Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-15
rla Railroads and the Commission.

NNS@------
Our Atlanta correspondence outlines
the range of the discussion that took
place last week before the Senate Rail
road Committee between the representa-
tives OF the railroads and the members
Of the Commission. It will strike the
reader as strange that the Commits
sion assume that the hostility
to the Commission is aimed at
themselves, and that their chief effort
appears to be directed towards procuring
the grant of further powers instead OF
striving TO bring about better under
standing all around with reference to
the exercise of the large functions they
already enjoy.
We have gone over the ground so
often. and our views have been so fully
expressed, that we do not care, at this
time. to renew the discussion.
We invite our readers, however, to
notice that the representatives Of the
railroads have, in marked contrast to the
Commission, sought TO put the question
before the committee on its merits, and
have merely asked such notifications
of the law as will subserve the rights
which, it is even yet confessed, they
possess, without impairing the efficiency
Of the measure to accomplish the object
for which it was framed.
The Atlanta correspondent of the Au-
gusta Chronicle, after giving the outlines
of the argument of Governor Brown,
alludes, in complimentary terms, to the
able argu nents of Judge Chisholm, Vice
President, and Mr. Haines, General
Manager of the Savannah, Florida and
Western Railway, and closes hisletter as
follows:
& am compelled TO say that so far the
Commission does not seem to meet this
issue IN a becoming spirit The At ants
Constitution credits Major Campbell
Wallace with the mOnitOrY remark that
any curtailment of the powers of the
Commission will be followed by his
resignation, and the manner of Mr.. Bar.
nett so far in the discussion has been
anything but fair and good. The Com
mission seems to cOnstrue an appeal for
relief into a personal assault and to resent
it accordingly. 1t would appear that
mucn reliance is placed upon the hope
that the Legislature will not fail to prop
erly and promptly respond to the popular
prejudice against railroads. This Is not
the spirit in which this issue should be
met, either by the Commission or the
| Legislature Railroads may not have
immortal souls, but they have rights
that should be respected by all OF those
to whom the State entrusts any portion
of its sovereign power.
81 cannot close this communication
without a reference TO the attack of Mr.
Barnett on the press of the State. The
Post Appeal, an evening journal Of this
city, had noticed this speech OF Governor
Brown in a short and well tempered editO-
rial. At the close of his secOndspeech Mr..
Barnett took occasion to notice this.
After declaring that he did not read or
care for newspaper criticism, he threw a
copy of the P0st-AppeaL aside with the
contemptuous gesture and observation
that it might hencefOrth enjoy the same
distinction as the man whom the Duke
of York had once kicked.
Continuing, he observed that news
papers did not represent their own Opin-
ions, or the opinions of the public, and
that they were open to the charge that
their utterances were controlled by any
influence save that of argument
Il have quoted Mr.. Barnett mildly,
and have only to add that any tribunal
in this State, created by the people for
their benefit, which assumes to lift itself
above criticism, if not taken in hand by
the Leg slature, deserves a notice from
the public censOrs.
This display Of temper on the part Of
Mr.. Commissioner Barnett would argue
conscious weakness of his position and
an effort to obtain by buster and undig
niied imputatiOn that favorable consId
Grafton of his cause which he fails Il
| justify by his argument Such out
rsgeOus SANDER upon honest criticism
cannot fail to relieve the masses of mucl
of that prejudice against corporate in
terests which is the stronghold of tn
Commission, in what they seem inclined
to make war upon the railroads.