The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-23

body elected by the people and paid by the people, have prepared the fol- lowing petition, which a committee of the Bureau presented to the Consti- tutional Convention yesterday.
 ITO the Constitutional Convention and All Alabamians:
 "Some time since the Birmingham Board of Trade, the Wholesale Gro- cers' Association and the Freight Blu reau presented this petition to the Con- veention:
 We respectfully represent that whereas the Railroad Commission ap- pointed by the Governor and paid by the railroad. has proven an entire fail ure. and whereas. the shipper and consumer should have some representa- tion in the naming of rates and making < of rules by what is otherwise alien and arbitrary power: that, whereas, the ex- press. telephone. telegraph and railroad Franchises are given by the State, the power of these franchises to tax should be limited by the State. We therefore, request that your honorable body will ' give the State a commission elected and paid by the people. and place all fran chises which have power to tax, within their review"
 .They also placed a copy of letter written by Colonel Trammell, late president of the Georgia Railroad con- mission. to the president of the Texas Commission, on the desk of each mem- Der, showing the beneficial results of their commission after thirteen years trial
 Falkner's Position.
 "Without any attempt to answer either, Col. J. NJ. Falkner District At torney and political manager of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad con-
 
 nal. made general denial that the rail- road companies were abusing their un- restricted liberty to charge high local tariff. That they were not discriminat- ing against any Alabama town; that their rates in Alabama were the same as in Kentucky. Tennessee. Mississippi and Louisiana: that the Georgia rate was too low and not a proper compari- son. He further characterized the effort to place restraint upon the taxing power of the railroad as local. individ- ual and selfish. and confined to few men in Birmingham.
 He further stated that the Four teenth Amendment to the United States Constitution guaranteed the railroad company against unreasonable interference. and the employees of the railroads. some 6.20o in number. would see to it. that existing conditions were
 
 Trammell's letter was fake, spurious. etc.
 @In answer we will state that Colon el aFlkner is one of the strongest men in the State. and most ably represents the railroads interests, but when he claims that notwithstanding our con- vention and every convention of free . and even semi-free people, lays down to the utmost limit the standard of hn so gained Is to be used among and for themselves. that the company he repre- sents, though creatures of the State and gathering more taxes than all the taxes of the State combined, should have no let or hindrance in their tolls or in their conduct. should merit small courtesy, with an intelligent body met to enunciate organic laws conserving the liberty and property of the State. The unrestricted power to tax in what Iever shape has always been abused, md Colonel Falkner in claiming that the railroads of Alabama have always charged the minimum rate, and al- ways will. asserts that which any reas- unable man knows is impossible.
 There is not a State road in the State. all being interstate with foreign management. This management is valuable to the owners according to
  knows those returns will be the most and not the least that can be gotten trom the people.
 There are seven great railroad sys- leizs in Alabama, so arranged and combinSs that there is practically no Competition on local' rates, each one promulgating and collecting it's own tariffs.
 Suppose that the Convention should Atxrfd 1oh hor into xli tricts. perpetuating the tax assessor ship and collectorship in one family. all foreigners, with only some little advisory espionage as to rate and dis position and expect satisfactory re ! sults-absurd-yet Colonel Falkner claims this as the right of the fran chise corporations of Alabama.
 Tax Law Hedged About.
 "The most economical State govern ment comments itself to the people, The incentive then is to minimum tax alton. yet every Convention is so just ly afraid of humanity that tax ordin- ances are hedged within the narrowest . limits. Will any man in Alabama not 5ap ernploye of the franchised corpora fions. assert that these creatures of the State would not abuse unrestricted taxing power? Will any one state that our law constituting the Railroad Com- mission Board. has not for the past twenty years made the Board itself a failure. Is not restriction without adequate power and paid by the power to be restricted. necessarily a failure? Is not such a commission with the con- vict pardoninS recomma iation tackled on to 1t a farce and a reflection, both on officials and State? .It is claimed that the remedy should | be left to the Legislature. Any man in Alabama knows that the railroads | have proven too powerful for the Leg | islature The Mobile Register, Selma | Times. The Advertiser. Birmingham | Evening News, Sheffield Reaper. | Huntsville Mercury and other leading | papers in the State recognizing this | fact urged that one of the principle | methods of debauchery. the pass sys- tenn. be made impossible, and that the | Legislature cannot be trusted to do 1t, | The Advertiser also gives as it's reason | for opposing the election of the com- | mission by the people-that the rail- | roads to control the elections would | debauch the primaries. the ballot box and take charge of our State Conven- tions. The acknowledgment of the dominating. debauching, past history of the railroads, and the further ac- knowledgment of timidity and fear that even the people in the country precincts would be sought out and bought.
 Case of Kentucky. Il l.