Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-26
Getting al the Truth About the Rail-
rOads.

Getting al the Truth About the Kali
roads.
The committee Of the Legislature that
is now examining the railroads of the
State for the purpose Of making "A report
to the Legislature about their condition,
their earnings, their management, and
their business prospects appears 10 be de-
| termined to do its work thoroughly.
What the people of the State want is
correct information respecting the rail
roads Of which the State Commission mas
Jurisdiction. For a long while contro-
versy has been going on between the
managers of the railroads and the com
mission respecting traffic rates. The
managers have asserted, and continue TO
assert, that the rates fixed by the
commission in many Instances are
so low that they do not admit
of a reasonable proft-in fact, in some in
stances, do not admit Of any profit at all.
They point out clearly, and with a cOnvinc-
ing array of facts and figures, that the
effect of the arbitrary rulings of the com
mission and OF its unreasonable rates 10
to threaten the roads with ruin. The
manager Of the Georgia Railroad, in an
elaborate report few days ago, said that
under the regulations established by the
commission that road was unable to meet
its legitimate obligations and at the same
time make the repairs and Improvements
necessary to keep it in first-class condi-
ton.
The President Of the Central Railroad
not long ago, in a report which attracted
very general attention, stated that the
Central had to depend upon its steamship
connection to pay its stockholders a
reasonable dividend.
The commission, of course, has it's side
of the case, and it has presented it from
time to time in manner that invited at
tention, and left in the minds of some, at
least a doubt as to where the truth was
in the conflicting statements.
The Legislature has been asked to
modify the law under which the commits
sion acts, SO as to give the railroads
little more freedom Of action, and there
are bills now pending looking to that end.
Before acting on these bills, however,
the Legislature wants TO know what the
how great their danger OF ruin from the
acts of the commission is, if, in fact, there
is any danger at all, in order that it may
act wisely and intelligently. The COM
mittee that is now inspecting the rail-
roads was chosen with great care, and, no
doubt, has the confidence of the body
it represents. On its report doubt
less the Legislature will act.
1t will have statement
from those in whom it has confidence, Or
ought to have since it selected them, and
this statement undoubtedly will point
out wherein the railroad managers have
overstated their side of the case, if III
deed they have overstated it, and in what
respects the commission is mistaken.
1t may be assumed as a starting point
that no fair-minded citizen of Georgia
wants the railroads of the State damaged
in any respect, because they have con-
tributed immensely to the states pros
perity, and without them the State could
not make any progress at all. IT,
therefore, it appears from the report of tie
legislative committee that the prosperity
Of the railroads depends upon modifica-
lions of the Railroad Commission law,suc
as those which are now pending in the
Legislature, the people will not be slow in
requesting their representatives to favor
them.
The thing to be done first is to get the
truth respecting the effect of the commits
sions rulings upon the railroads before
the people and the Legislature. The Leg
isature has provided for this, and when it
meets few weeks hence it will have the
data that will enable it to act with intelli-
gence.
There is some satisfaction in the
thought that perhaps the differences be-
tween the commission and the railroads is
near settlement, and that the settle
ment, being based upon report that will
be the result of thorough investigation,
will be such as will meet with very gen.
eral approval.