The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-07-24
4 Statement of Facts
BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
GEORGIA COMMISSION.
DISCRIMINATION PREVENTED AND
FREIGHT AND PASSENGER
RATES REDUCED.
The Railroads Have Prospered,
Whilst the People Have Been
Benefited"
TIE COMMISSION DEAR TO THE PEO-
PLE---NO CANDIDATE FOE OF
FlCE DARES OPPOSE IT.

The Georgia railroad commits
sion was the first established in
this country. The idea was
advanced and fathered by Robt.
TOombs, one of the most pro-
found and far-reaching states
man this or any other country
has produced, and the benefits
accruing to the people of Geor-
gia, and by example to he peo-
pie of all the states that have
followed Georgia's example,
make one Of the most substan-
tial and grateful tributes to this
great mans memory.
General ToOmbs proposed the
commission, set its advantages
forth in a letter to The Constitu-
ton, wherein he pointed d out the
effect Of railroad regulation in
foreign countries and recon-
mended the adoption of the
practice in Georgia.
After the mmission was
esta bl1shed he defended it in
the courts until its constitution
ality was affirmed by the supre-
me court of Georgia, and for
this service the last legislature
voted his estate $4,000.
In the first five years of the
commissions existence two
thousand miles of railroad were
built in Georgia, though there
had been only one undred
miles built within the five
years before.
At the same time passenger
rates were reduced from five to
three cents, and freight rates
very greatly. The result, in
stead of causing the railroads
a loss, increased business so
greatly that their profits were
larger than before, and there
are none among the railroads
now to protest against the COM
mission.
Georgia had the good fortune
to have a good commission from
the start, and to have at it's
head Major Campbell Wallace,
a man whose wisdom and ripe
experience in railroad business
commanded the respect and
confidence of both the railroad
men and the commission. The
result has been as stated by
Colonel Livingston, that the
commission is a fixture, salts
factory to both the people and
the railroads, and there is
hardly a Southern state that
can show such a record of rail
bodybuilding as the state of
Georgia since the establishment
of the commission. Last year
Georgia's new mileage equaled
that of New York and New
England. Roads that formerly
lAnguished are now prosperous,
and the commission rates show
a large reduction below former
prices. Lower local rates have
stimulated local interests and
bnilt up industries in the small
ler towns, while the cities con-
tinue to grow with uneXa,npled
prosperity. Atlanta, for instance,
has grown from 10000 to 10000
since the census of 1880. Every
where in Geol gia the towns and
hanlets have taken q new life,
aud Within the past five years
farmers have paid most of their
debt, supported their families
added from thirty to fifty per
cent to their property. Since
the war, Georgia has never been
SO prosperous. While the recent
improvement among farmers is
due largely to the economy
brought about by the Alliance,
the railroad commission has
had beneficenJ effect which is
everywhere acknowledged.
The workings of the commits
sion are strongly set forth by
Colonel l.. N. TrammelI, the
present chairman, in a letter
written in reply to numerous
inquiries from Texas. The let
ter is as follows:
CHAIRMAN TRAMMELL's LETTER.
June Is, 1S9O.-Hon. T. J
Brown, Sherman, Texas.-Deal
sir: In reply to yours Of the Sd
instant, asking to be Informed
in reference to the workings
effects, influence, ETC., etc, OF
the railroad commission in this
state, l give you the following
statement of facts, without de
tail or elaboration.
The railroad commission oi
this state was organized October
18th, 1879. Its annual cost tt
the state is $4,000 of this sun
being appropriated to each O.
| three commissioners, 81, 800 to {