The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-04-10
M'|NNIS DECLARES
Conner is NOT FIT
tx-PreSident of the Mississippi
Commission Speaks Out
Conner VERY DANGEROUS
|. 0. Melnnis. After Serving as Com
missioner in Sister State, Gives
Reasons Why Conner Should
Be Defeated.
Conner VERY DANGEROUS

Mr.. John d. McInnis. former president
of the railroad commission of Mississippi,
was in Birmingham yesterday and N
speaking of the race for the railroad com
missionership, said:
1T IA natural that I should be inter-
ested in an election in Alabama. l was
born and reared in the state and lived in
the Black Belt until after its redemption
from radical rule, and In that redemption
took an active part. Since then my res
idence has been in East MIssissippi; so
close to the borders of the state that
have kept in close touch with my old
friends. Besides this, Mississippi and
West Alabama are so closely allied n
business interests that one cannot be hurt
without more or less injury TO the other.
II believe that the election of Mr. Conner
will be hurtful to both states; | have said
so to my friends who can vote and do
not mind giving my reasons for this be
lief. 1 have served eight years upon the
Mississippi commlssion-four years as its
president-and I state positively that Mr..
Corners contention that benefits must
arise from a reduction In simple mercan-
tile rates is wrong in toto. The reductions
that count are those which will enable
agricultural and mechanical producers to
place their products in all markets of the
world in competition with other products
All of these rates are Interstate and II
wisely adjusted 1t must be done by con-
ferences between interested communities
and the managers of Interstate railroads
Must Be Unbiased.
I'm this work the state commission can
be of infinite service. but only in its ca
pacity of unbiased friendllness to both
sides 1t certainly has no legal right In
the premises.
Mr.. Corners statement as to what will
be his method il elected does not impress
one with his fitness as an arbitrator and
after all. the railroad commissioner is
really an arbitrator between the state and
the most important corporate interests of
the state. Every tyro in transportation
knows that the producer or consumer
pays the freight and that the merchants
or middle men have no lot or part In
it except to collect 1t with his prof. on
it as a part Of the cost of his goods. He
knows too that railroad commissions were
created for the protection of these two
classes and not for the merchants. He
must know that the freight of much the
larger part of mercantile articles IL so
small a part of the cost that reductions
rarely result in any benefit to the cor
sumner, though they do largely increase
the profit of the merchants and reduce
the revenue of the railroad.
''The reduction of 10 cents per barrel on
the rate on flour would not save the -four
eater one cent, but would help the whole
sale grocer and might seriously effect
the revenue of the common carriers bring
ing -four into Birmingham
Corners Method.
Mr.. Corners method Of handing the
corporations as foreshadowed in his
speeches is opposed to every principle
which has actuated the commission Of
my state for the last eight years. The
good feeling existing between the Cor
porations and the people during this ad
minstration is evidence of its correctness,
and above all the rapid development of
wealth and prosperity In the state shows
that its business has not been oppressed.
There are other states In the south
that, have pursued the policy now advo-
Gated by Mr. Conner. The results were
the stopage OF railroad building, which
means the stoppage of all progress in
communities having as inadequate trans
portation facilities as we have In Ala
bama and Mississippi"