The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-14

Industrial inauiries and the internal management of commercial aHalrs rarely come under political review; The nified results in legitimate business ef- fort show an escape from this unfor, tunate thraldom. The true concepsI2n # D0sSs,s S,eo " is sSsa Ssst for against evil. should always be thor Ohghly discussed and undertooa: N ls quainted with all great questions. and his personal influence should pc thrown for fhe preservation Of the pest prih- oiR.ss ssse or seeUsraItes seDsramae are mere pla- tudes, and are axiomatic of the poiiti- elan, because. confessediy, ne must pc Tsh whether he aas S's or WhetSer % he maintains his creed with unyielding fervor. frequently in the political field lt is dieyit to generate srss; ,Mo an issue sssst political parties. fairly well divided. and neither so powerful that the other will permit a default in maintaining sure as there Is an overwhelming ma jority, the minority will ianguish and fali Into inactivity. so
 stratiori of this fact. The tariff, na- tional and international, seethed Tn not fury, and .n turbulent dismay. and this great country survived, and us prln-
 
 tablishncnt of the Grange, and its growth Into tho Ocaia platform. Knocked at the door of political habltas tion with marked % venemenSe, Stnonca an seized us but shortly ago with trenzy and prophecies based upon failure were ! clothed in most calamitous predictions The shock of defeat left us on the pat. tie line; and, strenge as 1t may appear, | instead of disaster, a rich harvest spreading plenty caused a numper or str struction of the Lords bounty, The subject grew so widespread that legis- lation was threatened to require the planting of less cotton, so that the | of, and well-nigh 1t became the snip boieth for the legislative candidate Scarcely less than criminal was the CT
 upon which we so largely depend. The | effort was only manifestation or one of the weak characteristics or our hu-
 The Hotel Corporation Is q legal en- | titv. in which the entire travelling pup lic is Interested when rates are hxed. A guest occasionally feels indignant sented him for payment. He inwardly desires a commission to regulate such charges, but the proper stage of asgTa- yation when the s eem
 panies have felt the throb of the leg l fslative machine. and telephone com panies are the brunt of the ward p9iir ar | iight-would readily enter the arena if there were any division of sentiment. The absence cf any difference of opinion formity of the bill of charges without I regard to the rates or the amount con suined, and is based upon the law
 which we call general ,sSrnsd averadge,b That tho railroads needed regulation, and now. indeed. we And that the rates or charges are sought to be fixed by those have no interest in It's preservation. TO this subject, may l invite your at tention briehyF I have no opinion to sirability of q railroad commission. We have this organization in our State Di-
 rectory. and there will l leave 1t. The
 and this I will not attempt to disturb. | would stem, however. if possible. the clamor made upon the hustings, and
 through the press, for the rsguiatloph ,ha hI or l by equitable adjustment. There is no place in politics for the determination of proper charges for given service. | The regulation of charges Is essential | ly Judicial. The railroad is a public servant. and the public Is entitled to a | service safe and speedy and reasonable in It's demands; and the carrier is like
 wise entitled to be paid a rate. reason ably remunerative, based upon the in- vestment. cost of maintenance, and earning power. I that this question is canvassed where pas sions run high. where prejudices abound and where personal grievances are controlling; The rights of citizens as
 different forum. The carrier Is an ag- gregation of citizenA and the rights of | this carrier against the citizen. or the
 rights of the citizen against the car
 rier, should be submitted to Judicial | investigation. It may be said that the
 present law has this purpose In view.
 proved February 2s. 1903, provides for
 revision of tariff rates. using judi
 cial words of expression. This statute | reads: ''It is the duty of the railroad com missioners to consider and carefully re-
 wise all tariffs of charges for trSnspor-
 tation made by any person or corpora
 this State; and If in their judgment
 any such charge Is more than just com pensation for the service for which 1t | Is proposed to be made, or amounts to
 unjust discrimination against any DOT, | son, locality or corporation, they shall
 notify the party making same of the
 to just compensation. or to avoid un- | just discrimination; and when such | changes are made. or when none are
 deemed proper and sxPedient. they shall nal | tfficate of their approval; and they | shall exercise watchful and careful | supervision oyer all tariffs and their
 
 | time to time. as Justice to the public l and to railroads may require, and in- | crease and reduce any Of the rates as experience and business operations may show to be just; but in revising the tariff the commissioners shall take in- | to consideration the nature of the ser vice to be performed, the entire busi- ness of :he railroad and it's earnings from passengers and other traffic. and so revise the same as to allow fair and just return on the value of tho railroads. its appurtenances. and equip ments."
 Therefore. it will be readily seen that the commissioners, if in their Judgment any charge is more than just compensation for the service for which 1t Is proposed to be made, or amounts to unjust discrimination against any person, locality or corporation( shall the changes necessary to reduce the rate to just compensation, or to avoid unjust discrimination. In revising the tariff, the commissioners are required of the service to be performed, the en- tire business of the railroad and It's earnings, and then so revise the tariff as to allow just and fair return on the value of the railroad. Its apports- nances and equipments. The legal ap- pliances for the hearing and determt- nation of complaints, whereby a prop CT rate Is sought to be established, are scarcely adequate, yet the procedure IS upon judicial lines and the effort at
 A serious objection to the general law lies in the fact that ostensibly IL is open. fair and just, while It Is prac- tically impossible of equitable exeeu, upon the membership of the commis-- sion. Section of the act, approved February 2S. 1903, provides No per son or persons owning any stock in