The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-19


I The letter is in reply to an article in
/ the Tmes-Union commencing the Geor-
gia railroad commission. As we under
stand it, the Times-Union is urging the
creation OF a railroad commission in Flor
ia, and it cited some facts relative 10
one or two Georgia railroads to show
that the acts Of the Georgia commission
have not injured Georgia railroad prop
erty
The letter OF Mr.. Plant is instructive
In the letter he makes it very clear that
the Times-Union was not in possession
of all the facts when it published its arti-
Gle commencing the Georgia railroad COM
mission. lie shows that the commission
has been largely instrumental in wreck
ing railroads in Georgia. and in reducing
hundreds of the citizens of Georgia and
many charitable institutions whose in
comes were derived from Georgia rail-
roads, to poverty. The facts which Mr..
Plant presents are taken from the rec
ord. and can be relied upon. The reduc-
tion of rates. since the commission was
appointed, has been so enormous as to
amount almost to the connscation of rail-
road property in the state. There are
roads. Mr.. Plant says, which do not earn
enough to pay taxes and operating ex-
penses.
1t is unnecessary TO go into details re-
speeding the misfortune of the Central
and other railroad properties. It is only
necessary to refer to one road, the North
eastern. When the state Endorsed the
bonds of this road. the road was a paying
property and had the promise of SPLEEN
did future. Now the roads is in possession
of the state. 1t couldn't earn the interest
on its bonded debt
The state recently asked bids for the
road. Not a single bid was received. It
is doubtful If the state will be able to
sell it for the amount of the Endorsed
bonds. The conclusion which Mr.. Plant
intends shall be drawn from this state
of affairs is that the railroad commission
has reduced rates to a point at which
the Northeastern road is no longer de-
sirable property, because it cannot earn
anything of consequence above its oper-
ating and betterment charges. Is not the
conclusion a correct one? 1t is evident
that the territory tributary to the road
has not gone backward 1t furnishes as
much freight as it ever did.
The trouble with most railroad commits
sions is that they know nothing aobut
railroad business. They do not know to
what extent rates can be reduced without
injury to the roads affected by their ac-
ton. Their chief purpose appears to be
to gain the applause of the patrons of
the roads by putting down rates, and
this, as a rule. they do arbitrarily. No
doubt there ought to be some sort of a
check on railroads, but the railroad COM
mission, as at present made up, is as
apt to wreck a railroad as it is to render
a real service to the people. 1t is not the
purpose or desire of the people that rail-
roads shall be wrecked. All they want
is that the rates shall be reasonable and
just.
In this state the commission claims it
has the power not only to make rates. but
also to compel the roads to make such
improvements as it may think desirable.
In making rates it makes no allowance
for such improvements; nor does it take
into consideration the question whether
the need for other improvements is not
greater than those they designate. 1t
can be readily seen, therefore, that a
commission could easily wreck a road,
and that, too, without aiming to do so.
Much of the complaint of railroad en-
ployes is due to the fact that under the
rates permitted wages have to be reduced
in order to enable a road to make its
fixed charges and thus keep out of the
hands of receiver. 1t is popular of
course. to uphold a commission. but
wouldn't it be better both for the roads
and the people to have a system for
controlling rates by which the rights of
the roads, as well as those of the people.
would be protected? AS long as commits
sions look only for approval from the
people. railroads will be a very uncertain
kind of property in which to invest
1t is understood that Judge Gof of West
Virginia has ASPIRATIONS to wear the SEN
atorial toga, and that he is looking after
the successorship to Senator Faulkner If
Judge Goff ever does manage to break into
the Senate. it is to be hoped, in the inter
est of sport, that he will do it while Ben
Tillman of South Carolina is there. Till
man would give a weeks stationery al
lowance for the chance to get Golf on his
pitchfork. IIs cannot well do it now. be-
cause Goff is on the federal bench and can
not talk politics. 1t viii be remembered
that Judge Golf has repeatedly given Till
mans pet schemes of state liquor dis
pensary and a peculiar Kind of ballot re-
form severe digs in the ribs. TiIlman is
harboring all of this against him, and Just
itching for an opportunity and excuse to
go for him with his pitchfork
The park and tree commission, it seems.
will have to wait until the health and
cemetery committee of council is in funds
before the iron railing around the park
can be. removed. 1t is proposed to use