The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-13

adjustment of freight rates, they would necessarily be forced to reduce their ex- pense account by a reduction in the price of labor and impair facilities for hand ling passengers and freight, and. if man who is prejudiced against the railroads is to pass upon the question as to the amount of revenue the railroads must be content to receive, and who has his mind already made up as to the policy to be pursued regardless of the results, then there is no telling what unreasonable rates he might insist upon putting into effect. 1 insist we should elect only those who are fairmnided and thus in a posi- tion to deal justly with all interests in volved.
 The distributing points and jobbing centres of the state of Alabama, 1 fear
 are making a very serious mistake, if they are advocating extreme measures and proposing to vote for extreme men to carry out their views in regard to the readjustment of local freight rates in the state of Alabama. l have only to re- quest you to investigate little as to the conditions in the state of Georgia today
 Where the railroads have felt that in-
 justice has been done them in the adjust ment of their local rates, they have never failed to increase the interstate rates to distributing points, in order to offset the loss of revenue by virtue of reduction in local rates. This is a ques- ton that cannot be dealt with by the Alabam railroad commission. and I will ask where Is the producer. the consumer or the merchant to be benefited by an unreasonable readjustment of local rates
 The railroads have expended millions of dollars within the state of Alabama mak- ing Improvements and extensions, placing the distributing points within easy ac- cess to all parts of the state, and they are entitled, as much so as any other industry or enterprise. to a fair return
 upon the investment As I said above if you will consider the interstate rates, you will find that Alabama enjoys today
 less rate from the west and the north
 west than does the state of Georgia, and yet we are told that interstate rates
 are not to be considered in this cam pagn.
 This is an unfair and erroneous state
 ment of the case Whether or not we
 want to consider them, they force them
 selves upon us, and if any one doubts 1t
 let him investigate as I have suggested
 above; the through rates or interstate rates to the distributing points in the state of Alabama, as compared with the through rates to distributing points in the state of Georgia. Now add the local
 rates from such common. or basing
 points to the local points, and in almost every instance, on western products, such as flour, meat and grain and grain products, upon which our agricultural interests are almost entirely dependent, Alabama has the advantage over Geor- gia and othr states In the southeastern territory, would show even q greater disadvantage than does our own state, ! but I refer to Georgia especially, as the local rates in Georgia seem to be the basis upon which most of the arguments
 so far have been made but very little has been said about the relative differ nces in ara, population, etc. This being 1 true, why advocate such radical action as some of our friends are doing today? Why should the present railroad com mission be condemned for not accomplish ing results prior to this time, when they have so recently been placed in posi-
 ton where they could do anything? Are
 we to condemn them without trial? Have there been any cases brought be-
 fore these people since they have had
 the power, that have not been impartially considered Now. l don't mean to say they have not made decisions which did not suit everybody, but 1 mean to ask if they have made decisions, were they not
 based upon right and justice, after a thorough investigation of all the condi- tions surrounding each and every com plaint. We are prone to argue the ques- tion from only one point of view, failing to take into consideration that the rail-
 roads have certain rights and privileges,
 and are entitled to derive fair return
 for the service performed We must not lose sight of the fact that the railroads are a great factor in the upbuilding ana advancement of our commonwealth, and we should not without thorough inves- tigation of each complaint, rule against them, and force them to make indiscrim- mate reductions in their revenue, for be- yond certain point, such course will