The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-10-23

l of the anti-raiiroad agitation The
 future of railroad operation in Ala
 bama depended upon final adjusf-
 fnent of the questions now at issue.
 Such has been the clearly defined policy of the Louisville and Nashville,
 set forth again and again in the let
 ters of the President on the present
 controversy. So 1t is reas enable to as-
 sume that President Smith, in his I "forty-five minutes talk'' to the Cow l ernor, brought out features of his posi- tion. I And the janitors at the Capitol might l as we'll dust off the desks and sweep the floors of the House of Representa- 1 lives and the Senate Chamber. The l law-makers will come on November l 7th.
 As foretoid in yesterdays Advertiser. l the agreement reached by Govsrnor 1 Conner and President w. W. Finley of l the Southern was signed yesterday 1 morning in the Governors offics Be- fore the signatures were amxed sne agreement was examined by Judge Weakley. who came to Montgomery on an early morning train. The officials of the Southern now feel I free from anxiety. The Governor mas promised them that he will see to it that the Legislature does not pass | any laws which shall affect them. z ' | U pass laws punishing the Louisville and Nashville without punishing the Sou l thern is question which has not yet been satisfactorily explained. al-' l though 1t Is believed that the Governor and his legal advisers have some plan by which 1t can be done.
 | It fs believed that similar agree ments will be made with the Frisco, | the Atlantic Coast Line and perhaps one or two other roads operating in | Alabama $@
 The Governor had another busy day | of 1t yesterday and again it was raAl- road mans day at the Capitol, l A part of the day was spent by the Governor in comforting with the State attorneys over pending litigation and agreements. He left the Capitol after dark last night and it was generally understood in the Statehouse that he now had slight if any hope that the I Louisville and Nashville would accept the administration rates
 The presence of President Smith in I the city today will make possible some development in the situation.5 but it ia not thought that any important change can take place
 Following Is copy of the agree ment between the Governor and the Southern oficiais. as signed yesterday morning.:
 Text of the Agreement.
 Memorandum of Agreement by and between the Honorable B. B. Conner, Governor of and Acting for the State of Alabama, and w. W. Finley, presi- dent of and actisg for the Southern Railway Company and Alabama Great L. Russell. Vice President and acting for the Mobile and Ohio Railroad Com. pany.
 "First It is hereby understood and agreed between all the parties to this agreement that the Southern Railroad Company, the Alabama Great Southern Railroad Company and the Mobile and Ohio Railroad Company shall have the right and authority on and from the | first day of December, in the year l 1907, to establish and maintain a straight local intrastate passenger rate of two and three-quarter cents per mile on each of said railroads herein | mentioned.
 "Second. Tn the case of persons riding on the trains of said railroads who have not provided themselves with regular tickets. the said railroad | companies shall have the right and authority to charge and collect from such persons and passengers at the rate of three cents per mile over their lines.
 Third. It is further understood and agreed that if any of the companies herein named shall hereafter voluntari- | ly or as the final result of litigation, ut into effect in any one of the fol- | lowing states; Virginia, North caroli- na, Georgia, Mississippi or Tenneseee. a first class intra state local passen- ger fare of less than two and three i quarter cents per mile,' said railroad companies. or the said company put ting in such less rates shall put in the same rate as the straight local in- trastate passenger fares on it's lines in the state of Alabama; except that in no event shall any of said companies herein named be required to put in in Alabama an intrastate straight local rate for the transportation of persons less than two and a half cents per mile.
 Fourth. It is further understood and agreed by the parties hereto that I the putting in in any of the states herein named. of rate of less than two and three-quarter cents per mile, brought about by the institution of suit or suits or pending litigation in any of the said states is not to be understood and considered as the put ting in of such rate voluntarily or as the final result of litigation, unless such rate or rates so put in are after wards agreed to be maintained perma- nently for any cause.
 Excursion Rates Do Not Apply.
 "It is further understood and agreed that the putting in of special rates