The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-11-10
Spend Day Hearing
 Arguments. ALL GOVERNORS MEASURES RECEIVE THEIR SANCTION Major Hanson and Sid Bowie Talk
 in Vain. Commerce and Common Carriers cem- mittee Determined To Carry Out Orders Given By Executive Hn Call For the Extraordin-
 ary Session.

went through the Senate and House Committees on Commerce and Common Carriers at their Joint meeting yes- terday. with the same ease and grace that a trained vaudeville performer swings Indian clubs.
 Every one of the anti-administra- ton railroad bills received & favor able report yesterday afternoon after the committee had listened to able ar- guments by Ex-congressman Sid Bowie and Major J. F. Hanson of the rail- roads. and Railroad Commissioner ". D. Nesbit. representing Governor Ca I nor.
 The members of the committee gave l the railroad people respectful hear- ing. but. there was never moment when the nature of their report was in | doubt The members of the committees l Had responded to whip and spur before | and yesterday obeyed like the trained l dog does when the clown says: Jump l through that"
 l Although the members listened with 1 evident interest to both the ex-con- l gressman and the president of the Gen. 1 trai of Georgia Railroad. the entire membership had the attitude of play l ing prosecuting attorney, and with l series of. questions kept Mir. Bowls l frequently on the defensive
 Major Hanson. however. was rug | l in no mincing terms of the dangers | that lay ahead of their course and hts sharp wit and ready repartee had even the committee members tn q constant | state of applause.
 l They liked the speech, bat paid | about as much attention to 1t as the l duck does to the proverbiai pail. | Each one of the series of bills reeeit- | ed the unanimous vote of each commits tee.
 1 The Committed on Commercs and I Common Carriers of both the House l and the Senate was called to order promptly at 10 o'clock in the Senate chamber by Chairman overton of the Senate Committee. Throughout the 1 hearing the session was well attended | hv members of the House and Senate and spectators, while among the rail- road men present. were GopKFe6am9m I BoMls. representing the Lcuisyiile sna Nashville; President Milton H. Smith 1 of that system; Major J. F Hanson | President of the Central Of Georgia Railroad; Major R. F. steiner. counsel i for that road.
 Presidena smith Present. l The Committee sat facing the door | of the Senate. while the speakers deAiy- cred their talk from desk directly m front of the door. Immediately to the 1 left of the desk sat President Smith. | and he listened attentively to every l word that was said. although he took no active part In the proceedings.
 once during the address Of Major Hanson. he arose ana wnlspsIeu q
 In calling the meeting to order Sen~ | ator Oyarton said that he would he | oiad to have the Senate Committees on l TudicEary sit with the body as q num- her of the railroad bills had been Fs- ferred to them. Senator overton seia | .F ( 1NA fatN was that the meetings should ne thorourhIy open and all the light poe- sible should be spread on the railroad
 Ex-ConRressnan Bowie. 1t was an- nounced, would first address the com 4 mIttea. ,..m address that it would be impossible for him to anaiyze all the bills that haa heen introduced as he had not seen all inc measures and had to devote him self entirely to the information GieAns ed from the captions. He said nc nrss wanted 10 call attention to minor r,Ii frtroduced- by MT. Long, of But Ter. which he declared was in no sense demanded by the Democratic platform. hut which seriously affected the rails roads of Alabama.
 Denounees Long Biii.
 The bill provides for permssaon " IT | contract no matter in what State sh~ cause of action was committed. Mr 1nwia savs that this seeks to cnanes an old rule of law by stature anu would work a great hardship on Isl,- .u.- roads as there is no process py whicn witnesses could be suopoenas1 N's. cauaed to cross the State line TOT q triai o- the action in this State. Ao secure the attendances of witnesses tbeir mar diem and expenses ana trahS- nortatton would have to be pa'o'
 Senator Lusk wanted to know wnaL w was the difference in this ana causlne .,l A plaintiff to go to state where sne cause of action took place
 MT Bowie said 1t was reasonable 70 sunpose that if there was an accident | on A railroad most of the Witnesses would be residents of the state in which the accident occurred ana couiu be easily reached by subpoena.
 MT Bowie then took up the excess baggage bill. which he described ns | oppressive. This bill" said the ex- conRressman. provides a schedule ef charges for freight Cfor that is all ex- cess baggage isl, on trains running from thirty to forty miles per hour. less than on freight trains running at ten | miles per hour. I submit that It can- not be termed fair"
 Unprecedented and Oppressive.
 He then discussed the bill providing | for the recovery of damages for re- fustng to sell a passenger a two and one-half cent fare. He termed 1t un- precedented and oppressive. The bill | provides that suit can be brought with | in ten years and the plaintiff can re- ceive damages in any amount that a jury might fix.
 "There is no limit to the amount and | practically no limit to the time," said the speaker. Suppose a man. i've years after he had been refused a ticket should enter suit. What chance would there be against his recovering ! l His word would be all the tesfiu4fr,u Q