The Tupelo journal., 1907-02-22
Two-C cent Fare in Mississippi.

In the News Scimitas of yes
terday appeared the following
special dispatch:
jackson, Miss, Feb. t the
sitting of the railroad commits
sion last evening the Illinois Cen
trail, Yazoo & Mississippi and
Mobile & Ohio roads, through
their passenger traffic officials,
expressed a willingness to acqui-
esce in the proposed order re-
curing all railroads to sell inter-
changeable mileage books at z
cents per mile.
This is a decided victory for
Commissioner Kincannon, who
proposed the Interchangeable
system at reduced rates, and he
is confident that the other roads
in the State will also give their
consent to the issuance OF the
order, since these three large
corporations representing con-
siderably more than 1000 miles
of trackage, have assented to
the plan.
The other roads have been
granted until the next meeting
to consider the matter, at which
time the formal order will be
adopted. This is undoubtedly
the most important matter ever
handled by the commission, as
regards passenger traffic, for it
means a saving of many thou
sands of dollars each year to the
travelling public. Mr.. Kincan-
non is handling the matter per-
sonally with the traffic officials,
his purpose being to secure an
amicable agreement, and thus
avoiding litigation prior to the
enforcement of the order, or le-
gal test of the commissions
right to reduce railroad fare"
1t means much. But it means.
above all else, that the two-cent
mileage rate has come and come
to stay, until the next lowering
time comes around.
The railroads have come not
only to recognize the inevitable,
but really to concede the justice
of the popular demand.
When the roads agree that a
two-cent fare is sufficient from
those who buy a thousand miles
of transportation, they virtually
concede that it is sufficient from
the man who travels 100 miles
or ten miles or one mile.
There is a bill pending before
the Tennessee legislature fixing
two cents as the maximum rate
for transportation. The rail-
roads, through their attorneys,
and their arithmetical wizards,
are endeavoring to defeat the
measure. They declare that
Tennessee is too sparsely popula-
ted for such a rate. They admit
that it is sufficient in Ohio, Mas
sachusetts, Rhode Island and
other States where it has been
forced upon them. We say
forced, because in every case
these same and aforesaid attor-
neys and arithmetical wizards
have appeared with long, white
faces and trembling voices and
declared that the reductions
would put the railroads out of
business.
1t will do no such thing. AT
least we are not to believe that
it will, simply because the hired
agents of the railroads declare
and in exparte argument prove
to their own satisfaction that it
will. /"
Arkansas is to have two-cent
mileage; Mississippi, Alabama,
Georgia, Missouri. Illinois, Ken
lucky and Virginia are sure to
demand and secure it,or have al
ready done so. Tennessee would
leave herself in a pretty position
indeed were her representatives
to permit the railroads to con-
vince them that what is coming
to her neighbors is too good a
thing for her.
Another feature of the dis
patch above quoted that we de-
sire to emphasize is that in Mis-
sissippi the railroad commission
is such in fact and in personnel.
1t has done more good for the
| State in the past ten years than
a commission such as that which
slumbers and blinks it's eyes du-
ring waking eyes in the Tennes
see capitol would accomplish in
a century.
Why not a Kincannon on the
Tennessee commission? Why
not a Conner, on the high road to
gubernatorial distinction? Sup
pose we had such a man as John
Wesley Gaines on that commits
sion. Would he hide his oppor-
tunities under any bushel? Would
he shrink from any responsible
tiles or dodge any duty? Would
the finger of suspicion be follow
ing his person about from place
to place? Could the railroads
boon him from WORKING for The