The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-09-15

and Is ready and willing at all times to
have its acts submitted 10 ana passed
uuor hy the court or other tribunals
Of competent jurisdiction. and 1t asks
your honorable commission and the
people OF Georgia not TO accept the sem
sational and Enthusiastically statements
OF its traducers on the grave question
OF whether the laws OF the State have
or have not been violated.
II has no desire to monopolize the busi-
ness Of Georgia, or. as Mr.. st. John
would have you believe, 10 Cypress or
iniure its competitors or any other vest
ell interest within or without the State.
Quite the contrary IL recognizes. to the
fullest degree, that its own success Is
dependent upon the prosperity OF all
these interests and of the communities
which 1t serves.
If, as Mr.. ST. John asks you 10 believe.
the purpose OF the Southern Railway Com
pany was 20 crush out and injure the
Seaboard Air Line. IL would not have
surrendered voluntarily as Il did the lease
CT the Northeastern Railroad OF Georgia
which tapped most effectively the next
10 the largest business centre IN the
state Of Georgia reached by the Seaboars
Air Line. There is no place where so
upon the Soaboard az so little cost
The Southern Railway Company has
made no objections TO competition when
conducted fairly and openly upon business
principles. and IL has never sought TO
suppress 1t.
Its relations to It's competitors through
out the Southern territory to-day are
abundant testimony upon this point
Il has done nothing I'm IT'S history to op-
press any interest and / challenge Mr.
81. John or any one else 10 produce any
evidence OF am attempt or desire upon
its part 10 do so. 10 has not raised the
rates az any point. and it has not attempt
ed 10 control them. and 81 IS impossible
TO conceive that any acquisition or COM
binaton by il of lines IN the South could
be sufficiently strong 20 enable a TO eN-
ercise an absolute control over rates at
any point. no combination can be large
cnOught I'm the United States 70 control
rates. and the railroad manager who at
| tcmpts 40 or asserts II writes himself a
fool. There can be no clearer proof of
what would Doe the frtility Of such efforts
than the present rate situa..n I'm tho
| South. when ore small line six hundred
miles I'm length. from Portsmouth TO
Atlanta. destroys. as IL is now doing,
the rate fabric from New England 20 New
orleans. and from the Ohio and Mlssis-
sippi rivers 90 Florida.
The effort OF the Southern Railway has
| been, not 10 control rates. but 10 keep
| them uniform and reasonable and pub
! lic and the testimony Of substantially
! every member OF the Southern states
! Freight Association would Dee 90 this effect
! n such testimony should be asked by
| your Commission. II has sought sta
| biiity and the stoppage Of secret cut
! ting and other iilegitimate methods Of
! operation. It's policy has been and IS 10
! build up. not 20 pull down or destroy.
! II has improved every piece of property
/ which DO controls within tho State OF
| Georgia or elsewhere and has furnised
! improved facilities and accommodations
| for the public without any increased
charge.
Mr. ST. John complains that the Macon
and North arn and the Georgia Southern
| and Florida are not made parts OF through
! lines with his.
The Macon and Northern was for
| months after the insolvency OF the Cen
| trail and the Richmond and Danyille in
the control of its boudholders entirely
| free and independent Of either corporation
! The controlling b0ndhOlder during this
! period was the especial friend and finan-
! cial supporter Of the SoOb0ari Air Line.
! the banker who flOated the bonds 10 bull.
| the Georgia. Carolina and Northern. The
managers of the Seaboard Air Line will
not deny that the property was offered
% them in preference % tho Central
/ For reasons best known 20 them, they
dfd not secure IT, although it was 4
legitimate extension Of their line 10 Ma
! con- -'f' 4
I Until about n year ago the Southern
/ Railway Company owned no interest
whatever I'm the Georgia. Southern and
/ Florida. That property was I'm tho hands
of a receiver fits reorganization was being