The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-13
JUDGE RICHARDSON
 UPHOLDS COURT Congressman Defends Judge
 Thomas 6. Jones HAS LAWFUL JURISDICTION Predicts Settlement of Railroad Cases In United States Supreme Court.
 Says Railroads Spend Much Money.
HAS LAWFUL JURISDICTION

Huntsville, September 12-(special)- Representative William Richardson, in speech at the opening of the county court in Moulton, defends the action of the federal court in assuming jurisdiction of the railroad rate cases and deprecates the tendency among certain people to east reflections on the federal courts
 Judge Richardson says he cannot be- lieve that anyone can seriously entertain the idea that Judge David D. Shelby of the court of appeals, Judge Toulmn or Judge Thomas G. Jones would usurp and defy the sacred rights of the state. The people should understand he said, that the exercise of the lawful jurisdiction of the federal couit is no menace to or impairment of the rights of state.
 Continuing, he said
 "l shall not enter into a discussion of the details that brought about the appre- hension that there might be some clash between the federal court presided over by Judge Jones and state officials on account of restraining order issued by Judge Jones suspending certain acts of the state legislature in the matter of re- ducing the passenger and commodity charges of railroads in Alabama The matter presents itself to me in this at titude
 The railroads have spent money in uor state in buIlding their roadbeds, sta tion houses and other betterments. The only possible way to pay them back q fair profit upon what they have spent, is 'by charges for the transportation of freight and passengers. State and fed eral statutes require these charges to be reasonable. It is a vital question with the carrier that the rate fixed should not be so low as to prevent the company from realizing this profit, because that would lead to bankruptcy. No one can certainly deny that a federal court has jurisdiction of such a question. If the rate is so reduced as to prevent fair profit on capital invested, then that would re- suit in conhscating the roads property without any hearing, trial or investlga- ton.
 No good citizen in Alabama desires to do such thing as that. The railroad thought that rate was too low. applied to Judge Jones and he issued orders, took injunction and declared the acts of the Alabama legislature unconstitutional and suspended them. No state court of Ala bama, as 1 understand, has yet assumed jurisdiction by issuing any process or proceedings. The federal court under the order of Judge Jones took jurisdiction of a subject matter which it's Jurisdiction |. orderly procedure of courts and the re- spect due of such vital importance to so- ciety that even if Judge Jones should De mistaken in his judgment of the validity of the law of Alabama, yet no other court, state of otherwise. could interfere with his orders while the investigation was pending.
 T do not believe that the governor Of Alabama desires to see any friction in our state between the state and federal courts, nor do I believe there will be any. Not an employe of a railroad will be indicted or arrested in viola tion of Judge Jones' restraining order. At least l hope not The matter will go on quietly up to the supreme court of the United States like mauy other cases heretofore from Alabama have gone. 1t will be de- cided by the highest court in the world men who know what the law Is and will administer it. l see no occasion at all for bad blood or unkind expressions. It is simple question of the Jurisdiction of a court. Our people will never willing ly and knowingly be placed in an attitude of hostility to the courts. If we lose faith and respect for our courts, then indeed we have broken the strongest inK in the chain of the protection of our riobts of nerson and prODertV'