The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-01

Editor The Advertiser:
 The people of Alabama are congratulat- ing themselves that the Comer-Smith de- joint debate ostensibiy pointed utterly failed of it's purpose. The people had looked forward to 1t with the expectation o bs on t they were disappointed They obtained no information in regard to the great principle of traftic and local freight rate construction. These gentlemen did not touch the real issues on single occa- sion; their debates resolved themselves into you did and you didn't" business, and the public lie is ,s:,d as much in the dark tive candidates are concerned, as they were before.
 I do not know that the two gentlemen having thrown more light on the funda. mental principles of local freight rate construction. because the question is one subject to consideration of locality, dis tance, volume of business, it's relation ship to competitive points, value to the consumer of the article transported, the rate that the producer can afford to pay and meet legitimate competition. and the amount of revenue that the railroads are to derive, by virtue of their tonnage, and also the great question that the rail- roads themselves must consider: that rates. more or less. will 1t increase the production and consumption of the article. There are very many things to be taken into consideration in arriving sidered upon the principle of right and justice, both to the producer and consum CT and the transportation lines. If this be true. is 1t safe to place the great problem in the hands of any man who assumes the reins of government with prejudic- ed mind. or with opinions already fixed and decisions made before the questions are submitted for consideration. and thnrnui0h Ia a limit. beyond which more harm will be done to the people of the State of Alabama, than benefit could be derived. These weighty problems should be fairly and impartially considered by a tribunal whose policy should be to deal justly, as between the people and the railroads.
 It has been charged that the local rates of freight demanded by the rail- roads of this State have materially re- tarded the progress and development of its enterprises and also of its general will take a period of only the last de- cadc and investigate the comparative in- crease in the production of cotton, and other agricultural interests. also the manufacturing interests of the State, you will find there is no other State in ,the Union that has made greater strides than has the State of Alabama. We will take into consideration also the commercial in- terests. and I will use Montgomery as an illustration. Ten years ago, there was not a single grocery jobber in the city or Montgomery, whose gross sales amounted to as much as a million dol- lars. Today there are several firms who sell more than a million, and some of these firms are selling million and a half and two million dollars per annum We will take into consideration also the banking interests of the State; and, 1t might be we'll to add that the results as shown by the banking interests through out out as State is very good index to the whole. its agricultural. commercial and manufacturing condition remember having seen, short while ago. compa- rativea statement of the deposits of all National banks alone In the State for a period of ten years, and each year show ed very material increase over the preceding year; No clearer insight Into be had than through its financial instl- tutions. will ask if these conditions would be possible if we. as a State. were laboring under such great disadvant- Is 1t not. on the other hand. convinc- ing evidence that we have at least a fair showing with our competitors, not only in the State of Alabama. but every where else. Then, if this be true, is 1t not unfair and unjust to endeavor to force down all local freight rates, regard less of conditions, when the results show. beyond the peradventure of doubt that they are, as rule, not oppressive, and that we are making great neadway as to the volume of business that we arc
 
 as we see 1t in Montgomery as a basis. as it is about as near the centre of the State as any other commercial city within the State, and I take for granted that if this be true of Montgomery, it is also true of every other jobbing centre within the State and, as a citizen and as a merchant of the State of Alabama. it seems to me that 1t would be practically a calamity to have violent hands laid upon the present adjustment of our commercial re- lations with the railroads, either for an advance or reduction in the rates re- gardless of the territorial conditions, and without thorough investigation as to right and justice in the readjustment of any rates which may be apparently out of line. I do not want to be misunder- stood in writing this article that I am taking the position that freight rates are, in all instances, properly adjusted at this time. I am not discussing that question at all as I am not in position to say. not having myself studied the question of rate construction in It's entirety, as ap- plicable to all parts of the State, but if there are any changes to be made, I, as a citizen of the State. and having in mind at all times a desire to see the interests of the State advanced, want to see these matters handed by men who are in a position to do so. at least with out prejudice and with justice to both sides of the question.
 There are matters aside from the ap- parent discrepancies in local freight rate adjustment that need consideration. Some of our great railway systems are