The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-16

lion. four hundred and sixty-nves thou
 sand sand four hundred and thirty-ssvep
 sonal injuries; . total for these two items alone of Sse. .is0, ,5s3 paid annuai@
 " by the railroads, which. togethsf wlsn ali other expensss. etc., they must cent of dividend. and 1t is estiinate6 that the railroads In 1904 win pay ye0,- voO,ooo taxes. or nearly 10 per cent Of
 tneir net earnings to the severai 9tates ,ogically: therefore. that every unjust burden laid upon the railroads in- creases the cost of transportation and nhnns ansmes ,s ail the more difhcuit to brins
 have always believed in reasonable sovernmental supervision of the rail- Ioads. Tn my judgment, 1t 10 not only q snn necessity. y. but has become . a.fixture In
 ieve also that damages should be awarded in every case where justice demands. and that the burdens of tax shared by the railroads with the people or the several Statea but 1 have never had any sympathy with. or respect for that opinion and feeling that corpora denied the right of equal protection under the law. An enlightened public sentiment should uphold the railroads m every legitimate effort to upbufid the country. and restrain them only rom acts Of oppression and abuse of It is automatic that the prosperity or railroads and tho prosperity of the people are interdcpendenf: in the in- serest sor or & self -preservation: therefore. If road managers are constantly being directed towards upbuilding the coun- sry. they could not hope to lessen their burdens or increase their revenue by tnrottiing enterprises; such course would be suicidal if effective.
 | The dispositfons which has become a | mania. Tn some communities. Co war upon and denouncs railroads, is found
 very principles which uuderiie the coa-
 struction of all industrial enterprises.
 However much we may carp upon tho
 so-called oppression of the people by
 the railroads, the stubborn fact re-
 now. and will continue to be the great est civilizcrs and benefactors the world
 It Is obvious to everythinkins mind that when in a conscientious study of kthis question conservatism shall sisper- Icede prejudice. passton and radicaltsyu, many of the tmagiusry evils of the railroad situation will disappear under
 eouslss uuas1 snt ,ss Ss ,nsce
 It should be borne In mind that rail- road corporations are not only common Icarriers. but the owners of road- bcds. and equipment. common error into
 which many who are prone to consider
 transportation rates too high fali. Is the error Of dtBregarding the cost of
 railroads and considering only the sx- tpense of transportation from one poine
 to another: the immense cost of con-
 struction. operation and maintenance,
 fixed charges. etc, are utterly lost sight Irates.
 In the exercise of the powers which fhA aT YwfA \ &a,.. Iconferred upon you, 1t should never be forgotten as a plain business propo-
 sition. that when the cost of transpor-
 tation is placed below that point which will yield the railroads c fair and gust return upon their real value, then the
 inevitable result will follow that the railroads will either so out of exist
 ence or pass Into the hands of recelv-
 and Federal Government to exercise the power necessary to prevent abuses. correct unjust discrimination, reduce the cost of transportation and improve
 the service, yet It should never reach
 that point which would result in op- pression instead of fair and just su- lpervision.
 I may be pardoned for saying that in many of the discussions, both oral
 and written. looking. to improvement these great facts are wholly ignored and policies advanced with such reck- less disregard to tho rights of the rail- roads as would be destructive of all development and ruinous to the pros perity of our country. Canals should be dug. rivers made navigable, and additional railroads built whenever and wherever necessity demands. Above all things, the public roads should be improved, so that our rural districts
 will be built up. thrive. and keep pace with modern advancement, and, indeed no efforts should be spared which tends
 in the remotest degree to develop the marvellous resources of our great coun- try. Let us, therefore, encourage al existing enterprises. build up new ones. and expend our surplus energies in the glorious work of peacefully, en- ergeticalIy and harmontously working
 out the destiny of the American peo' pie.
 The convention adjourned until to- morrow morning at 9:3e o'clock. when Icommittees will make reports and dis lcussions will be heard. This afternoon the delegates were taken to Ensley and shown the steel works. The trip tc Mexico starts Thursday and will be vis
 Montgomery. Pensacola, Mobile and New Orleans. A special train bearing the delegates to the convention arrived this morning from St. Louis over the Louisville and Nashville Railroad.
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