The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-16
In the Senate.

The first business after reading the jour
nal in the Senate this morning was Mr..
Atkinsan's bill to put express and telegraph
companies under the control of the state
railroad commission. Senator Glenn offered
an amendment TO strike out the words
express companies" wherever they occurred
in the bill Senator Glenn favored the bill
He said there was a monopoly in the state
of Georgia in the express business and that
the people were compelled to patronize the
company now doing business.
Senator johnson favored the amendment
He had always voted to increase the powers
of the railroad commission. Looking fur
Their, he found this was step further than
any state Legislature had ever gone. If this
bill is not for the good of the people it was
for the injury of the corporation controlling
this business. If doubt existed in the minds
of senators it was their duty to vote against
it, II it was not to the interest of the peo~
pie it was not the duty of the Senate to vote
for it. He did not believe that the consti,
tuition called for such legislation. The de-
baters in the constitutional convention said
nothing Of anything but railroad COM
panies.
THE REQUEST FOR SUPPORT.
When this bill was first introduced he
had received a long petition asking him to
support the bill. He wrote to the gentle
man whose name headed the list, He
answered that he had had the list filled out
by request of friend in Macon. For him
self be did not care anything about the
matter. Mr.. johnson illustrated the COM
petition OF the express and railroad compa-
MES and the postal service. Healthy competi-
tlon was thoroughly stimulated. He called
attention TO the small earnings of the
Southern Express Company of the state of
Georgia. Last year the net profit was only
5000. 1t was too small a business to nut
into rha hands of fha
ditional expense of putting this business IN
der control OF the commission would not be
Justified. The collection of commercial na-
per by the express companies could not be-
controlled by the commission. Concluding
,he said the railroad commission was not
Equipped for this work. Under the old law
the president of an express company might
be commissioner. Such changes were not
contemplated in the law creating the COM
mission. The businesses were different, and
an express expert would be required
Senator Walker offered an amendment
authorizing the employment of telegraph
and express experts to control this branch
of the railroad commission work.
Senator Terrell offered an amendment
giving the commission authority to require
the establishment Of agencies by the express
and telegraph companies.
HODGES STAND.
Senator Hodges believes that the nature
of express and telegraph companies pro-
vided that they should be placed under the
control Of the railroad commission, They
did business in correction with the railroad
companies and the agents of the one and of
the other were the same persons. The ex-
press companies were partners in business
with the railroads. Ii was highly proper
that they should be controlled by the same
state authorities. He had shipped some fruit
20 Atlanta and the charges ate up the prof
its
Mr.. Johnson asked If it was the high ex-
press charges or the low price of fruit.
Mr.. Hodges was certain it was the exor-
bitant express charges. He saw no need of
an express expert on the commission.
Railroad experts ought to know enough
about it. Skill in one line meant skill in
the other.
Senator Williams opposed the bill, as be
thought it tended TO injure the express
business which as a convenience was ne
cessity to all the people. Nobody was
Rrumbling or kicking at the express COM
panies. The bill was blew at their exist
ence.
Senator Nunnally opposed the amend
ment Of Senator Glenn. He wanted to know
81 the contract Of the railroad companies
with the express company was not mighty
blow at competition. The bill was for
equal Justice 20 the company and the peo-
pie. IL the railroad commission only APP
Piled 10 the roads 1t was useless control if