The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-03

roads in Alabama. and should not be- Not all the roads are operated under the same conditions, and therefore 1t is in- possible for some of the reads to trans port freight at the same rate that other roads are able to do 1t. It is a fact that the rates charged by the Louisville ds Nashville Railroad Company on its lines In Alabama are the same that is charged on its lines in Kentucky. Tennessee Mis- sissippL and all other states south of the Ohio river, and it Is not true that Georgia or any other southern state enjoys better or cheaper transportation facilities fhin the people of Alabama.
 Alas, Poor Birmlnghaml
 There is no more prosperous city in tha south than Birmingham. There Is not a city or county in the south that has made more rapid growth in wealth than the city of Birmingham and the county of Jefferson during the last twenty-five years The growth and prosperity in Alabama is not confined either to Bir- mingham or Jefferson county. Taxable values have increased in every county and town through which the railroads run in this State.
 But notwithstanding this growth and prosperity on the part of the people. there have been many years when the results Of the operations of the railroads have not permitted any dividends being paid to their stockholders. For a period of four years prior to June l, 1898, no divi- dends were declared by the Louisville 6 Nashville Railroad Company, and for period of five years up to a compara- lively short time ago, all employees of the Louisville Nashville Railroad were compelled to work under a reduction of wages from 10 to 20 per cent. in order to keep that property going. and 1t has only been about two years and a half since their wages were restored
 The salaries and wages paid to rail- road men in Alabama are higher and greater than in many of the states. and there is not a state in the Union of an equal number of inhabitants where the transportation services are better than in Alabama. There are now about 25,0O0 men employed by the railroads in this State; and on the Louisville & Nashville railroad alone there are 6500 employees in Alabama, to whom is paid out annually three and half million dollars. There Is no species of property in Alabama that pays out as great percentage of its gross earnings for the cost an mainte- nance and working the property es rail- roads.
 For the year ending June 90, 1902. the percentage of its gross earnings. paid out by the Louisville & Nashville railroad for the cost of maintenance and operating
  and just in proportion as the Louisville & Nashville and other railroads in Ala bama have grown, so has the State grown.
 No Complaint Except From MT. com-
 CT and Associates.
 It Is a singular fact that amidst all the charges and criminations that have been made by Mir. Conner and his associates we do not hear one word of complaint from a customer, but the complaints come only from few men who are en- gagged in trade and traffic. It is not un- reasonable to assume, therefore, that if freight rates in Alabama should be ma terially reduced at the instance of these gentlemen, the difference would be to put into their pockets, and not ono particle or benefit would be reaped by the consum- CT. They make false claim when they assert that they are the people.
 If we are to have laws for the gov ernment of railroads in this State differ ent from those by which every other species of property is governed, then the offices created for the purpose of gov erning these properties, which now amount to more than fifty million dollars in value, should not be mere political offices to be filled by men without re- gard to their qualifications or fitness, and who would be liable to be the parti- san of the railroad on one side. or the shipper on the other. but they should be by reason of their fitness and for the duties which they have to perform, and should be free from bias or party partisanship.
 But if the railroads are to be governed by mere administrators selected by a party primary, or a convention, as the case may be, with dictatorial powers as prayed for by MT. Conner and associates, with no rule to guide them. except their own whim caprice. and with no other qualifications except the fact that they the votes boiled, 1t needs no spirit Of to tell that these great arteries Of trade and commerce will oe materially reduced in efficiency, their values will be decreased, and corresponding de- crease will result to ell properties touch ed by them.
 It cannot be for the best interests of the people of Alao oama that these great properties should be thus jeopardized The railroads ask for no special favors, nor to be exempted from any burdens borne by any other species of property Tn the state There Is no class of prop erty 80 difficult to handle as railroads. There IS no business CT industry requiring so much capital that earns smaller per- centage cn the investment. There is no business so sensitive, or that realizes quicker the expansion or contraction of cotIiiherce, ana the management Of every railroad must be ever alert to meet new conditions as they arise. without regard to whether these conditions result from expansion or contraction of the rasiness world. No government will act wisely in making any set of men. though they had the wisdom of Solomon. the general managers and traffic managers of all the roads in the state, thereby taking control of these vast properties away fro m those who own the same If couId not be best for the people. nor for the I ailroacs. The bes- service to the people could rot be obtained under such condi- tions.
 Regardless or what action the legisla- ture may take in the interest of the peo- pie, 1t would be the grossest folly to turn over these great properties to the con-