The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-24
shut the stable Door.

/
The Morning News has opposed hostile
! railroad agitation ever since the days in
I which it was the favorite pastime of the
| general assembly to legislate against the
! Central railroad and try to prevent it
| from being more than a local road. The
Morning News opposed that great railroad
| nagging and marrying Institution, the rail
! road commission. and it urophesied what
came to pass namely, the wrecking of the
old railroad corporations and their stock
holders. The railroad commission helped
to bankrupt the old Atlantic and Gulf
road, now part of the Plant system, and
it also aided materially in putting the Cen
trail in the hands Of a receiver.
In the days prior to the commission, the
Georgia railroads were controlled by the
citizens Of the state and their managers
were within reach of home public seud-
ment. If they did not do right they were
quickly brought up, with a round turn, by
public condemnation. The men, women
and children Of the state owned the prop
critics, and the public interest directed the
policy of their management. But the peo-
pie of Georgia are no longer the owners
of the railroads. The efforts of manipulat-
ors have been effective. The railroad com
panies are now "soulless corporations in
truth. Their present owners have no local
or state interests. Their sole aim is to get
what money they can out of their invest
ments.
While this is true, 1t is also true that the
owners OF the roads are entitled to pro-
lection under the law from other manipu-
lators, for the reason, If no other, that
still further manipulation, and perhaps
wrecking, would only inJure innocent par
ties and benefit nobody except a few law
yers and court officials. Two wrongs do
not make a right. 1t is Impossible 10
build prosperity by continually harrasslng
and occasionally overturning the agencies
of progress.
Ex-Gov. Northern. as noticed in the
Morning News of yesterday, has express
ed himself in no uncertain language
against the attempt to throw the Southern
into the hands of a receiver The ex-gov-
ernor few years ago was a farmers alli-
ance leader. He must necessarily, there
fore, have been a worker against the rail-
roads. We do not recall his record in this
line. but suppose on general principles
that since the farmers alliance was an
anti-railroad organization, he must have
been directly in the same line. 1t APP
pears that his mind Las undergone a
change. He is now convinced that the
railroads are doing more for the upbuild-
ing and development of the state than the
state. through Its general assembly. Is do
ing for itself! .lr
Judge Speer, in letter to the attorneys
who are prosecuting the present suit to
place the Southern in the hands of a re-
ceiver, says for various reasons he does
not think it is the. proper time to begin
the action. The letter of the Judge will be
received by the public with thanks
Gov. Atkinson has also interposed a
check upon the railroad nagging and
wrecking business His action receives
the sanction of the masses, who are pleas
ed to note the quality of his backbone.
There has been change of sentiment
with regard to railroads. Many people are
reaching the conclusion that it is better
to shut the stable door even at this late
day, Notwithstanding the horse has been
stolen; there may remain some feed in the
oft and forage in the crib.