The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-08-13
STOP THIS UNHoLY ANTI-RAILRoAD

STOP THIS UNHoLY ANTI-RAILRQAD
WAR.
Montgomery Journal.
Nothing has occurred in Alabama for
many years so calculated to injure the
States welfare as the present attack OF
a few Birmingham politicians against the
railroad interests of Alabama.
The Journal is gratifed to note tnat
the conservative press of Alabama, as IN
dicated by extracts reproduced In other
columns of this issue. is, as rule, frown-
ing upon this crusade against the rail-
roads.
If there were merit in the contention
of these gentlemen who are conducting
this warfare, II would not be necessary
for them to resort to constant misrepre-
sentation, as they are doing. They are
sending out circulars, quoting what pur-
ports to he the rates on certain commod-
tiles in Georgia, as compared with rates
on the same commodities in Alabama.
Colonel Falkner. in his able address
to the people of Alabama" completely
refutes these charges. by showing that
these gentlemen are quoting the stand
ard rates in Georgia as against the high
est rates charged in Alabama. AS stated
by Colonel Falkner, the so-called stand
ard rates in Georgia only apply on three
lines the mileage of which is unimport-
ant, and all other roads IN Georgia charge
from 10 to 50 per cent. increase over such
standard rates" Yet these gentlemen
have the audacity to assert that the
standard" rates in Georgia prevail
throughout that State. Nothing is far
Their from the facts.
The thinking people of Alabama cannot
be deceived by such statements. They
will investigate for themselves, and up
erat there
is no Discrimination against Alabama.
Colonel Falkner has asserted most pos
itiveIy that the rates charged by the
Louisville and Nashville Railroad Com
pany are the same in Alabama, Louisiana,
Mississippi Tennessee, Kentucky and all
other States South of the Ohio River.
No one can deny this statement, although
by inuendo, the gentlemen conducting this
warfare are attempting to leave diff
ferent impression.
New York, Massachusetts and Ohio, and
most of the wealthiest and most progress
i've States in the Union have an appoint
i've commission. the same as ours. There
are only sixteen States in the Union hav-
ing an elective Commission. Thirteen
most prosperous States have no Commits
sion at all.
1t is asserted that our Commission lacks
power. Show us an instance in which our
Commission has denied a petition by rea-
son of lack of power, and we will show
you in reply that in every such instance
the subject-matter of the complaint relat-
ed to an interstate matter. or some mat
ter over which no State Commission
whether elective or appointive) could by
any possibility nave jurisdiction. Our
Commission has never denied a petition
properly coming before it. for want OF
power The whole secret of this attack.
aside from the candidacy of some of these
anti-railroad leaders for Railroad Com
missioner, Is due to the fact that the
Commissioners who have filled these Of
fees in the past have been conservative
men, who would not do injustice to the
railroads by making orders which would
amount to a confiscation of the railroad
properties
Let us not put the railroads and the
Railroad Commissioners into politics.