Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1902-06-04
THE JOHN ALLEN CIRCUS.

S|HE so called Aberdeen Group as
NuA@gSV sociation case filed before the Iuter-
E&64l State Commerce Commission
FRaIFNEa against the NJ. & O. Railroad, was
SlHGNNA given an opportunity to air itself
Y1EYBT fully at Columbus, this state, last
~ VIZ week, where one of the Commits
sioners, Hon. John G. Clemens, opened his court to
take the evidence Thursday and Friday was con-
sumed in the hearing Of, principally, John Allen,
Of TupelO who was fortunate enough to get himself
hired as attorney by the group to bring the case
named, as their attorney.
Our readers ars already aware OF the issues in
vOlved in this controversy, which in our judgement,
can only result in Mr.. John Allen securing big at
tOrney's fee without returning to his clients any
thing more than a sore disappointment for their
trouble and money expended.
If will be remembered that couple Of years ago,
the towns OF TupelO, West Point, Aberdeen, and
Columbus obtained a concession from the railroad
for q special rate on some kinds Of freight, under
the plea that they we're competing points, that is
had other railroads, and because their merchants
desired to do Obbing business. This rate Operat-
ed seriously to the detriment Of other towns Of
equal importance, of which OkolOna was numbered,
and the railroad officials at once found themselves
against serious proposition from the other towns.
OkOlOna, Macon, Bonneville and other points which
had only the one line Of road, complained that to
give these towns lower rates and withhold the same
concessions from them was an injustice to towns
which were giving the M. s. o. all their business
while the others were naturally dividing their busi-
ness with other lines touching them. The matter
was taken up for re-adiustment by the railroad Off.
cias and as they could not afford to lower all the
other points to the same basis given to the first
towns named the rates equalized by putting all
on the same basis, at q higher rate than had been
charged the complainant in the controversy now be-
fore the Commission.
The raise in rates, or in other words, the placing
of TupelO, West Point and Aberdeen, especially on
the same rates with OkOlona caused these towns to
have serious attack Of that which is known as howl
John Allen saw an opportunity to secure good Law
fee and he at once cOunseled the dissatisfied town
and was employed to bring case before the Inter
State Commerce Commission. This was not brought
however, until after Mr. J. c. KinCannOn, a mem
Der of the Mississippi railroad commission who re-
sides at Tupeo had sought to frighten the railroad
people by making motion before the state board of
which he was member to insist upon the attorney
general bringing suit to annul the sale of the NJ &
O. railroad to the Southern. Tne frst proceeding
VI COuEScl Onab Uo 04pSCUouS as
Mr.. KincannOn was unable to get his colleagues to
see their way clear in interfering just to please the
Whims of few schemers at TupelO, West Point and
Columbus. (The facts are that very few people at
Aberdeen have taken any noticeable interest or
stock in the position taken by the group bearing
the name Of their town.
Sited to plain q, b, basis, and purged of all
the grand stand plays Of John Allen there is sim
ply this in the issue: With the low rates enjoyed
for a time, the towns Of TupelO, Aberdeen and
West Point we're able to draw little trade from
territory that has been supplied for many years by
OkolOna provided the OkOlOna merchants we're
compelled to pay q higher rate Of freight, as they
were for time. This was an injustice to OkOlOna
which the n. & 0. officials soon discovered when
their attention was directed to it, and as this town
had been paying their road direct freight than
either OF the other points named it was naturally
soon remedied OkOlOna asked only for an equita-
bic adjustment Of freight rates and this was only
afforded. Some Of our neighbors who have organ
ized themselves into an association known as the
Aberdeen group were seemingly not satisfied with
such an adjustment, and hence must stand branded
as asking for the best Of the bargain with their
neighbOrs. Because Of this position, the hearing Of
last week was finally brought on.
We have from time to time called attention to the
progress or rather the efforts made BY this Aber-
deem group. The further it is advanced, the more
every honest minded Individual must be convinced
Of the selfahness and rniairness Of those who are