The Washington herald., 1907-11-07
The Secret of Three Governors.

Some mystery appears to attach to a
meeting of three Southern governors re-
Gently held In Atlanta TO discuss the rail-
road situation 1t was at first supposed
that the executives of Alabama. Georgia.
and North Carolina had assembled for
the purpose of arranging a compromise
with the railroad companies which are
fighting the rate-reduction laws now in
force IN those States. but no mention Of
anything OF the sort is made in the eau
tiously worded statement given to the
press at the close Of the conference. That
statement declared that the conference
had agreed upon cooperation in the In
vestigatlon of facts and law connected
with transportation, and II was asserted
that I'VE regard the complete recognition
of the right of States to regulate the
intrastate business of transportation COM
panies as absolutely necessary" II was
further asserted that the reduction Of
fares had in no wise damaged the railroad
companies. but had in truth increased
their incomes. and that the chief injury
10 railroad securities had come from the
false cry Of confscation" raised by rail
at the conference the governors do not
consider It desirable to make public at this
time But II we are to believe the At
lanta Journal. which ought 10 know. the
railroads may look for the worst That
paper says. with an air of authority:
''As for the result Of the conference among the
gOTernO. the railroads Of the South may accept it
as established fact that the couferees are in
absolute agreement 20 the policy they will pur-
sue in the future. and that the demands Of The
several States must be met and complied with 20
the letter II they have been deceiving themselves
WITH any delusiye hopes that the governors repre-
sented IN the conference would not reach a har-
mOnioUs understanding. they may as well dismiss
such dClusions from their minds The settled de
termination has been reached that the railroad
corporations Of the South shall not be allowed 10
interfere with the power and authority Of the State
legislatures and nilruad commissions. The State
laws and the orders Of the commissioners are TO be
upheld. and the right Of the Federal courts 20
nulfy the action Of the States viii be challenged
TO the very end
In other words, 10 quote the Journal
the executives mean business" We
doubt whether they viii do anything rash.
There is some evidence that the anti-rall-
road campaign in the South has been
trifle overdone. It has ragged with such
virulence. especially in Georgia, that
reaction was bound 20 come. and there
are signs that it has set in. In the midst
Of such a situation the politicians who
have gained power on an anu-rafroad
platform must move with exceeding eau
ton. Hence the profound secrecy with
which the gubernGtorial trio have en-
wrapped their plans. Prior TO the confer
ence. the air was fun Of rumors OF COM
promises that would settle the passenger
rate controversies throughout the South.
The first reports from the meeting were
that a compromise had been agreed 10
on a 2lz-cent basis. Has any such ar
rangement been made. or did the governors
Of North Carolina. Georgia. and Alabama
merely foregather 20 have a pleasant and
profitable time. such as Gov Glenn SAYS
he had? We should be glad 10 have some
enlightenment on the momentous execu-
tive secret repOsing in the breasts Of
Conner. Glenn. and Hoke Smith