The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1886-12-17
THE RAILRoAp noMM1saInr

~ 'O"Sci"Oto space 10 u
task OF proving by the experience
( of Alabama with railroad super.
vision, the wisdom OF the scheme,
getting its data from an editorial
of the Mobile Register. That is all
very we'll aud legitimate argument
as far as it goes, coming as it does
not from the people, but through
political leaders. But the following
clause in the GariOR's article is
astounding, and we are only sur.
prised that our esteemed cotempo-
rary is not better posted. The
clause is as follows:
OF all the States which have M
dertaken to regulate aud control
railroads by COmmissiOns-twenty.
six IN numbeF-in Mississippi alone
Is there any clanOr for their abOli.
ton. Why is this Simply because
the Commission is now undergoing
IN this State the ordeal to which
The Commissions of all the other
States have been subjected. 1t
may seem that the railroads
will triumph. If they shall, it will
be against all precedent.
As this is not the nrst time The
Clarion. has made this assertion, we
will devote a little space to correct.
ing il. The railroad commission
law of Tennessee was enacted by
it's Legislature through her pOliti- .
clans in 1882. Under it the Com.
missIOners were elected by the :
people. :Iu 1884 the Democrats :
nominated three candidates for !:
Commissioners, who we're in favor of :
the Commission the Republicans /,
nominated three candidates who
we're opposed to the Commission, :.
aud who pledged themselves TO urge
repeal Of the Law, if elected.
Notwithstanding the fact, however,
hat The Democrats had a majority 6
If forty Thousand IN the State the =
Railroad Commissioners h
we're elected, and this, too, ia the 81
ace OF tue fact that all the promi- u
tent Democratic politicians of the III
state urged the people to vote tor a
hn nnmnepafin nnp1i1nta, III
1t was n most disastrous defeat d
o the Democratic party on that u
uestiOn, and what it taught the "
oliticians The sequel proved. Dur. Vi
lg tue winter of 1884 and 1886, WI
hen the Legislature assembled, w
largely Democratic, it T
romptly repealed the railroad sn- su
ervisiOn law, and there has been I'll
o Commission in that State since. Ia
at so thoroughly Is the Demo- III
attic party in Tennessee satisfied "o
lat the people do not want a Rail ou
Commission, that at the last SUI
International Convention, when u"
effort was made to re-adopt the STU
ank in the platform in favor OF a iui
O~mmissiOn, the Convention, by a VI
of nearly three to one, I" !
,tcd down the proposition. The m'
lsiness men who bad most deal VIC
gs with the railroads are said TO PR
I'VE voted en- mGsse against the op
commission. col
Hence it appears that, however ert
nch the politicians of Tennessee pc
Ould like to create and maintain
few more fat Offices by the super
sion idea, the people have had
e chance offered them aud have ~
iectually chOked them of so that an
W they dare not advocate it. 1e''
This more than offsets the Ala. '"'
test, for in that State it is wv
~ easy for the politicians to ~"
DIV us only the gilt edge and rest "
cir case, while the voice of the
ople, the highest power, is uncer. w
We have heard private citi. ""u
Is and business men of Alabama WI
the Commission was 10 mate ~
| benefit TO the people aud were
posed to it. This is the Southern ~
.lerience, and as we go further ~.
rth the conditions, railroads
re numerous, capital more plenti- y
and the comparison must end. u
-- resO