The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-12-22
MEASURES
 MILTON SMITH Conner Replies to His
 Speech. DISPLAYED MUCH TEMPER Alabama Has No Idea of Tearing
 Down Railroads. 6o,,a,un~- Hrfnc4 amw. ETn Raenwmtnmm
GovernOr-E1ect Says He ReeoSnizen Value of Carriers But wnI In- Giut on Equitable Rates
 For the state.

Birmingham, Ala. Dec 21.-Gover- nor-elect B. B. Conner of Alabama iS sued n statement today in reply to the pessimistic address made by Milton IL Smith. President of the Louisville ana Nashville Railroad Company in New Orleans last Saturday night. Mr. Co- mer thinks Mir. Smiths speech dls~ played too much temper and irritation.
 He said in part:
 'Mr, Harrahan's statement that New Orleans was a natural outlet of that part of the production of the country south of the lower Ohio river down tho Mississippi and Yazoo delta, and on through Louisiana and that the Uni- ted States government should arrange q part of it's shipping to and from Coz lon so as to receive and deliver a part of the freight at New Orleans, is eni- nently correct.
 'T regard the policy of the Illinois Central under the management of it's great President Mfr. Fish, as having greatest of Southern ports, and it is with pleasure that I read the speech of Mir. Harahan, the new President. stating that he would continue that policy.
 Milton H. Smith failed in his speech to state that he would do with hls road the same thing for Mobile and tha Tennessee river. against which his road has heretofore discriminated and yet the slope of the whole State oS Alabama is towards Mobile and our commerce If turned loose would of itR own volition practically roll there.
 Mir Milton II. Smiths speech, think. unfortunately displayed too much temper and irritation. Mir. Smith I think is correctly recognized as the biggest railroad man in the South. and he has been wise in the location of his branch lines. and has greatly aided in developing with both his main stem which they run. Our own district rac- ognizes their great worth and testifiea to his handIwork
 "Mr. smith attacked the people or Georgia. Pickett, in his history of early Alabama. states that the Geor.. giaRR. oven hack in taose days, had
 faculty of taking care Qe themselvu
 that the spirit of self-protection of the old crowd yet waxes strong and is as persistent in that direction as ever, Dee cause that Is what builds a people and saves a people.
 "The recent political upheaval in Georgia, under the leadership of Hoke l Smith to accomplish the Georgian'A 6 dellverance from raildoad and truet
 domination. was ratified by very large majority at the polls. Being a desceud-
 ant of. Georgia, both father ana mother, and having my wife from the grand old l State, must say that do not concur | with Mir. Smith in his criticism of tho conduct of the Georgians, but am in
 entire sympathy with them and their
 leader. and trust for them every suc- ! cess.
 "In Mir. Smiths criticism of eur own State I trust that the policy three
 times voted on by the people and con-
 ftrmed by three separate victories, VIII 1 be put into law, then enforced, and
 that it will endure forever.
 'Tt Is a matter of knowledge in fact | that the railroad trusts of the State 0t | which 1 think Mir. Smiths company ts | q party, state themselves that Alabama
 has given them the fairest laws of any | State in the Union, and 1t Is also com l mon knowledge that out of these fair, 1 est of laws, the railroads have exacted | from us the highest freight rates | Tt is certainly not the purpose ol | President Roosevelt and the people of | the United States, nor of HolZe smith
 and the people of Georgia, nor of my | self and the people of Alabama to de-
 strop nor impair any species of any | property. but 1t is their and our ptir- | pose to protect and build up every spe- | cies of property alike, Mir. Milton Fl. | Smiths fears to the contrary, notwtths | standing"