The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-01
Will Be Effective on 16OO Miles of Road in
 Alabama
PECULIAR SITUATION
 CONFRONTS THE ROADS
The Question of Strong Competition of Roads Giving Greatly Reduced Rates Is One of Live Inter-
 est In the State.
BY HERVEY W. LAIRD.

BY HERVEY W. LAIRD.
 Montgomery. August S1.-(Special )-By J this time Monday the new Alabama legis- lative made rates will have been made effective on sixteen hundred miles of road in the state, and on October 1, 240 miles more will have come in. This will leave the rates out on the lines of the Central of Georgia, the Louisville and Nashville and allies, and the Western of Alabama. While there is talk that these may come in and accept the rate, 1t is hardly probable that they will with the present condition of mind of the manage ments. Those lines which have accepted the state rates are the Southern, the Mo- bile and Ohio, and the Alabama Great Southern, and other parts of the South- ern system, the Frisco, the Seaboard, and a month later the Atlantic Coast Line.
 This will give on the lines accepting great reduction in freight, the new sche- Rule on 110 commodities applying on many of the things that are of general every day use in the state. Already the rate on income ana outgo of the mineral sec ton is light, as a result of which the entire schedules will fall to level almost if not as lew as exists how in Georgia and other states, about which the rate reduction advocates have for long time made much of kick. With the interstate rate to Alabama long lower than in Georgia and the intrastate charge reduced to such level as the new law puts it the state will be wonderfully well fixed in the matter of freight charges. A result that is hoped for is tho develop lnent of business within the state.
 Peculiar Situation.
 With the adoption of the new rates, which, by the way, reduce the passenger fares to 2i9 cents a mile, complications are likely to arise. Part of the roads will have one rate and other another. For instance, a man traveling 100 miles on the Louisville and Nashville would have to pay 8, 3 cents mile, while an- other going the same distance on the Frisco or the Southern would pay only s2.s0. At the same time a shipper may have rate of g on a certain shipment on the Louisville and Nashville with $1. 50 for the same haul on one of the lines &C., cepting the state rates. Every one who thinks of it is wondering what the fel- 
 to pay for the same service.
 On the other hand, there seems to be some question as to whether or not the roads holding out Tcu.d be allowed to lower the rates to meet the competition, some beliving tnat the injunctions pend ing in the United states court would pre- vent any change in the status of the charges If this is true, which very like ly 1t IS not, there would be nc way to overcome what would be very serious competition. But would the roads now out lower the rates even to meet compe- tition, IS the question. Would not such act be inconsistent with the pela made in the courts that they can not live under such a schedule All of which makes the situation all the more in 8 mixup and renders the outcome interesting enough for every one to try to keep up with passing events.
 Possible Legislation.
 But what can be done by the legis- lature to the outs that will not hit just as hard the ins, is also asked. The governor has said that he will have the lawmakers back if all the lines are not in by the first of October. He has not said, however, what he will advise in the way of legis1ation. Lieutenant Governor Henry B. Gray known to be in the confidence of the chief executive suggests that one thing will be law to make all foreign corporations be- come domestic. Another thinks the doctrine of contributory negligence may be eliminated, but Congress has done that already. Others think t3s that and the other, but all agree that the very good little traffic boys will get just as hard spankings as the very bad by the legislature, so far IS matters are now made public
 Many of the best lawyers of the state have come to believe that the law that enforces trial of causes of all kinds in the state courts is not a bad one in the main. One of the most prom inent of the list, gone ether than c. c Whitson of Talls ~9a, known to have little sy,npathv- Q dominant polit- itcal elemert tate, said this week tFe q to the idea believi- hat corpora tions the state ~o- whole
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