The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1896-07-30
CHARGES AGAINST the SOUTHERN.
vic.-President ~. John, of the seabosrd.
Declares That tho southern IL Trying 70
Oct Control of an the Railroads In the
south.

south.
Atlanta constitutional
yice-President ~. John spent only
one day in Atlanta, but he stirred
thing. up during his brief visit. lie
must have spent a good part VI the day
writing letters, for he sent one to the
executive board Of the freight associa-
ton, and ne addressed another to
Chairman Trammell. Of the state rail-
road commission. Both were full Of
ginger. The one 30 Colonel TrammelI
was in reply To the cOmmi-siGner's let
ter notifying him that the commission
would reduce the Seaboard's local rates
in Georgia To correspond with the
cuts in through rates. Chairman
Trammell stated that he deemed it his
imperative duty u do this To- protect
the business interests OF Georgia.
Mr.. ~. John replies in a long com
munication, in which he charges at
the southern railway full tilt and de-
ciares that company IL trying to mo-
nOpOlize all the roads in the South
and get its hands finally on the west
~rn and Atlantic, the states own
road. He charges that the southern
has employed politicians 10 control
the legislature, says that it has already
defeated some candidates and says
that u aims At getting control Of the
railroad commission so that il can reg
ulate rates. lie claims that the sea-
board j. the only independent line
into Atlanta from the East and states
that he does not believe the commits
sion will take the course threatened
when the situation il investi gated, for
he goes on To charge that the South
rrn has already acquired the East
Tennessee, the Central Of Georgia, the
Georgia southern and Florida, the
Macon and Northern an dcontrOls the
Georgia and Atlanta and West Point,
thus destroying competition between
what used to be half "A dozen cOmpeti-
tive lines.
MR.. 81. johns REILLY.
The letter il herewith given in full
"llOn. J.. y. Trammell, Chairman
Railroad Commission of Georgia, At
ianta, Ga. Dear sir: Your esteemed
communication of the 2lst instant, adj
dressed To me, has had my most care
ful consideration. Absence from
Portsmouth has prevented the receipt
Of the original communication mailed
To me. assume, however, that the
copy appearing in the daily papers OF
the same date, which found en- route
~ correct, and ! deem that the i'm
pOrtance Of the subject and the mani
Test mlsapprehensiOn thereof, as well
as OF the situation which preceded the
same, on the part Of the commission
calls for correction at the earliest OBJ
portunity. take this, my earliest OPP
portunity upon my arrival this morn
ing in Atlanta, for a reply.
Ut ISL matter of regret to me that
the railroad commission of Georgia
before publishing an intimation of a
purpose ~ take action antagonistic t.
the Seaboard Air Line did not invite a
conference with its officers and give
~ an opportunity of fully apprising
the honorable commission Of the ne
ctsslty Tor our cOurse--a necessity
produced by the gravity of the situa
ton which railroad affairs in the
South, and especially in Georgia, now
presents. This situation, however il
may now Immediately affect the Sea
board Air Line, threatens in much
higher degree the people of this State
ana section, should the effects of the
SeabOard Air Line to check The strides
of the Southern railway toward com
plete monopoly and domination Of
railroad matters, including freight
rates and their control, prove unsuc-
cessful. ! feel assured that could this
conference have been had, the COM
mission would have seen that so far
from the action of the Seaboard Air
Line being one which should receive
the criticism of the comm .siOn. the
commission to the extent that it could
with propriety and without impairing
that perfect impartiality which it
maIntaius toward all carriers. have an
proved of the action of the SeabOard
Air Line, instead Of giving to the pub
lie press in advance Of communication
with the Seaboard Air Line or any of
its officers the letter above referred to,
which IL calculated to create in the
public mind the impression that the
commission at least disapproves of our
course, even If it does not intend to
cast the weight of its great influence
upon the side of our adversary.
THE sEABoARD's POSITION.
confident, however, of the Justice
OF our course and of the fact that
when 1t is understood both your hon
orable commission and the public will
see that the action of the Seaboard
AIT Lane is one that is not only neces-
sary 10 preserve its rights and its abil-
lty TO compete with the Southern Rail-
way Company in this territory and
prevent that company from becoming
aOle 10 absolutely dictate it's own
terms rs To railroad matters, but is
more essential to prevent the people
~ TINS state from coming absolutely
"nser the power Of a single MONOPOLY.
with its attendant evils of interfer-
ence IN State politics, of it's attempts
70 control legislation and State Off
claiS, aud even to dictate the person.
mel ana policy Of railroad commits
sions; evils which in other States
have closely followed the control
thereln by one railway company of all
competitive lines of transportation. |
desire to hereby present to the com
mission the reasons which hav. in
duced the Seaboard Air Line to- adopt
ITS present policy, and by giving this
letter the same publicity which has
been given To your letter to me. tn l.t
the people understand the situation
which now confronts them.
u am sure that preConceived Opin-
ions which either this commission or
the people may have received in TN.
absence of hearing our side of this
matter will disappear in the light of
the full truth, and that we may count
hencefOrth upon the moral support of
both the commission and the public in
TINS great contest for commercial FREQ
dom.
a clear understanding of the merits
OF this situation and of our couduct
requires me to briefly present a state
ment OF the conditions existing when
the Seaboard Air Line system began
extending its lines into Georgia, and
OF the situation which we find exist
ing in Georgia to-day.
I'm 1856 the state of Georgia char
tered the Georgia, Carolina and Nor
thern Hallway Company for the pur-
pose OF permitting the Seaboard Air
LINE system to extend it's line from
Portsmouth, Va, to Atlanta, Ga. Mr.
John NJ. Robinson, now deceased, then
preslo"n was the moving spirit
therein, and the Seaboard and Roam
oke and Raleigh and CASTOR railroad
companies were the CORPORATIONS who