state
10 the interest Of owners. shippers and
the public in general aud of deciding
all matters brought before it in the
interest of the state and in accord
aace with the constitution and laws of
the state.
The motion then proceeds to set
forth the fact that the Interstate Com
mcrce Commission has accorded tho
nflvlIQCa s.f n kaa g.
Texas interested in the merger of the
I.-G. y. with the Gulf Coast Lines
ana has requested recommendation
from the Texas commission in its find
lngs. The request of the Interstate
Commerce Commission might be de-
ciined, states the motion, were il not
for the fact that the people of Texas
demand, as expressed in the laws of
the state, that the Texas commission
take steps to see that the flaws are
not set at naughi
Recommendation Would Bear Weight.
The intended merger is expressly
prohibited by the state constitution
and laws rassed in pursuance there
TO, according TO the motion filed by
Mr.. Birkhead, and the attorney gen
ern has so advised the commission
by representations filed in the case.
The commission is called upon,
states the motion, to adopt the view
of certain advocates Of the merger
who have characterized the statutes of
the state as silly" and to say that
the laws are so silly that they ought
not to be enforced.
The fact that ultimate decision lies
with the national bod instead of the
state commission will not justify a re-
fusal by the state commission to act.
the motion sets forth That the rec
concentration of the state commission
will bear weight in final decision OF
the question is shown by the request
for an opinion.
Only Wants Plain Justice.
The motion concludes with plea
that the Texas commission 90 its
plain duty 20 the people of Texas by
making Its recommendations as TO
flnhl disposition Of tie case.
The intervcnors and protestants rep
resented-by Mr.. Birkhead and asso-
ciates include the city of San An
tonic, San Antonio Chamber of Com
merce, Traffic Bureau and 81 indi-
vidual firms; the chambers of com
merce OF Austin, McAllen, Mission,
Edinburg. San Juan, Alamo, and Wes-
laco; the HidalSo County Taxpayers
Association the Farmers Organiza-
ton of Carlson: the city of Taylor
and the retail merchants of that city,
and 81 residents and business inter
csts Of Rio Grande City and Starr
county.
Says I.-G. n. Aided His Industry.
The early morning session was TAX
en- up principally with the testimony
Of j. a. Thompson. traffic manager
Of the Sugarland Industries and w. 4.
Eldridge. owner of the Sugarland
Railway. Mr.. Thompson described in
detail the struggle of the Texas sugar
industries against freight rates
which favored New Orleans. The l.
q. N. he said. had helped the indus
tries BY rate adjustments while the
Gulf Coast Lines had favored New
Orleans.
Mr.. Eldridge prefaced his testimony
with a history of his life from the
time he left home barefoot boy wear
ing hickory" shirt and his "best''
pair of pants. He told of starting
his first railroad at Eagle Lake with
a secondhand locomotive for which
he paid $500 and car costing $500.
This was the old Cane Belt Road.
Mr.. Eldridge gave the I.-G. y. full
credit for the Development Of the
Sugarland industries. declaring that
they would have persisted had the road
not come to their assistance in rate
adjustments. The Gulf Coast Lines
he said has consistently fought the
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