Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1926-02-23
Give States Rail Building Powers
Mayfield Pleads Before Congress
Right of /. c. c. to De-
eide on Construction
Flayed by Scion
(By The Associated Press


WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb.
23.-Return to the states OF eX-
elusive power to authorize new
railroad construction within
their boundaries was urged to-
day in the senate by Senator
Mayfield, democrat, Texas.
The right of the interstate
commerce commission to pass
upon all new construction was
obnoxious and paralyzing,' he
said, and had enabled carriers
serving a territory exclusively
to exclude other lines and perpe-
tuate monopolies.
ITO permit a railroad company to
close the gates Of a large city, the en-
trance to a large and fertile valley, or
door to a great port Senator May
field said, lis to create in this country
a monopoly and a new form OF tyranny
which violates every principle on which
our government was founded"
Senator Mayfield told the senate that
the railway transportation system Of the
country is not finished. "There are
vast .undeveloped areas in the west, in
cluding Texas" he SAIL which can
never be developed until they are pene-
trated and served by railroad. There
are other great areas served by single
lines that have not attained their pos
sibilties industrially for the lack Of ad
ditional or competitive lines that would
connect such areas with additional mar
kets and trade territorys not reached BY
the existing lines.
We are now III the midst Of an area
Of great prosperity such as usually sue
ceeds every great war. How long it will
last no man can tell. New railroads
construction ordinarily can not be fin
anced in times of financial depression.
Theer is a strong disposition in Texas
at present on the part of number Of
responsible companies and individuals
to construct a large amount of add
tional railroad mileage in sections
where it will greatly serve the public
convenience and necessity.
"On the plains west of Texas, where
in late years farming has shown re-
markable results and where where thou
sands of farms are taking the place Of
the great ranches of the old days -
three railroad systems with men,
money and materials all ready for the
work. are awaiting action by the com
mission on their application to extend
their lines into this rapidly developing
section Of that state. Each of these
railroads has protested the application
Of the other. The welfare Of the peo-
pie of my state demands that all Of
these railroads be unshackled and that
they be permitted to extend their old
lines and build new ones wherever they
will.
"Applications for certificates to con-
struct new railroad mileage in Texas
alone now pending before the commits
sion aggregate 981.11 miles and call
for an expenditure Of S35, ,169,6 GIL. One
Of these applications has been pending
before the commission for more than
two years, and all of them as a result
Of the procedure above described will in
all probability remain before the COM
mission undecided for a similar period
of time. Any of these projects that
lacks merit, whether sanctioned or re
fused by the commission, will die of its
intrinsic weakness. Those that have
the necessary financial and commercial
support, by these very facts, stand ap-
proved as meritorious.