The Southern Mercury, Texas Farmers' Alliance Advocate. (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 8, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 20, 1890 Page: 4 of 8
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THE SOUTHERN MERCURY: DALLAS, TEXAS, THURSDAY, FEB. 90, 1890.
The Southern Mercury.
ON* MUM A VIM * AOVAMOS.
Hft*?1
¥
Smm H. Dixon,
B. Newton,
Editor.
But. Mam'gr.
Entered at the poeto Am, Dallas, T«u m
id-class mall matter.
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.. "Southern lfenury," Delles, Texas.
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Benew your lubacrtpilon, no you won't ml**
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Before writing to the oditor, understand hilly
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BOUTHKKN MERCURY,
and your communication will receive prompt
attention.
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
County Treaeuror.
We ere authorized to announco A. McCom-
mas a candidato for tho oilloe of county treas-
urer of Dallas county, attheeuaulug November
election.
We are authorized to nnnouuee C. 11. Patrick
a* a candidate for, the olHco'of county treasurer
of Dalla* county, at the onaulng November
When writing to the Mercury upon
any subject whatever always address
your letters to " The Southern Mercury,"
Dallas, Texas, and not to any individ-
ual. Make remittances payable to
"The Southern Mercury." By com
flying with this, simple request, your
letters will'be insured prompt attention.
Cotton and sugar will soon be the
ruling crops in Texas.
The voters of Texas are in earnest
when they say that they want primary
elections.
Flowers in the yard, fruit in the
orchard and vegetables in the garden
go a long way toward making life on
the farm pleasant. '
Contentment is said to be happl
ness. The farmer whose farm is clear
of mortgage should certainly* be con
tented and consequently happy.
There is but one kind of farmer
who succeeds on the farm—he is that
one who makes it his chief business
and attends to that bussness with sys
tem. ^
The farmer who watches the pro>
grcss of his growing crop rather than
the political promotion of his neighbor,
is the one most likely to succeed on
his farm.
The man who is afraid to submit his
name to the voters in a primary elec-
tion is afraid of the people and prefers
to depend on the convention wire
pullers for success. In this case whom
will he serve?
Joe Blowharu's letters are attract
ing favorable comment from all quar-
ters. Joe is a hard striker and is wide
awake on all questions afTecting the in-
terests of the people. In politics he is
an ardent Republican, but is opposed
to fighting outside of the two great
parties.
99
The member of the Alliance who is
clamorous for the creation of a third
patty is wasting his strength and influ-
ence. He should use all his power to
carry all his points within the party
Unes already established. It is not
new patties that are needed, but it is
better parties.
. Ha who ezpeats to
i eaotog «asentas of
Tub Maaooar.
poeto* oa all
day ainit road
SOME BENEFITS OF OR-
GANIZATION.
Many benefits have accrued to the
farmers of Texas traceable to the Al-
liance organization. Every farmer
who raised cotton last year saved 50
ffnfi on each bale marketed, as the
result of the fight against the jute
trust Rverjr farmer who purchased a
wagon, or other farm implements,
saved from xo to 15 per cent on the
purchase. The Alliance has taught
the farmers to be self-reliant, and that
they have within their own grasp a
weapon that will bring low any enemy
they may combine to conquer.
ATTORNE Y-GENERAL HOGG
WILL RUN FOR GOVER-
NOR.
It is no longer a question. He has
authorized the statement, and his
friends are jubilant. General Hogg,
it is claimed, had no such ideas, but
how can a public servant refuse to
obey the will of the masses. In this
case the people are the masses and
they have spoken. It is asserted that
he will soon give a reason for the faith
that is in him. We shall wait—but im-
patiently—for his platform, but feel cer-
tain that it will be broad enough for
every one to stand upon who believe
that laws should be observed and that
governments are established by the
people and for the people.
ARBOR DA Y.
By an act of the 21 st Legislature,
Feb. 22nd was designated as Texas
Arbor Day. The idea has been given
considerable prominence by the forma-
tion of an Arbor Day Association to
encourage the planting of trees. The
State Superintendent of Public instruc-
tion has issued a programme for .the
schools on that day and urges them
to plant trees and shrubs in the school
grounds.
Some weeks since a Mercury cor-
respondent entered at leugth upon the
benefits to be derived from the plant-
ing of trees. A universal observance
of the custom in Texas would soon
change the physical geography of the
state, beautily our neglected wastes
and add new charms to our already
beautiful landscape. %
YOUNG MEN ON THE FARM.
The period has arrived in the his-
tory of agriculture in Texas when the
brightest and most talented young
men of our cities are investing in farm
lands with a view of devoting their
brain and* energies to making com-
fortable rural homes. Young men
are not rushing into our cities as for-
merly, hoping to find life more pleas-
ant and success more sure. The rea-
son for this change is apparent: The
farmer is making his home more com-
fortable and cheery, and the budding
manhood and womanhood, familiar
with old scenes of their childhood, are
not inclined to desert pleasant sur-
roundings for a life perhaps of ad-
venture among strangers. It is a
healthful signs of the times to observe
this. Comfortable farm homes will
make happier homes and more young
men farmers. The allurements of
city life will cease a|d our young men
will seek homes in the country and
build up our waste and neglected
lands. The farm welcomes the young
man of brains, of skill, of education; it
wants young men who will take pride
in their calling and who will devote
their best talent to improving their
condition and building up the state.
FARM MORTGAGE STA-
TISTICS.
Hon. C. B. Kilgore of the third con-
gressional district of Texas voted
against Senator Berry's Farm Mo.t-
gage Bill. Why Mr. Kilgore should
ignore die wish of the people of his
district is hard to understand. The
demand to know the mortgage indebt-
edness of the farmers of the country
is reasonable and saould be respected.
This demand has been created by the
generally acknowledged fact that the
farm property of the country is more
heavily burdened with debt than any
other class of property and if once
madejtnown would astonish the Amer-
ican people. The amount oughfto be
ascertained, as it would certainly aid
our law makers in coming to some
conclusion that will give relief to the
agricultural classes, and bring about a
radical change in the double tax sys-
tem that now exists.
What reasonable objection can any
one urge against letting the fact be
brought out. The farmers of the na-
tion should know their exact condition
as a class and thus enable them to
better prepare for the end which will
be a sad one if the government does
not throw some protection around the
agticultural interests of the country. '
I
KEEP OUT OF DEBT.
The farmers of Texas are beginning
in earnest to take steps to rid the coun-
try of the mortgage and credit system.
This feeling of insecurity is not con-
fined to the farmers of Texas, but they
of the whole southern states are dis-
cussing its blighting affect, while the
farmers of the north-west are abandon-
ing their farms to the money lender,
who in most instances represent for-
eign corporations. The Birmingham
Age-Herald, (Ala.,) in a clear and plain
manner sets forth the results of the
credit system in the following language:
There can bo no permanent and rellaole
prosperity on the (arm under the blighting
Ineuous of the credit system. Farmer*
must Iree themselves absolutely from its
ruinous effeots. It Is the bane Of proipor
ity. It requires the buying of things that
are not needed, or rather wnich could be
done without, and engenders extravagance,
which ends in disappointment, failure, loss
of eonttdence between man and man, and a
general looseness of morals. No policy
practiced by any people could poesibly
make or keep them poorer. There Is not a
single article used about the larm that the
farmer can afford to buy on a credit, if it i*
possible to get along without it. if bought
dn credit, machinery or larm implements
may by some accident be rendered ueeles ,
drouth may strike the credlt-bongbt fertil-
izers and destroy all prospect of Increased
yield. A.great bargain ta live atock, when
bought ou a credit, will mo«t likely en-
counter accidenta or death and prove an
unfortunate purchase. In lact there items
to be something of a fatality attending tho
buying on a credit, toe betting on the re-
sult, for at last that Is what it amounts to.
The heaviest burden tuat a larmer ever
staggered uoder is an interest-bearing
uote of hand. No man can Mil what a day
may bring forth, and when a farmer buys
ou a credit with the expectations paying
for the same with the proceeds of hit crop
not made, and frequently not planted, he
Is gambling, betting on ehanoes and laying
himself liable for a sum of money whleh he
is to pay at a certain time ou the chanee ot
bis crop oeing good. Keep out ol debt.
What you cannot pay for in cash, do with
out. liad the debtrldden, mortgaged, be-
deviled termors of tho south acted oa the.
cash system and kept out of the clutohes of
the commission merchant ever since the
war, to-day they could boast ol the rlehest
agricultural population ot the globe, and
bo tho royal owners of the fairest of earth's
inheritance.
ALLIANCE ITEMS.
texas.
The State Wheel meets near Clark
ville on the aoth of February.
The State Executive Committee of
het State Alliance will meet in Dallas
on the 84th.
The Jacksboro Alliance store is put-
ting in new shelving and getting ready
to increase their stock to meet the de-
mands of the growing trade.
Tne Alliance people of Wolf City
are preparing to nave a mass meeting
of farmers. They will be addressed by
some of the best Alliance lecturers in
the state.
Houston County Alliance has placed
a regular special lecturer in the field
who wili visit and lecture all the sub
Alliances in the county. See list of ap-
pointments.
A District Alliance store has been
opened at Cisco with Bros. J. T. Craw-
ford andT. M. Collie as managers. The
store will keep on hand a full stock of
staple and fanfcy groceries, etc.
A District Alliance was organised at
Henderson on the tith. W. W. Dur-
ham was elected president and E. Loyd
secretary. The next regular meeting
will be held at Henderson on second
Tuesday in April.
Seoond Annual Report of the Ag-
ricultural Bureau. Hon. L.
L. Toster, Commis-
sioner.
The Mercury is in receipt of the
above valuable report of which it wQI
give an extended notice next issue.
This report contains over 400 pages
of farm and general statistics of special
interest to the farmers of Texas.
Isllrosd Regolatioa.
SV HON. TOM J. BROWN.
«•..a.
Some of the opponents of a railroad
commission have characterized it as
an experiment, while by others it has
been called the "cast off garment of
ether states." In fact it is neither of
these. It has long ceased to be an
experiment for it has ripened into an
unquestionable succcss. It has been
tried for many years and proved it;
self to be a most satisfactory and use-
ful method of controlling railroad cor-
porations. The garment has never
been cast off by anystate to which it
has been once fitted, but it is a fash-
ion that has lasted well, being refitted
and now worn by all those states that
first adopted it as well as having been
put on by most of the others.
The first commission in the United
States was created in New Hamp-
shire in the year 1844, which was
soon followed by Connecticut in r8s3,
Vermont in 1855, and Maine in 1858.
These commissions are all still in exist-
ence, some of them with enlarged
powers. The war then intervened, and
the next commission was created in
Ohio in 1867, and in Massachusetts
in 1869,
Each of these commissions were ad-
visory to the legislature with large
powers over the operation and con-
struction of the railroads, having in
view mainly the safety of the persons
and property that passed over them.
By pools and combinations railroad
corporations destroyed all competition
among themselves and levied such ex<
orbitant exactions upon the public that
it became absolutely necessary to have
an adequate remedy for this new evil.
Out of this necessity grew the com-
mission which was organized by the
state of Illinois in the year 187T, to
which was given the power to regu-
late charges on railroads. In Georgia
a like commission was created in 1879,
and from that time there has been a
constant march in the direction of cre-
ating the same character of commis-
sion until they now exist in fourteen of
the states. Twenty-five of ¿he states
of the Union have commissións of one
kind or the other, with various powers
over the subject of railroads and their
operations. The following-named
fourteen states have commissions with
power to regulate the rates of freights
on railroads : Alabama, Califonra,
Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Mississippi,
Missouri, South Carolina, Maine, New
Hampshire, Minnesota, Ne braska, Iowa
and Florida. Eleven states have com-
missions with no power over the ques
tion of freight charges: Vermont, Mas-
sachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut,
New York, Ohio, Michigan, Wiscon
sin, Virginia, Kentucky and Colorado.
Thirteen states, Arkansas, Louisiana,
Pennsylvania. Tennessee. Texas, In
tdiana, West Virginia, North Carolina,
Oregon, Maryland, New Jersey, Dela
ware,, and Nevada have no commis-
sions and practically have no restric-
tions upon their powers to levy
charges upon the business of the coun<
try. Tennessee organized a commis
sion in 1883 with power to regulate
freights on railroads and the commis-
sion proceeded to discharge its duties
by establishing'rates, but in the same
year the enforcement of the rates so
made was enjoined by the United
States circuit court In the next year
there was a heated political contest in
that state which resulted in the elec-
tion of a commission differing in poli-
tics from the legislature and the legis-
lature repealed the law to get rid of
the commissioners on account of their
politics. The commission was never
tried in Tennessee. This is I believe
the only case in which a commission
with the power to regulate rates has ev-
er been destroyed after being created.
It is fair to presume that the people
who have tried any particular method
in government for a time sufficient to
give it a fair test are the best judges
as to its value, and the continuance of
it after such fair and ample trial is the
best evidence of its approval by the
masses of the people. The railroad
commission has been on trial for nearly
half a century of time and embracing
more than half the territory of the
United States. The length of time in
which these commissions have been on
trial is sufficient to show that the re-
sults are not temporary in their nature,
while the extent of the territory
forbids the idea that anything
over which they have extended
of a local nature has influ-
enced the result Upon this thorough
trial these agencies have been con-
tinued where they existed and created
where they did not before exist, and it
is but fair to conclude that they have
been approved by the people of all
the states in which they have been
tested.
In and out of the last legislature the
objection which was most generally
and effectively used against the crea-
tion of a commission, was that it would
stop the construction of new railroads
in Texas and thus retard the develop-
ment of the country. A large number
of men who recognised the necessity for
control of these corporations felt that
we could not afford to take - a step
which would stop the building of rail-
roads. It is easy to assert such things,
but no proof was offered at the time
to sustain the assertion. Fortunately
these commissions have a recorded
history to which reference can be
made to determine the truth of the
charge made. If the creation of com-
missions in other states has retarded
the construction of railroads then we
may look for like results in Texas. If
on the contrary such effects have not
flowed from the like measures in
other states there is no reason to be-
lieve that it would follow from the
adoption of such policy in this state.
In order to malte a fair test of the
correctness of this objection to a com-
mission let us take four years of time
1885, 1886, 1887 and 1888 and ex-
amine the statistics in each of the
states of the Union so that we may
safely rely upon the result as the legit-
imate fruit of the system. Florida had
no commission until 1887 and did not
get it into operation until r888, and I
therefore class it in this comparison
with the non-commission states.
In thirteen states which have com-
missions with power to regulate freight
charges during the four years named,
the railroad companies constructed
15203 miles of road. During the
same period of time in the eleven
states which have advisory commis-
sions they have built 5435 miles of
new railroad. The railroad companies
in the fourteen non-commission states
embracing Texas, during the same
four years built 6179 miles of road.
We have not the official statistics
for 1889, but from a statement pub-
lished in the railway Register it ap-
pears that the commission states, hav-
ing power over the freight question,
built last year about twenty-five per
cent more road than did the non-com-
commission states. Thus it will be
seen that the less number of commis-
sion states, thirteen constructed
nearly two and a half times as much
railroad, in the same length of time as
did the fourteen non-commission states.
This is not only true of the result of
the four years experience but it is a
fact that in each of the four years the
number oi miles constructed in the
commission states was greater than it
was in the non-commission states.
The reason given for the supposed
effect of railroad commissions upon
railroad construction was that the
freight charges on the roads would be
so much reduced that they could not
be macfe to pay, and therefore capital-
ists would not invest in such states.
The financial effect upon railroads is
the important one to investors, and
if we can find how a commission affects
railroads financially, we may safely
conclude that these investors will act
in accordance with the result.
In the thirteen commission states
nbovo named, the railroad companies
paid as dividends on their stocks, for
the year 1886 $30,095,911, and in the
year 1887 they paid as dividends on
stock the sum of $34*376 934> being a
total in two years of $64,471,845.
In the fourteen sutes having no
commissions the railroad companies
paid as dividends on their stocks in
the year 1886 the sum of $18,893,904,
in the year 1887 they paid^as dividends
$16,197,383. a total in two yean of
$5S><"3*i87. being $9459,658 less j
than was paid by the leu number of
commission states.
This is not only true but it is a fact
that the average p ericen tjof dividends
paid in the N commission states was
greater than in the. states having no
commissions. The average rate per
cent paid on the stock as dividends in
the year 1886 by the railroad com-
panies in the latter sutes was about
1.51, while in the former sutes the
average rate per cent, of dividends
was a.s6 or about fifty per cent higher
rate than in the non-commission sutes.
These sUtements are derived from
Poor's Railroad Manual, a source that
is recognized by railroad men as semi-
official, and reliable. It is not a pub-
lication in the interest of railroad com-
missions. If the statements are not
true they can easily show to be in-
incorrect, but if true they cannot be
answered and must put to silence the
assertion that a railroad commission
destroys railroad prosperity and stops
the building of new roads.
The history of railroad operations
in the different sutes shows that capi-
talists have not avoided the sutes
where railroads are under the control y
of commissions, but in fact capital has
soaght investment in railroads in those
sutes in which the control is the most
erigid, in the ratio of two dollars and a
half for every dollar that has been in-
vested in the states where railroad
companies have no restriction upon
their powers, and in addition the im-'
portant fact is made manifest that the
capital thus invested in the railroad '
commission states has returned about
fifty per cent, larger profits than that
invested in the states having no com-
mission. There are satisfactoijr
reasons why the result of commission
management should be to the benefit
of legitimate railroad business. In the
states having no commissions the rail-
road officials fix the charges on local
rates high in order to recoup their
losses on through freights, the effect of
which is to destroy home industries
and to cause'local business to dwindle
into insignificance. The fight is made
for the through freights of which the
local roads as in Texas receive a small
share and the account is made up
with short returns from a large busi-
ness.
In those states in which the - rail-
road commissions have fixed the local
rates at comparatively low figures home I
industries are revived and energized ,,
and local business is stimulated until
the trains are.now loaded with local
freights in a larger degree than before,
and all of the freight money for carry-
ing this local trade belongs to the
home railroads. The result is that
the people and the railroads are alike
benefited by such a policy. The cost
of operating the railroads, as it is called,
includes not only the legitimate ex-
penses, but also all losses of property
and damages which occur through ac-
cident or the extravagance, negligence,
or dishonesty of the railroad officials
and employees. A train wrecked by
the carelessness ot the engineer or con-
ductor, or by reason of the bad con-
dition of the roadbed, results ia the
destruction of the rolling stock, the
property on board, and perhaps the
life of some one, all of which is cover-
ed into the cost of operating the road.
In fixing the rates ot charges this is to
be provided for and being provided
for is naturally not guarded against so
rigidly as if it were to be taken from
the earnings instead of being added to
the rates. The careful and rigid su-
pervision of a railroad commission,
with the lower rate of charges, natu-
rally induces a.more careful and eco-
nomical administration of railroad af-
fairs. Dishonesty has less scope for
its operations, because there is a power
of investigation that has a salutary ef-
fect upon the conduct of all classes o£ \
officials.
The cost of operating is thus re-
duced, and as a natural and necessary
consequence, and the net earnings
which go to the investor is increased.
It is but natural that capitalists should
seek such fields for making honest in-
vestment in railroad property. Those
who build railroads on speculation,
and form construction companies of
their own members, by which they let
profiuble contracts to themselves have
cause to dread the work of a railroad
commission. They are they that rais-
ed the howl in Texas.
It is true that the public pay for all
the results of carelessness, extrava-
gance, and dishonesty in the manage-
ment of the railroads of this sute, and
therefore it becomes a matter of pub-
lic concern to have them ndt only
honesdy managed but also economic-
ally and carefully conducted. It is
said that it is none of the peoples af-
fair as to how this business is cairied
on. This would be true if the people
did not foot the bills but so long as
they must settle the accounts they
should insist upon having something to
say in the manner of conducting the
business. This can be safely
properly done only through
mission.
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Dixon, Sam H. The Southern Mercury, Texas Farmers' Alliance Advocate. (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 8, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 20, 1890, newspaper, February 20, 1890; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth186126/m1/4/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .