The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-01
Rates Discussed
 by WE. Vandiver

|, finding their present facilities utterly in- adequate to meet the demands of the in other sections of ni the sonn try, destined to points within the State, or passing through the State. Some of them should be double-tracked in a great Consideration at the hands of the people of the State, for there can be no doubt as to the policy of double-tracking rail- roads where there is a congestion of traffic. for more reasons then one, In the first place, 1t gives the consignees their freights very much more promptly and, secondly, it decreases the risk to life and property. The system of ad- claims should be looked into and steps taken to facilitate such adjustments
 These matters are as important of con sideration as is the question of freight
 We also must not overlook the fact that we want labor well paid in this section of the country. The cry from the laboring man today is for better pay, Is a great amount of money expended yearly in this State by the railroads to their laborers and employees, which money in turn is spent in the State. Would you country with the railroad people by re- ducing their revenues? They would not be able to advance the pay of their laborers; on the other hand, were their
 
 adjustment of freight rates. they would necessarily be forced to reduce their expense account by reduction in the price or labor and impair facilities for handling passengers and freight, and, If man who is prejudged against the railroads is to pass upon the question as to the amount of revenue the rail- roads 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 elect only those who are fairminded and thus in position to deal justly with all interests involved.
 The distributing points and jobbing centres of the State of Alabama, l 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. I have only to re- quest you to investigate a 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 question that cannot be dealt with by the Alabama Railroad Commission, and I will ask where is the producer, the con- sumner or the merchant 10 pc DenenLeU by an unreasonable readjustment of local rates. The railroads hays expended millions of dollars within the State of Alabama making improvements and ex- tensions, placing the d'strinuting poinsts State, and they arc entitled, as much so as any other industry or enterprise. to a fair return upon the investment. As interstate rates. you will find that Ala bana enjoys today. less rate rom the West and the Northwest. than does the State of Georgia. and yet wa are told that interstate rates are not to be considered in this campaign. This is an unfair and erroneous statement of the case. Whether or not we want to consider them, they force themselves up- on us, and if any one doubts it, 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 passing points to the local points. and in almost every in- stance, on Western products such as flour, meat and grain and grain products. upon which our agricultural interests are almost entirely dependent AlabaI11a has the advantage over Georgia, and other States, in the southeastern territory would show even greater disadvantage than does our own State, but. 1 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 differences in area, popula- tion etc. This being 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 accom- pIishing results prior to this time, when they have so recently been placed in position 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 impartial ly considered. Now don't mean to say they have not made decisions which did not suit everybody, but I 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 pro:e 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 a fair return for the service performed. We must not lose sight of the fact that the railroads are a great factor in the upbuildinx and advancement of our commonwealth and We should not. without thorough inves- tigation of each complaint, rule against them, and force them to make indiscrin- mate reductions in their revenue, for be- yond certain point such a course will undoubtedly react, and prove a menace to our onward march of prosperity
 w. F VandfveP