The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-08-27
ALEssON FOR TENNESSEE.

Wy al uiiHeCtSSdIy WdIidTt'
ALEssON FOR TENNESSEE.
Georgia Farmers Receiving no Aid from |
its Commission.
The Chattanooga Times, referring to |
the complaints made by farmers and
truckmen in Southern Georgia that on
account of high rate Of freight and the
greed OF middle men they have been
unableto ship their products 10
Northern markets without loss, says
And this moves us toinquire: Why
does not the Georgia Railroad Com
mission protect the truck farmers
against these exactions? Why does
it allow this great interest to be broken
down. If it be answered that nearly
all the shipments of melons, etc, are
to points beyond the State and there
fore not under the supervision OF the
Commission, we ask further what
good is the Commission to the great
producing interestsof Georgia? Nine
ty per cent. OF those products on which
farmers and planters expect to realize
profits are sent beyond the State lines.
II railroads may make up for losses on
local freights prescribed by the Com
mission by imposing extortionate
rates on products going out OF the
State, where does the gain of the pro-
ducW come in as result of the Com
missions supervisory power?
II we apply these facts and deduc-
tons to our affairs here in Tennessee
we shall not thereby encourage farm
eB OF this State to expect great advan-
tage from placing the management Of
our railroads in the hands OF a com
mission. The local schedule proposed
by our commission fixed rates on farm
products about % per cent. higher
than those enforced by the Georgia
commission, thus putting our people
at decided disadvantage. II any
commission in the country could have
achieved success in supervising the
work of States railroads, the Georgia
commission should have succeeded.
But the facts are the other way. The
greater portion OF the press of the
State bears united testimony that its
intermeddling has about brought the
projection of new lines to a standstill
while it has not encouraged the exten
sion OF old ones. There is abundan,
proof that while the city Of Atlanta
has been considerably profted through
the operation of commission rates, the
State at large has not, on the whole
been served as cheaply by the roads
as before the commission undertook
their direction.
There is no basis OF sound reason
ing for State Commission to
rest upon. They cannot interfere with
rates fixed in their State on cargoe!
destined for points beyond the State
| jurisdiction. Whatever concessions
they force from the roads on loca
business is gotten back from loca
shippers by increasing rates on goods
going out or coming into the State. /
only results in taking money out o
in onn,h. ro;lrooJ mi The neonl,
Who nav the miner are not benefiie,
unless the privilege of paying severa
thousand dollars year as salaries am
a benetit
In the case If Tennessee. the shin
ners IN her roads had no right to ey
meet ANYTHING of the Commission bu
hat which has hannened The law {
Their creat;on vas a botch.notch q
crudities and compromises and wa
nronounced worthless Inv orr hes
LAWYERS The gentlemen chosen I
enforce tbi, law and Act as umpires i
the delicate and difficult relations b,
tween shippers and railroads was
UNIQUE BODY. Atthe head was placed
cranky, superannuated politician file
with most extreme prejudices again'
the roads, and entertaining views o
public and corporate finances simila
to those held by French agrarians, b
Dennis kearney, OF California, al
Justus Schwab, OF New York City
Next in order was a gentleman VIII
had never resided on the line OF a raj
road; had not made the operations o
our railway system any part OF hi
study. The gentleman at the tail O
this remarkable board had, We believe
at some period in his career, surveyed
the line OF projected road and bee!
active Tor short period in the engl
neer department OF another road
} Not man of the three knew as niue
OF the tricks of the trade" OF prat
teal railroading as an intelligen
brakeman. They all knew less OF tn
great interest over which they wer
set, involving not less than $4,000
600 OF capital, than is known by an
, cla,L in fraiybt office