The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-21
Gossip From the
 Nations Capital

Washington. March 2o.-- (special)-- President Samuel Spencer. of the Southern Railway, today discussed freight rate legislation, in an inter- view with J. Martin Miller. Washing ton correspondent of The Newark News. The interview appeared in The Evening News today.
 The Southern Railway is one of the greatest railway systems in the Uni ted States, with 10000 miles of road. It penetrates almost every section of the great South, and extending from Wash ington, it's northern terminus, touches the Mississippi, including Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis, New Orleans, Mo- bile, Montgomery. Atlanta, Memphis. Chattanooga Savannah, Charleston. Knoxville. Richmond and Norfolk.
 This great public highway extends through country that is certain to have greater per centage of develop tury than any other section of the United States. It may be said that the south has just begun to progress in
 The prosperity of this great sauth- ern country Is perhaps dependent more upon the Southern Railway than any other agency.
 fail and just for the railway, as well as for the people living along its lines, can easily be understood by any thoughtful person." said President Spencer.
 Continuing, MT. Spencer said:
 Congress has adjourned, and no legislation has been passed in respect to railway regulation.
 The discussion of the subject. which has been brought about has had good effect. however. and hasty and ill-di- gested legislation has been avoided. The press and the public at large are manifesting a disposition to consider more thoroughly the numerous and complex phases of questions involved before making up final verdict as to what Is practicable and best. Thisf is particularly true in respect to the vital for the future, and the eiimination and correction of abuses which are contra " to law and. injurious to the public interests.
 If effective results are to be accom- plished, these two subjects must be considered separately. They are as wide apart as the two poles. and ap- parently this is becoming better un- derstood.
 ion as to the desirabiIity of eradicating all such abuses as secret rebates, pri- vate agreements or discriminatory al- lowances to any shippers.
 The existence of such abuses, how ever. has been much exaggerated.
 Their prevalence seems to be taken for granted, without investigation, and without specific statement of where they are to be found.
 This is one of the evidences that conclusions have apparently been reached in the public mind without thorough examination and analysis of the subject. The Elkins law, aimed es- pecially at these abuses, and providing summary methods of procedure by the Commission and before the courts. was passed in February, 1905, and there have been many announcements by the commission and others, not only that the legislation was ali that was necessary for its purposes, but that it has been effective in accomplishing re- suits. It is nevertheless true that not single indictment has been found, or conviction had, under the terms of that statute. One of two things must therefore, be true. Either the abuses do not exist to any considerable ex- tent, or the existing remedies are not applied.
 exception and not the rule, and in large sections of the country they do not exist at all. There appears now to be a large recognition of this con- dition, and such recognition must con- tinue to grow in the public mind as the subject is more fully discussed and becomes better understood.
 If additional legislation is required still further to protect against such abuses as do exist, or to correct un- just discriminations, in any form. the