The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-04-02
RAIL ROADS ACTUATED BY
 A SPIRIT OF RETALIATION

less accompanied by bills of lading covering cotton actually in cars. and containing car numbers. said car num- bers covering cars actually holding said cotton as represented by biils or lading. and be # further
 Resolved. That no draft be hon. ored regardless of car numbers being furnished on bill of lading where ship pers resort to split shipments Of less than solid cars, where the purchase amounts to as much as a solid car.
 Adequate Service Is Needed.
 You will notice that these Southern manufacturers solemnly declare that cotton can be purchased. or can be shipped from Egypt with less trouble and annoyance and uore promptly than 1t can from the Southern fields. This position. 1t appears to me. Is in- tolerable. If there Is any duty that a public service corporation owes State, 1t is adequate service.
 We are familiar with the reasons given by the authorities as the req son for not moving freight promptly during the past season. but since they have had twelve months notice, think that this Commission should put the corporations on notice that so far as they are enabled to remedy this sit- uation, repetition will not be toler- ated.
 ID Ackic pd1ocu I6ClpTOCdl laws. We think 1t may be necessary for this Commission to adopt them also as an order, So As to give the full force and power of the Commission to these laws in their operation.
 since we have been, to a certain ex- tent. tied up by the courts. in tre ope- ration of the powers of the Commission, I think the Commission, in the mean while. should devote their attention to the service. t
 There are a great many things in regard to schedules that can be reme- died. My idea Is that this should be taken up directly with the railroads to see if they cannot put on schedules that can be reasonably expected to be carried out. think possibly that agreements and arrangements can be made with the Commission for putting in these schedules.
 "Retaliatory Measures."
 There are things that have develop td in connection with the litigation that do not appear very well on their face. It seems that one corporation doing business in Alabama undertakes to dominate all others in their service and in their charges. It is a deplor- able state of affairs when one corpora ton can become so strong that 1t can dominate other corporations engaged in the same line of business to such an extent that at mere suggestion to them that you take such action, that action is taken as retaliatory meas ure. although it may afterwards be re- I refer. particularly. to the maximum rate bill. It seems that when that bill was before the Legisla- ture, telegrams instigated by the cor poration referred tc were sent to the heads of departments and others and were acted upon without consideration either of their rights or those of the public.
 Since then, those other corporations. or part of them at least. have seen the that action. As I stated, this is de- plorable condition and it seems that action was taken in retaliation.
 Experience and observation have shown that that in any line Is very poor spirit to proceed upon, either in the interest of the State or in the in- terest of a corporation, and I would like to state that 1t will not be the policy of the Commission to take &C., tion along any line in this spirit, that the orders that 1t promulgates will be what it considers right and best, inde- pendent of what has preceded. and all actions of the Commission will be based on such methods and decisions as will be. in their opinion, to the State interest.
 Tt is only in the States interest that this Commission Is supposed to and will give orders.
 We trust that the corporations in future, in whatever steps they take, will be guided solely by what they think Is right. and not simply as re- taliatory measures"
 Routine Orders Made.
 The following cases before the com mission were disposed of as indicated.
 Aplication to have the Louisville and stop trains at Vinemount. continued.
 Application of Southern Railway to close agency at Farrill. between Rome and Gadsden, denied
 Application of citizens of Malcolm, on Southern Railway. for depot, continued.
 Southern Railway ordered to main tain agency at Jones, Dallas County.
 Application for road crossing over the Southern at the old Gurnee June tion, continued.
 Application for depot at Sterrett on General of Georgia, continued
 Application to close depot at Bogue Chitto on Southern. not granted.
 It bs expected that there will be a number of minor matters disposed of by the secretary during the week. these including instructions about rates and other things of interest
 --------------------