The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-20
Alabama Railroad

what has the Alabama Railroad Commission done?
 The present campaign in the state one of the oldest the State has eve, had, has raised that question ana vested 1t with importance. The Alabama pres has taken 1t up. One of the iates, papers to raise 1t is The Shemeio standard, which asks. Why MT. Conner does not give a history of what the Alabama Railroad Commission ha' H done" For reasons of his own' MT Conner has not even prepared ana pup, Ifshed the proceedings for the ias, year, which the law declares he shail do.s
 To get this information and to throw light upon the subject, an AdVertise, reporter has gone over the recoros anS rrenared list of the cases docketed and the disposition that was mace o' them. In view of statements made ps MT. Conner upon the stump, 1t VIII sur prise those who have heard hlm, .o learn that the Alabama Railroad com mission has never raised rate II will surprise them if they read care fully to find that the Commission nns accomplished a great deal in lower ms rates and tariffs They may not Ano" that the first, or one or the nrs.. .r'" aid the Alabama Railroad Commission oiu was. when it had been established ss Ds law. 10 reduce the passenger tarHi in Alabama from to cents mile
 Mr. Conner is accustomed to oeciaIe . that he is held. bound and helpless oy his Associate Commissioners. lie 10 accustomed to say that he is kept rom rom doing any good by his two associa.es who are able to control the Conhnlls sion And if that contention pc whatever of good the Commission mas
 -,.I;,had lias to the credit of the Associate Commissioners.
 The neople who have attended MT. Corners speakings have gone away with the impression that the only thing the Associate Commissioners were doinr was thwarting the will or the people and serving the interest or .n1 railroads. But the record tells oiHer- ent story It shows that these men, with all their railroad "environments have adjusted rates where they were uriust. have affected reforms where reforms were needed and have done many things which MT Conner has stu diously refrained from mentioning. The racord is to be studied and weighed carefulty by men who want to be just and fair.
 If MT. Conner were inclined to do ms associates justice he could tell or rer heated instances where his associates
  because they led of in reforms. But it serves the purpose of candidate for Governor better to have the. peo- pfe believe that he Is their sole and single champion. But the record faiis to show this.
 The associate commissioners refused at one full swoop to adopt the Georgia rate. They refused to consent to nave the Georgia rate made effective Tor Alabama at one fell stroke Out of this Mir. Conner has made most of his ma teriaI in his canvass for Governor. II is perhaps the biggest part of his cam paixn, the narrowing tale of how the Commissioners refused to put on the Georgia rate suddenly and without que consideration. While he enlarges upon this particular feature of the work oi the Commission, he fails to mention the accomplishments of the Commission He fails to tell what it has done. He has failed even to print the record At considerable pains the record is gathered and here printed.
 MT. Conner has failed to tell the peo' pie of Alabama that the only change the Railroad Commission of Alabami will allow a railroad to nke in it tariff, is to lower the rate. If a rail road submits it's tariff sheet the Com mission must first be satisfied tha the only change made in 1t are re ductions, or the sheet will not be ap proved Those who have heard MI Conner speak may closely search thei memories but they cannot recall tn time that he eyer mentioned this.
 Mir. Conner fails to mention In hi speeches the order formally made b, the Commission that the Louisville an, Nashville Railroad should reduce 1t passengers fares on all of its brancl lines to 8 cents a mile. But the Com mission did that very thing. The de cision in the case was written b! Commissioner Sanders of whose len vironment" MT. Conner has so much t' say.
 He has failed to mention the man! instances in which reductions in freigh charges have been petitioned for ant in which these very reductions hav been granted. This action of the as sociate commissioners is not at all il keeping with the character of the com missioners as Mir. Conner has pointed them. But the record has been writ ten.
 As made up for the people of Alaba ma that record is as follows:
 March 3rd, 1908.
 W. T. Sanders held first session March 3rd. 1903. Copy of Docket:
 Isaac Greenwald vs. Carrolton Shor fare Petition denied.
 C. T. McElderry vs L. & N. R. R. Alleging extortion in the rate on fer tilizer-Talladega and Calera. Praye of petition allowed by an order xequir ing rate of $1 per ton of 1000 pounds to be put in on fertilizer. from Talla dega to Calera.
 Rates on hay and grain in Alabama May 3rd. 1903. set as the day to heal this cause, and all roads summoned tt be present on that day.
 W. T. Brown vs. L. & N. R. R--Rat' t.,sr m This cause was mutually adjusted ant a rate of seventy cents per ton on coa from Ragland to Anniston put in anc cause dismissed, (This was complying with prayer of petitioner)
 w. L. Pitts, Jr., vs. Southern Rail way.-Petiton for better depot faeili' ties at Unontown. This cause was