The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-27

| charges of ordinations that have been
| made by Mr., Conner and his associates we
| do not hear one word of complaint from
a consumer. but only from a few men
who are engaged in trade and traff1c, and
| 1t is not an unreasonable assertion that
IL freight rates in Alabama should be
materially reduced at the instance OF
these gentlemen that the dffYerefces
would be put into their pockets. and not
one particle OF benefit would be reaped
by the consumer. They make a false
claim when they assert that THEY are
the people.
II we are to have laws for the govern
ment of the railroads in this State differ
emit from those by which every other
species Of property Is governed then the
offices created for the purpose of govern
ing these properties which now amount
to more than fifty million dollars in value
should not be MERE political Offices to
be filed by mon without regard to their
qualifications or fitness. and who would
be liable to be the partisan of the rail-
road on one SIDE or the shipper on the
other, but they should be selected in ac-
cordance with their fitness and dualiflca-
lions for the duties which they are to.
perform, and should be free from bias or
party partisanship.
But II the railroads are to be governed
by mere administrators selected By q
party primary, or a convention, as the
case may be, with DICTATORIAL pow
ers as prayed for by Mr.. Conner and aasos
ciates, with no rule to guide them. ex-
eept their own whim or caprice. and with
no. other qualifications except the fact
that they have been able to secure q ma-
jority of the votes polled, It needs no
spirit of prophecy to tell that these great
arteries of trade and commerce will be
materially reduced in efficiency, their
values will be decreased. and a cores
ponding decrease will result to all prop
critics touched by them.
1t cannot be for the best interest OF the
people of Alabama that these great prop.
critics should be thus jeopardtxed. The
railroads ask for no special favorS nor
to be exempted from any burdens borne
by any other species of property IN the
state. There is no class Of property so
difficult to handle as railroads. There Ii
no business or industry requiring go much
capital that earns a smaller per cantage
on its investment. There Is no business
SO sensitive or that realizes quicker the
| expansion or contraction Of cornnaercA.
and the management Of every railroad
must be ever on the alert to meet new
| conditions as they arise. without regard
| to whether these conditions result from
| expansion or contraction of the business
l world No government will act wisely IN
| making any SET OF men, InOugh tney nau
the wisdom of Solomon the general man
ayers and traffic managers of ALI the
roads in the State. thereby taking the
control of these vast properties away
from those who own the same. Itseeuld
not be best for the people. nor for the
railroads. The best services to the peo-
pie could not be obtained under such con-
ditions.
Regardless Of what action the Begis-
lature may take in the interest Of the
people, 1t would be the grossest folly to
turn over these great properties to the
control Of the men who areenow agitat-
ing these questions and whose desire 10
TO enrich their own pockets at the ex-
pense Of all the other people in the
state.
Many railroads are being built in Ala
bama today Facilities are being extend
ed to the people which were never en-
loved by them before and there can be
no good reason urged why these improve
ments shall not continue until every cit
lzen of Alabama shall enjoy reasonable
transportation facilities.
ZOO ~ j. M. Falkner,
District Attorney L. & N. r. r. CO., for
the State OF Alabama. Advt.