The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-02-22
JOINT DEBATE At
CITY HALL TONIGHT
Mr.. Smith and Mr.. Conner VIII
Discuss Rates
LARGE CROWD IS EXPECTED
Friends of the Twy Candidates Look
for Much More Interest Here
Than Was Shown in De-
catur and cullman.
LARGE CROWD IS EXPECTED

John " Smith, president of the railroad
commission, and B. B. Conner will meet
In joint debate tonight at s o'clock in the
city hall armory and will thrash out the
questions of freight rates for the beneht
Of the Birmingham voters. This was
scheduled to be the third meeting be-
tween these two champions on the rate
question, but as the Cullman debate fell
through on account of no audience it will
| be the second
Inc friends of Mr.. Conner are very ac-
tive and expect to have a large crowd
present to hear both sides of the question
discussed. Mr.. Smith and Mr.. Conner
have very good line on each other by
this time and it is expected that the de-
bate tonight will grow rather SALTY at
| times.
Freight Rates.
Mr. Conner claims that the local freight
sents a table showing that they are so
per cent higher than those in Georgia.
Mr.. Smith has disputed the correctness
of this assertion and Mr.. Conner has ex-
planned that the 80 per cent increase re-
ferred to the figures and articles mem
toned on the card. He claims, however,
that on all other articles the average rate
is about 40 per cent.
Mr. Smith presents table which shows
that the rate to consumers from outside
cities is cheaper in Alabama than in
Georgia. While he admits that the local
rates are somewhat higher he shows that
the interests rate is much lower than that
in Georgia and by making a deduction
from the whole a merchant living forty
miles away from Birmingham can get a
barrel of flour or other article shipped
to him from Louisville or ST. Louis for
less than the merchant living fifty miles
out of Atlanta. Ga.
Lowe and KoIb.
1t is probable that Robert j. Lowe and
Captain r. f. Kolb, the other tv-) eandi-
dates for the presidency of the commits
sion, will be present to hear the argu-
ment. They are not doing any public
speaking but are working quietly
throughout the state.
A friend of Mr.. Lowe from Decatur
said last night that the failure of the
joint dbate to draw a crowd in that city
meant that Mr.. Lowe had more strength
there than either of the other candidates.
and he expressed the opinion that Morgan
county would go for Lowe by a large ma
| jority.
The Culman meeting was not adver-
tised locally and that is given as a rea :
son for the crowd not being sufficiently
large to draw an audience to hear joint
debate. 1t is believed that the crowd
tonight will be sufficiently large for the
two speakers to exert themselves
1t is likely that Mr.. Conner will open
the debate in speech of one hour and
that Mr.. Smith will follow in one hour
and thirty minutes. Mr.. Conner will then
close in thirty minutes.
AS the movement for an elective COM
mission was started by Birmingham mer-
chants under the leadership of Mr. Conner
and the shippers organization is SUD-
porting Mr.. Conner in the present race
it is expected that great interest will De
manifested in the arguments. Though
none of the audience asked questions At
Decatur it is likely that a number Of
queries will be propounded to the speak,
ers tonight.