The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-23

fixed the rate at two and a half cents mi1e--a half-cent change from the original bill. The amendment was adopted unanimously and without dis cussion.
 Senator Merritt of Macon County, presented an amendment which provid- ed that short lines of less than fifty miles in length could charge over two and half cents but not more than four cents a mile. The amendment made the bill apply to it's two and half cent rate to all trunk lines in the State and their branchesA while the inde- pendent short lines could charge four cents a mile. Mr. Merritt said that the short line road running into his town of Tuskegee could not possibly stand a two cent passenger rate. but that Its present rate could be mate rially reduced.
 Before the amendment could be adopted, Senator Thomas of Barbour and Senator Hinson of Lowndes were on their feet pleading for generous treatment to the Hayneville road. rum ming out from Tysons on the Louis vile and Nashville.
 Could Not stand Four Cent Rate.
 The road is only seven miles long and it was only recently completed" said Senator Thomas. Tt has been a great convenience to the people of Haynevlle. If you put a four cent rate on this roaod it would put the road out of business
 He was seconded by Senator Hinson. who said
 The people of Hayneville gave $13.- GOO to get that road built. It has been of the greatest advantage to the peo- pie of Hayneville and Lowndes County. IL has train that meets all passenger trains on the Louisville and Nashville, but if this amendment goes through, and if the rate is kept down to cents, the road would not make money enough on It's passenger business to pay for its coal"
 As a solution to the difficulty, Sena- tor Gum "f Clarke offered an amend ment which provided that the passen- ger rates on all trunk lines and their branches should be fixed by law, but that on the short lines, the Railroad Commission would have the power to fix the rates.
 ''In the pine country of South Ala bama there arc a number of short line roads which were originally logging roads They are now great cunVeniences to the people of the section through which they rim" said Senator Gum. They could not stand such a rate and the Senate, l am sur" has no desire to put them out of business The rate on these short lines should be fixed by a body that coIld study and understand local conditions. This the Railroad Commission will be able to do"
 The Senate though tte amendment t oe senator Gum d happy solution of the difficulty. It was promptly adopt ed and the bill passed
 The consi iteration of the bill provtd- ing for an adjustment of claims for losses and damage of goods through fault of d common carrier WAS attend ed by the longest debate so far in the session. The chief stumbling blCck 10 the Senators was the provision which declared that if 1t was necessary for d claimant to bring suit against a rail- road, he could recover damages four fold of what the amount of his loss was.
 The Senate baked on this and broke away from the idea of Senator Iusk on 1t.
 Two Amendments Proposed.
 Two amendments came before the Senate to obviate the difficulty One was from Senator Hinson. who made the fourfold provision apply only to claims of an amount less than S25. Above that the Hinson amendment fixed a graduated scale until when the claim amounted to $250 and more the clamiant could recover damages and legal interest
 The Miller amendment. which was ultimately adopted by the Senate, was based upon the Hinson amendment, but changed it to some extent It pro-