The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-05
OPEN LETTER.

Mir. John V. Smith, President of the Rail-
 road Commission of Alabama:
 Dear Sir-1 have carefully read your communication published in The Mont- gomery Advertiser of 2t5h ult. Living as do. in town that has for Years suf- discriminatlons in freight charges, and knowing the same injustice Is done all. over the State to the injury of the small towns, induces me to say something that l feel should be said in the interest of the people.
 If you. your commission, has the power conferred on it by law: as you say, why is have mentioned the sections in the Code which you say. confers on your Commits sion the right to exercise certain func- ters above mentioned are of course, very material and of the greatest importance. but there are other powers and duties conferred upon the Commission still more material, and of greater importance to the public than any of these viz, the tariff which the public has to pay for the transportation of freight and passen- gers"
 You say that you can demonstrate that the power of the Commi sion as to the matter of tariff Is absolute and manda- tory. You refer to Sec. 3491 and I find il said section this Language: If any such charge is more than just compCn- sation for the service or amounts to unjust discrimination against any par
 
 Commission) shall notify the party mak- ing the same of the changes necessary to reduce the rate to just compensation, or to avoid unjust dlscrimina ion" Now the question, what does. your Commis- sion regard as unjust discrimination By what rule are you governed? Is 1t, in the judgment of the Commission un- just discrimination to subject one locality 10 pay higher rate per mile, than is exacted of some other locality on the same road? Is 1t not an unjust discrimi- n ff,c c,,hi ono n htDhnr freight rate for a sholtsr naul than is required of some other locality for a longer haul? If you agree with the writer that in eases just named, it would be unjust discrimination. then the question arises In the public mind: why does not the Commission correct roads, that justice may be done the pub lie, in giving to every locality in the State just and equitable rates?
 You may be ready to say as did MT. Falkner some time since, that the rail- roads do not discriminate against any To- caity in the State. If you entertain such an opinion 1t must be accounted Tor on the ground of your ignorance of the rates charged. I will give you a few of the unjust discriminations against my town, and 1 am informed the same prevails all over the State. with perhaps only one ex- ception. l speak of the rates in force a few months ago.
 Flour shipped from Louisville, Ky. to Montgomery. 49O miles, 40 cents per bar
  26 cents per barrel. Thus you see Mont gomery pays only cents more for 490 mile haul than Troy pays for a 52 mile haul. In other words Montgomery Troy pays about sGven-tenths cent per mile which is seven times as much per mile. This 36 cents from Montgomery to Troy Is local freight added to the through freight to Montgomery. and l am inform ed this local freight rate over Alabama roads is fixed at Louisville, Ky, If your charges in Alabama. then why claim to have such powers? What right has parti es of other States to fix local rates for Ala bama? Freight charges on sugar from New Orleans to Montgomery. 390 miles. is 70 cents per 100 pounds; from New Or leans to Columbus. Ga. 4l5 miles, 9 cents per 100 pounds; from New Orleans to Eufagla' Ala SSU mIles mr5e S t eGpts ns,i per Ala, 9S6 miles, 2S cents per 100 pounds; from New Orleans to Troy: Ala. SI2 miles. 46 cents per 100 pounds. Now. Is crimination against Troy? You see Troy pays double the rate paid by Columbus, Eufaula and Opelika; notwithstanding Troy has to pay 26 cents additional per hundred from Montgomery to Troy, while the other towns named only pay cents additional over the same road. Is not this a discrimination that should be corrected by the Commission?
 You may say Troy merchants ought to make COmDldlnl l up Ilol So uiluSl Section 349l. Said section makes it the duty of the Commission to carefully consider and revise all tariff charges and if in their judg- ment the charges are more than just Cumpensation. or amount to unjust dis trimination. then the Commission should see to it that the rate is reduced.
 If your Commission has the power to revise tariff Charg s and fail to do so, or if the Commission has not the power m der the law to revise freight charges so as to prcvo nt unjust discrimination, then in ether event the Commission is of lit- Il, usc to the people.
 Fr,ight charges on phosphate rock shipped from Charleston through Troy over the Midland Railroad to Moutgom- cry is less than the rate to Troy, not wi,hstandirg Troy Is ttty-two miles the shorter haul. With the prescott svStem of freight charges Troy pays more than Montgomery, both for the long and the short haul. either direction.
 It seems to me that the business of the Commission Is to correct the SC abuses. and if 1t has not the power or the will nngnosS to do SO, then the Commission Is of little or no use to the people
 We do not complain that Montgomery, Opflilla. Eufaula md few other locAl- ities get tow rates of freight but We dO complain that the railroads are allowed to discriminate against at least three fourths of the people of the State in the