The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-11
IA REFORM IS NEEDED IN
 FIXING OF FREIGHT RATES
Effort to Secure Relief From a Taxing Power That Has No ReStrainf- Alabama,
 Georgia and Mississippi.

Judge Spencer R. Atkinson. appeared in The Atlanta Constitution sept. 2S, 1901. in reply to Col J. M. Falkner: l nrecent criticism of the Georgia railroad law by Capt. J. NJ. Ealkner of Alabama. has called forth masterly | reply from Judge Spencer R. Atkinson, one of the members of the State Rail- | road Commission:
 The occasion for Capt. Falkner's at- | tack was furnished by the action of the Board of Trade of Birmingham, calling for the abolition of the present commission law of Alabama. and the substitution therefor of the Georgia law. Capt. Falkner. as the Alabama | attorney for the Louisville and Nash vile road. opposes this. and in doing | so. made this declaration:
 | "Is 1t a fact that the railroad com mission law of Georgia is satisfactory to both the railroads and the people. | as has been asserted? It is we'll known fact that for long time the Central Railroad and Banking Com. pany of Georgia was the pride of the people of that State. Under the benefi- cent CD operation of the Georgia ] Railroad Commission law. however. that magnificent railroad property passed out of the control of the people of that State. and that great institu- tion. which was doing so much toward | the development of the resources of this great State. has long since passed l through the hands of receivers and in- to the hands of other people. And, through the operation of this law. practically all other railroads in that State have gone though the same try | ing ordeal"
 | And again:
 Under the Georgia law the manage ment of the railroad properties is prac- tically taken out of the hands of the men. who own the railroads. and whose duty 1t Is to serve the public. Expert | ence shows that in Georgia and other States. where there Is mandatory
 commission law, the railroads spend
 just as little money in betterment. etc.,
 as possible; while in this State it is well-known fact that a larger per-
 centage of the earnings of the rail-
 roads is spent for betterments and improving their tracks and equipment
 than probably in any other State, until
 today we can boast of having as good
 railroads with as good equipment as
 almost any other State in the Union. v
 Judge Atkinson's Reply.
 Judge Spencer R. Atkinson. of the
 Georgia Railroad Commission was
 seen at his office. and shown MT. Falk-
 ner's letter, and asked for an expres-
 sion of his views upon it. so far as the
 criticisms upon the operation and et-
 feet of the Georgia Railroad Commis-
 sion law were concerned. In reply he
 said:
 The people of Georgia. as you have
 perhaps observed, have a habit of set tling their own problems in their own
 way, and I have no inclination to be- | tV1ry Al ir yIh p6
 relates exclusively to the interests oi
 the people of Alaba ma and which
 doubt not they. will be able to settle ir ? manner entirely satisfactory to them
 selves"
 Inasmuch however. as the interview seems to call in question the wisdom
 of the adoption by the people of this . State the system of governmental con- trol and regulation of railroad proper ties. which Is now of force here. ar6
 inasmuch as the gentleman whose views are there expressed. seems to as } cribe most. if not all. the ills. which ot late years have befallen railroad prop. l, critics in that State to the operation
 of our Railroad Commission law. will be pardoned. if I take the liberty o stating a few facts as deals with that particular question.
 , Early Prophecies of Evil. When in the wear 1880 this State in. augurated its present system of reglI. lating and controlling the railroad [ corporations. which A'd been created bv it's General Assembly, neonle vert not wanting. who pronhesied all man ner of evil as the inevitable result o' the new order of things. It was as serted with ahounding confidence by . nanv oF those interested in and own.
 ine railroad properties that this fata < eten marked the beginning Of the end 9 that the neople of GeorgiG -had sAer r the last dollar of capital. foreign or do l mestic< that would seek investment 1T f railroad properties in Georgia; that th' l value of railroad nroperties and SC ' c'Irities would shrink: that season O l universal etapuation in business Woulr eat in and if vas only question Q l time when the State would die of dr, = rot.
 The Truth of the Matter. ? Strangely enough. none of these d'rA : fnl forebodiEgs were ever realized s Even the Central Railroad & Pa 1','~t t "Hr'nanv oe Georpia dascrihed hv M- t Faikner as magnificent rropertv ] which under the benefrent (o> ooera i ''on oF tho C.ooreia RaiI~ood Commis r sion law finally passed from the con