The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-04-02
HISTORY OF RAILROAD
LEGISLATION IN ALABAMA

f'tehSoaCO III Olu AHdthbttS.
Inc sentiment created against railroad
oppression by this incident still exists in
tnat county When the rates imposed by
Inc one. road operated from OpeiRa 10
Lafayette became oppressive and when
the commissioners had been appealed TO
In vain, the merchants of that town IN
one concerted action, banded themselves
together and from capital, drawn ex-
clusively from local business men, built
line from Opelika to Lafayette.
OF course after the completion of the
line the old railroad company reduced
rates The shippers, however, true to
the new road, have stood solidly by 1t
and all freight is shipped by the La
fayette railway. In addition to afford
ing the people sweet revenge and Civ
ing them reasonable rate, the road has
paid the promoters and paid them hand
somely. This Is one way of solving the
railroad rate question.
Prior to the administration of Governor
Rufus w. Cobb, a man of wide expert
ence and excellent training, the railroads
o. Alabama were conducted on happy
&C lucky plan. Absolutely no restrie-
ton was placed on their operation
In 1877 the Industrial boom struck the
state. coal and ore mines were opened
and new railroads were constructed. The
era of good times tendad to put quietus
on politics. Governor Cobb was re-
elected by an overwhelming majority.
Valuation in 1890.
In 1880 the property OF the railroads
was assessed at more than S16OO0,00O. 1t
was during this year that a general
awakening of public sentiment occurred
on the extortion rates charged by the
railroads, This lead to the legislature es-
tablishing a railroad commission whose
duties should be to supervise and adjust
the differences between the people and
the railroads
The members of the first commission
were Capt. w. l.. Bragg. Capt. James
Crook and Col. c. p. Ball. Immediately
after the commission was installed into Of
flee they succeeded in obtaining a reduc
ton of cents per mile I'm passenger rates,
the rate formerly being cents per mile.
The freight rates were also reduced from
time to time.
The commission was the first to estab-
fish the rule to place signboards at the
crossings and require the railroads to
build adequate depots and passenger sta
TONS.
From 1880 to 1890 nothing eventful oc-
Cured effecting the shaping of railroad
legislation. The roads continued to in
crease and the state developed indus
trially The populist party which waged
such memorable campaigns in the state in
1890 and 1892, inserted a plank In their
platform favoring a government owner
ship of railroads
When Governor Joseph F. Johnston was
inaugurated In 1897 he recommended to
the Legislature the passing of a law that
would give more power to the railroad
commission At the same session of the
legislature Senator Boylxln OF Etowah in
troduced a bill providing for an elective
railroad commission. The bill passed the
Senate but was defeated in the lower
house.
In the constitutional convention of 1901
the railroad rate question was thor
oughly threshed out on the floor of the
convention hall by the delegates pro and
con.
Many favored giving the commission
constitutional powers to act In all ques-
lions pertaining to the regulation Of rail-
roads. and others favored leaving the reg
ulation of the railroads to the ltglsla-
ture Finally. after several days de-
bate. the legislature was given the power
to provide for the regulation of rates.
Opened War for Conner.
1t was this act of the constitutional
convention which paved the way for the
memorable campaign made by Mr. Conner
last year for president of the railroad
commission The fight in the legislature
which created the so-called Conner band
wagon" and of which we hear so much
about nowadays. was equally as note
worthy as the fight that put Mr.. Conner
in his wagon.
A hard fight was made on the bill. the
opponents arguing that It was a mistake
to force the railroads into politics. The
lower house, however. took the bit In its
mouth and ran over the opponents of the
bill rough shod When 1t reached the Sem
ate. however, II did not meet with such
smooth sailing as II did in the House A
canvass of that body revealed the fact
that the Senate was about evenly divided
on the question At this juncture the
lieutenant governor and president OF the
Senate used the right of prerogatve, and
before referring the bill, first ascer-
tanned the will of the Senate. The bill
was then referred to a committee that
was friendly to 1t and later reported ia
vorably Again. however, the president
of the Senate came to the rescue of the
bill An amendment was offered proyid-
ing for the bill becoming affective in 1906
A motion to table was made. tie result
ed The president voted aye and the
amendment was lost, The bill then became
a law.
The fight OF Mr.. Conner. his position OF
the railroad question and his tilt with the
other members of the commission are ah
we'll known TO every newspaper reader.
Commissioners Salaries.
While Mr.. Conner Is largely responsible
for the. success of the railroad revolution,
he cannot be held altogether responsible
for the fact that his and the other salaries
of the railroad commissioners are paid
by the railroads Shortly after the estab-
lishment of the commission a special tax
was imposed upon the railroads, with
which to pay the commissioners salaries.
The last legislature failed to change this
law and every year a special tax of s13,-
S17 60 is levied on the several railroads in
the state TO pay the railroad commits
sioners.
Before taking snap judgment on the
railroads and comdemning them ruthless
ly, we should pass until we haye informed
ourselves of their Importance in developing
and maintaining the state. In 1904 the as
sessed valuation of the railroad properties
in Alabama was s53,539. s62.So and the as
sessed Valuations of the Farming lands of
Alabama were sl01,411,3 47. The income of
the railroads yearly is only one-half of the