The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-11
THE GEORGIA RAILROAD LAW
Its Superiority Over the Alabama
 System Shown.


 The Atlanta Constitution of Sept. 23, 1899. published the following editorial under the head "The Georgia Railroad Law"
 Some current criticisms of the rail- road law of Georgia. notably one made by Captain Falkner of Alabama, de- serve attention in order to dissipate the errors. which have led to them.
 With the campaign now in progress in Alabama over the amending or her railroad laws we have nothing to do' but when Georgia is placed upon the witness stand, we have the right to ln- sist that her testimony as to railroad control shall not be garbled, and that her experience in the management of railroad policies shall be faithfully pre- sented. As full evidence of the sue cess of the Georgia law, the Constitu- tion sought, and presents elsewhere. the views of Judge Spencer R. Atkin- son of the Georgia Railroad Commits sion.
 As will be seen, Captain Falkner was most unfortunate in nSs reference to the Central Railroad collapse. For over twelve years under the operation of the commission the securities of that company continued to advance in price and the must perfect harmony existed between the stockholders and the State. The disaster. which hefell that company afterwards, as is known to all, came through commercial move ments, with which the State had noth- ing to do, and in which one of the finest properties in the Union was des- troyed The fault in this case was that the Railroad Commission was not vested with even greater power, so that 1t could have intervened and saved minority stockholders from the greed of those who had them in their power
 Georgia stands today as one of the few States In the Union in which there is perfect accord between the people and the railroad mana gements-a re suit due to the perfect law under which the railroad corporations are held in line So just has the Commission been to the railroads that not even one of them suggests a change in the law; so satisfactory is the work of the Com mission that all the railroads are pay ing dividends. improving roadbed and rolling stock and so satisfacto is the general result that there exists in Georgia today no movement to disturb the peace of the people. Above all so apparent have these effects been that the Georgia law has become the pattern for other States in the Union. which have substantially adopted it's pro visions.
 The importance of the path thus beaten out by the State of Georgia is now recognized by wise railroad managers all over the country. There are no longer any advocates of the theory that a railroad is private property. to be managed solely in the interests of it's owners. It is public enterprise. exercising public functions though under private managements but that management must answer the public demands and requirements We have reached the period of either gov ernment control or government owner ship. Georgia has taught the lesson that government control is the prefera ble policy. and that 1t can be exercised without injury to private rights. As proof of this last statement not an act of the Georgia Railroad Com mission has ever been questioned by either the Courts the railroads. or the public. It stands as the one body ir the State. whose work is perfect 50 much for Georgia. May Ala bama do as we Adv