The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1907-12-21

BOOBAC oOAS 0Ao SA
the corporation, if they could get the
power, it is their disregard of the laws
and orders for their supervision. The
same old matter of rates on Mississippi
grown products is the cause of this arti-
Gle. Last week some space was devoted
to the duty of informing the public as
to the rates on hay, corn, sweet pota-
toes, molasses and field peas from any
station in the State to any other sta
ton. These rates were ordered by the
Railroad Commission and agreed to by
the railroads almost a year ago, and
still they are not in effect.
The matter was again brought to the
attention of the writer this week by
a letter from j. B. Bridge, of Bucka-
tnnna, who desired to ship some Mis-
sissippi grown molasses to Tupelo, and
the rate charged him was 4s cents per
hundred, instead of % cents, as ordered
by the Commission. The agent at Buck
atunna had never heard of the rate or
dered by the Commission, and charged
Mr.. Bridge more than twice the rate as
it should have been. What was Mr..
Bridge to do in the matter? His GUS
toner wanted the syrup and there was
no way of getting it to him except to
pay the rate demanded. But some are
ready to say that the amount will be
refunded him. That may be SO, and it
may not. The writer attempted to get
a refund on this same rate for Mr.. Mer-
cier, of Centreville, some months ago,
and if the refund has ever been made,
Mr.. MERCER has not said so. Yes, it
Ray be refunded, but too late to be OF
service to the present generation.
The people of Mississippi are as fair
az can be found anywhere in the world,
and only ask for the corporations the
same treatment they would expect for
an individual, and they have a right to
expect that. Here are rates that nave
been in force for nearly a year, and still
the people are being charged twice what
they should be, and have to pay it with
out o u They can't aflDd to pay
high-priced lawyers and GO to the trou-
BILE and expense of court proceedings to
collect o~vercharges that in each individ-
ual instance may be small, but in the
aggregate it amounts to thousands to
the railroads in the course of a year.
The Winston county colt show at
Louisville some days since has stimulat-
ed the people up there to start the ball
rolling for a county fair next fall. The
success of the initial effort encouraged
something better for the future, hence
the movement for a county fair. BIO.
Hight, of the Journal, is enthusiastic in
behalf of the proposition and a few good
hustlers will put it through. Nothing
would be of more real value to the good
people of that section than a first-class
agricultural fair. The increase in farm
and stock -raising products in ten wears
would many times pay the cost of the
enterprise. 1t would not only tend to
stimulate the older people to renewed
efforts, but satisfy the younger genera
ton and prevent in a large measure
their going away to other States that
are showing a greater degree of enter
prise and push. Gov. Vardaman en-
dorses the suggestion that boards of SUI
pervisors be empowered to make rea-
sonable donations for exhibits at the
county and State fairs, and he is right.
Shall we sit still and allow our young
men and women to continue to leave
Mississippi upon becoming of age be-
cause other States are offering induce
ments when none of them can excel and
few equal our own State? No, indeed;
the time is ripe for enterprising move
ments of every description, and of these,
none are of more actual benefit than the
county fair.
Remember that the rate on corn, and
hay in carload lots, grown in Missis-
sippi and shipped from any one station
in the State to any other station, can
not exceed Is cents per hundred pounds.
State that your corn and hay is native
grown, and the road cannot legally
charge more. The rate on native-growr
molasses in any quantity is 90 cent.
per hundred; sweet potatoes in any
quantity 25 cents per hundred, and field
peas in any quantity IS cents per hur-
dred. 1t is understood that each road
handling a shipment has the right IT,
charge rs cents; hence, ship in lots that
if going over two roads the amount
would be SO cents or more, three roads,
rs cents or more. This is done to en-
courage the raising of these articles at
home for supplying the demand at any
point in the State. 1t is done to en-
courage the diversifcation of crops, and
is of the greatest Importance to the peo-
pie of Mississippi. Get these matters
straight and demand of the road at ship
ping. point the rate as here published,
after complying with the conditions out
lined.