The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-23
Two BrOadSideS on Railroad Situation Puts the People
 to Guessing
ACCEPTANCE OF COAST
 LINE CAUSES SURPRISE
1t Is Believed the Governor Will Back Up State Court In the Event of Prosecution of Rail-
 road Offenders.

Montgomery, August 92.-tspeeial)- Following broadsides from both sides of the controversy between the state and the federal court the citizens are today trying 10 get at what may be ! expected by exercise of the Doyle sci ence of deduction Like Sherlock Holmes, they would have q look into the situation and endeayor to see what may be expected 10 come of the whole matter. While there are as many opin- ions as there are men who think 1t seems a fact that the majority believe that Governor Conner has made win ming play In his threat to call the leg islature together in case the laws of the state are not accepted and put into force by all the railroads doing busi- ness In the state.
 There can be no question but the a agreement of the Coast Line to put the freight and passenger rates In. an- nounced yesterday, has further bolster ed the idea that all should take the same step. This makes the list fallirs in line with the state laws ipeiuI.. with this last one, the Southern the Mobile and Ohio. the Alabama Great
 
 Air Line. Those left out are the Nash vile Chattanooga and st. Louis. the Louisville and Nashville, the Western of Alabama, tne South and North and the Central of Georgia, with some short lines that are not material It seems a safe guess that the Central will come in le.er. "I am praying for them," saif Governor Conner Wednesday. Created Surprise.
 The acceptance of the Coast Line has created some surprise, in the face of the struggle being put m by the Louis vile and Nashville. 1t Is generally un- derstood that the latter belongs to the former and that while 1t Is run HIS q separate system 1t Is in sense con trolled by the Coast Line policy. Hence. it was thought that one would not come in without the other Logically the action of the Coast Line has had tendency to suggest the belief that the l louisville and Nashville will, after all. change it's mind and fall in line with the laws passed by the legislature and which Governor Conner says he will surely enforce. However. fhis idea is soon dissipated when one hears one of
 
 It is generally recognized that t.e legislature can make great deal or trouble for the railroads If 1t should be assemble and have the wish Of the governor presented to 1t for such ac- tion. It is also well known that mem bers are disposed to get at the bottom of the trouble if 1t Is possible to do so. Two men. well known conservatives, have said that they believed the rail- roads ought to observe the laws of the leRislature indicating the feeling Sen ator Hayes expressed his surprise at the persisteney of the Louisville and Nashville; Representative Haley Of Jef- ferson, thought the legislature ought to make the railroads keep the Jaws it enacts. These are two men who have rebelIed at radical legislation against corporations.
 Position of Governor
 There are many who take the Interview of the governor to mean that he does not intend to encourage the indictment anu arrest of employees of the railroads Tor violation of the laws restrained by tue federal courts. However, 1t Is thought that he will not put In an oar 10 pre- vent t The judge of the Morgan law and equity court seems looking for chance to hit them a Jolt. He has been published in scores Of papers the past week to the effect that he will charge ms jury on September to indict' and ms sheriff, following the lead, says ne %iiA tau every man who lnterferes with him or his deputies. II is also evident that the governor will back up any officers who try the game on.
 On the other hand Judge Thomas G. Jones of the federal court has charged the grand jury that fl must indict Tor any interference with the faliroad men who are at work under protection or the in niunctlons of his court, that the whole mower of the United States flag Is be- hind him and the jury and that there will be no question about their orders being in the end obeyed Incidentally it is well known that not only has the at- torney general of the United States ln- dfcated that the federal court will be backed up by Uncle Sam. but there is an impression that the President himself IS interested and will not allow the court of the national government put to dis credit One report has it that an Amer ican flag will be put on every engine with dare to any one 10 put 1t to shame.
 Issue Almost Drawn.
 So the issue seems to be almost upon the state. The federal court is certain IL tS within Ills rlshis anu the power oL the nation seems 10 be lined up behind it. Governor Conner appears to take the ground that it is not, and indicates that his duty to observe state laws will be fearlessly met. It now remains only for the initial break to be made. With It will come the test. Reports from the interior counties indicate that there Is much support of Governor Conner. while it is said that among the lawyers and others who do more or less thinking on these matters there Is q belief that tha federal court, having gotten control of the cases first, should be allowed to fight it out.
 The two sides seem to line up this way. For the state the theory that a