The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-07-30

that the Southern Railway recognizes
! the Importance of Macon as distri
buting centre.
Whatever may be the result OF the
| reorganization of the Cenjral Railroad
Company there is no intention that
the property shall be operated as a
portion of the Southern Railway
system. AS regards the Georgia,
Southern and Florida the Southern
Railway Company and its friends con-
troll not all, but a majority, of the
securities. Under these conditions the
property should be managed as a sep
arate corporation ia order that the
minority in this shall have fair and
equitable treatment and accounting,
and there is no purpose on our part,
even, If we possessed the power, to
depart from this, the only proper
policy.
1T is not intended to make or even
to endeavor to make either of these
roads an exclusive connection of the
Southern Railway system. 1t is the
policy OF the Southern Railway Com
pany TO strengthen all it's lines and in
every reasonable way to foster the
growth of local interests within the
territory 1t serves rather than to try
to force all traffic into particular
channels. This does not mean that it
proposes to assume the burden and
responsibility or guarantee the sue
cess OF i'll conceived or badly managed
enterprises.
I'VE are fully mindful of the impor-
tance of the location of the Offices and
shops in your city. assure you, how
ever, that, if in the course Of business,
the necessity for any change arise
there shall be as little disturbance 'as
possible in Macon of such local organi-
cations as you refer to.
AS regards consolidation permit
me to say word. Consolidation is in
part the legitimate and inevitable
result of reckless and speculative con-
struction of needless railways through
out the South, and hopeless struggle
to maintain them when built. You
and your fellow citizens are we'll aware
OF the widespread ruin ard bankruptcy
which came UPON the railroad interests
~ Georgia. In respect u tine cousO l.
dation which followed IL might be ', ell
to aud what else, if anything, was
possible under the circums tances
Experience shows, not only in Georgia
but elsewhere, that as u rule there are
but two alternatives for railroad pro-
perties under such conditions. 1t
must either be consolidated to be
hiOi " ShSoPiys VI OhSg huSU
De left to starvo separately.
AS regards the policy of the
Southern Railway Company | call
your attention to the fact that it has
not resulted in the increase of salaries
at any point, but has resulted in better
road bed and equipment, improved
service and greater safety to the
public. The purpose is to secure, if
possible, by building up process an
aggregate volume OF Traffic necessary
to enable it to meet its obligations to
its security holders, who have suffered |
enormous losses, and to the public |
which is constantly demanding better
service at constantly diminishing
price. TO do this it must keep its prop |
critics in u constantly improved con-
1ition, and all it asks as means to |
This end is uniform and reasonable |
rates and the discontinuance of what |
much legislation seeks, but fails, to
prevent, namely, secret rate cutting |
and discrimination"
$50 %5Ea~----