Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-08-17
The Georgia Railroad Com
mission.

Atlanta Constitution In tho Constiiu-
ton Of Sunday we printed in full the de-
cision Of Judge Simmons in the case of the
Georgia Railroad against the Georgia Rail-.
road Commission. The decision is ycry
import one rs a contribution to the settle
ment of doubtful or disputed points involved
in the relations between the railroads and
The people. 1t is q very clear and very
careful opinion and will attract attention all
over the country.
The PEOPLE arc to be congratulated that
with al! the Influence that powerful corpo>.
rations are always able to muster every stcp
taken since the establishment Of the com :
mission hus been in favor of the public.
Wherever the courts have had an opportu,.
nifty to pass upon tho law, the p..nciplcs
upon which it is based have been most
emrhaticalIy re aflirmad. Judge Simmons
decision is as strong in this direction as the
decision Of Judge Woods. What arc these
principles?
l. That railroad partakes of tho nature
of public highway and cannot bo classed
as private propcrty-tho managers md
owners thereof being tho bcneGciaries of
the State to the extent # the extraordinary
plNHcScS granted.
2. Ii to people do not contribute money
toward the construction Of railroad corpo :
ration they contribute the privileges emu
mcIated in the corporation charters, which
arc Of vastly more importance than money
When railroad applies for and accepts
character at tho hands of the State, it
acknowledges in effect its quisi public
charactcr and accepts the Responsibilities
growing out of such acknowledgment
These principles being established in law
and in fact, every other claim of the State
follows os natural conscqucnce-the right
to regulate freights and fares, the right to
prevent discrimination and the right to
compel the corporation to give the people
the best service at their command
The truth is, tho railroad commission of
Georgia has accomplished great work for
Georgia 1t has given the public the
benefit of reasonable competition in the face
of the most powerful combination the State
hos ever scon--a combination which has
swallowed tho Central, the Georgia and all
their branches, and which, but for fortuit-
Gus circumstances would havo swallowed
the State road. Every serious objection
made against the commission has been
found to BIO groundcss, and every predc-
tion by its opponents has failed of verifi-
cation. 1t was said that the establishment
of such body, with power to regulate
rates and fares, would not only cripple tho
railways already in operation, but prevent
tho building of others. Capital, it is said
would be driven away, and enterprise
would be compelled to seek other fields. So
streouously wcro these orgaments, object
tioOs aud predictions employed tlat tho
Constitution, first and last, has devoted q
good deal of space showing wherein tho
prophets and not the commission had failed.
The facts in regard to tho commission
andts operations may DC briefly summed up.
Since tho board was established the railways
OF the State have never been more prosper-
ous and returns to stockholders have mover
been more satisfactory, There has never
been day in tho history Of Georgia when