The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-07-30

the valuation of all railroad property in
the state was too low and should be in
creased. Mr. RUSSELL the vice president
of the Mobile and Ohio railroad, at once
instructed me to make a careful investi-
cation and report to him. This l did
and the result made plain that so far as
the Mobile and Ohio Railroad company
Is concerned the boot is on the other leg.
There was no trouble whatever in making
this comparison. l had access to all the
assessment rolls and the assistance of
Mr.. A. d. Galloway in the revenue agents
office, who, next to his chief Writ Adams,
knows probably more about tax values
than any man in the state. l have Mr..
Galloways warrant for saying that rail-
road property in Mississippi is paying its
full quota of taxes, If not more. This
same examination of all the roads in
Alabama could be made and would prob
ably show the same result At any rate
the question of just and equitable adj
justment of taxes can and should be eas-
ly settled.
Now. as to freight rates: According to
law, the commission must allow rea-
sonable return upon the capital invested
not upon what the managers say the
property is worth not upon watered stock.
but capital invested and of this, it's
amount and value the commission is the
judge. No simpler. fairer, or more eff
fectiye method can ever be devised. Here
Is where the question of environment,
which Mr.. Conner thinks warps the judg-
ment of his colleagues must be closely
watched. When a man has been for
long time a jobber, handling in large
quantities commodities. In the cost of
which freight rates are a factor, he is
apt to believe all rates are too high, and
he is quite sure his own freight bills are
outrageous Mr.. Conner calls particular at
tention to his dissenting opinion to forty
eight articles which he thinks are sched-
uled too high. Now. doubt If the changes
suggested by him. would make differ
ence of per cent In the price to the
consumers of these articles. If this is
true. the contest raised by Mr.. Conner
Is not between the great body of the
people of Alabama and the railroads. but
between Mr. Conner, as the representa-
tive of the traders of the state. and the
railroads. If this change were made today
1t would, in my judgment, only result in
marked increase of profits to the job
bers. serious loss of revenue to the COM
mon carrier and the horny handed son
of toll who forced the enactment of the
commission law, would stay exactly where
he is"
The principle Il volyed in both taxation
and freight rates is a question of bus
mess way. An appeal to the ballot as
suggested by Mr.. Conner, seems to me the
very worst remedy In heated political
campaign people might be persuaded to
elect a commission that would carry out
the most drastic ideas ever suggested in
q populistic platform; but were they put
INTO effect all rates would be deranged,
and il might be made necessary for rail-
road managers. after they had reduced
local rates, to make an advance in
through rates that would ieopardze the
growth of the great city of Birmingham.
Increase the cost of every ton of coal
mined in the state and reduce the price
of every bale of cotton raised in the
state. not through choice of the railroad
people. but simply to get enough money
to make the wheels go round.
ut Is question that should be dis
passionatelv considered and even then It
presents difficulties that are not easily
overcome, but the best factor In its So
luton would be the spirit of fairness and
mutual give and take that now prevails
between the railroad companies and the
managers of the railroad property in the
state of Mississippi"