The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-10
Southern R0iI1V0y Case
 Presented By OhCial
Statement Is Made By J. Thompson Who Reviews the Legal Proceedings Against the Road and sows Why the Southern Considers That It Is Acting ancIIas Always Acted with tho Belief That It Was Within
 l. Legal Rights.

the southefh faway company to cease uolhs thls ehafater of business. The persons living alng its lines and doing business upon a6 along It's lines between polhts wholly tithin the state of Ala naiha would hqe been not only seriously i'lcohNehleheeuby such a step. but in many cases aiplutely ruined.
 oa the other and If the railway com pdhy dnd lis vents and employees were 'o pc supJeet tconstant indictments fer engaging Tn tls business, q demoralza- tloh would he followed which would nave rehueree 1t impossible to perform an orderiy al efficient public service. ne SouthefT Railway company felt ltseif obllgat9 not only to refrain from bringing abop iany such result but to do eYerythlnGin It's power and make every possible sacrifice to prevent such Il depiora pie ate of affairs from arising. Accoruingly, limmediate tely opened nego- uatlons with ie public authorities of the state or AiaDS1a in an earnest endeavor to bring ahot a peaceable and orderly solution Of tb whole difficulty.
 It was dema7ed of the Southern Rail way company hat 1t should, pending the determlnfu} of the fairness and reasonapiehess f the passenger and freight rates ixed by the acts of the legislature, gi up the protection of the ihteriocutory injunction, although ac corded to It 3he laws of Alabama. and. pending thg final determination of its cause put Use rates into effect.
 It was aprrent that the result of such acton wouldbe that if the Southern Railway compAy made good it's claim that these rates we unreasonable and confs- catory, It won lose without recall the difference bet'en it's valid rates and those lower rati for the period that must elapse untll tAd decree should be Icn- dered by the cSrt on it's pending case. on the other Ind, the Southern Rail way company nd, by the execution of ample bond wh unquestioned security, protected the ptrons against loss should the fnal declbn be that the statutory rates were reaonable and just. Jt wia. however, true tat the Southern Railway company had iTthe states of North Car. olina and Nirgia yielded the protection of similar inteiocutory injunctions as 70 passenger ratef festablished by these two states, and on his account there seemed 10 be some reash why the Southern Rail way company sbuld make a similar con ccsslon to the pbpIe of the state of Al9- barna A dine3nt consideration applied to freight rates
 Tn North Carena, while the Southern Railway compani had given up the pro- tecton of the iferlociItory decree az to passenger rates,it had not as to freignt rates. It was. 3wever. insisted by the public authoritesof Alabama that h this state there shoul, he the further conces- sion in regard to freight ra tes, and 1t was required as a Prerequisite to set- dement, of difference that these freight rates should he put ino effect just as the passenger rates.
 The Southern RailHv company, while satisfied that 1t was soce.eding in a legal and orderly way in defens. of It's property rights. after q careful con,lderation of the matter. did not believe hat 1t would re Justified in standing out against this Go mand, but that in the intsrest of a peace able and orderly conduc. of It's affairs. and the avoidance Of anlry controversy. 1t was performing It's public duty, and subserving public uses, to make this cor- cegsloa. An agreement wps accordir r,ly arrived at ubon substantially the follow ing terms: The cancellation of the Hcens. was revoked and the Southern Rail way company vii put in the statutory pas senger and ftisht rates on On before a.,- tember l. atd continue them until It's case is decided on it's merits. Respect fully, SOUTHERN RAILWAY co.
 By J. S. E. Tlpmpson. Assistant to the President
 Montgomery, Asus; g. 1907,