The Tupelo journal., 1907-01-25

There are a great many people in Mis-
sissippi who look upon the railroad com
mission as an expensive adjunct to- the
State government with but little benefit
being derived. Few know of the work
done by this body of men, or the great
difficulties under which they labor. Com
petition in transportation of freight and
passengers is largely a thing of the past
and the protection to the public in the
future must come in the way of regu-
lation by the commissions. The writer
attends a great many meetings of the
Mississippi commission and has an ex-
cellen opportunity of knowing some
thing of the work being done by this
body. The present movement for the
issuance of interchangeable mileage
books, if successful, will be a consider
able saving to the travelling public, and
ii the rate of two cents asked for is
granted, it will mean d great deal. The
establishment of distributing points and
maintenance of rates from these to To-
cal stations saves large sums to the
public yearly, although the system is
little understood by the people in gem
eral. Dozens of specific items could be
mentioned wherein the commissions are
doing a good work and the public might
be more lenient in criticising a body
about which so little is generally known
and understood.
The rates charged for telephone SER
vice in Mississippi are too high. Dur
ing the past few years the rates on fesI-
dence phones nave been increased from
81 to $1.65, or more than 90 per cent.
This is on the basis of less than 600
phones in a county. The tendency is to
increase this rate on every pretext that
Is offered. a few years ago, when there
were a number OF local exchanges over
the country and before the consolidation
of nearly all into one vast trust, resi-
dences were furnished phones for 81 per
month and connection with other phones
In the county were free. This service,
rates recently announced, now costs
$2.15. A sliding scale Of prices has
been announced, which increases as the
number of phones in a county increases,
whether the subscriber has the connec-
ton with balance of county or not.
Prospects are good under this rule for
our people to be compelled to pay as
much as So for residence phones in the
near future, with only a limited num-
Der of connections. 1t is a matter that
demands attention at the hands of u
people, and right now, before it goes
much further. Competition is a thing
of the past in most cases, and regula-
ton is the only remedy offered. The
,-.AN ,y@,,1I 1,l-n - hAAr frA,,, 1x-nr
one who is interested in this matter at
an early day.
The sixth annual exhibit Of the Mis-
sissippi Poultry and Pet Stock Associa-
ton, held at Aberdeen the first of the
month, was a most successful affair, and
superbly managed throughout. There
were more exhibitors than ever before
and the quality of exhibits were better
than heretofore. +. j. Marshall of At
lanta was the judge. This has become
one of the principal events of the State,
and it is gratifying indeed to note that
it is growing in Importance from year
to year. The poultry industry Is be-
coming of great magnitude, and no sec
ton of the country offers greater advan-
tages than Mississippi. 1t is undoubt-
eddy in its infancy, and we confidently
expect to see greater development in the
next few years than ever before. The
gentlemen behind this exhibition are de-
serving of the cooperation and assist
ance of our people in general, there be-
ing nothing more stimulating than the
competition of the show ring.
A number of large porkers have been
slaughtered in the State recently, but 1T
seems that Tate county has the palm
so far. Charlie France of Truslow in
chat county killed n that dressed $50
pounds. Five hundred and compound
hogs were plentiful. 1t can be safely
said that Mississippi offers excellent ad-
yantages for the raising of pork, and
those who have followed it for years
have succeeded splendidly. Every man
with ten acres or more of land has no
excuse to offer why he does not Kill
enough pork each fall to supply his
family. Even with less land some can
be made. One man this year killed a
shoat that dressed 465 pounds that was
fed largely on refu,e from the kitchen,
and did not cost him more than a cent
a pound in money. Hogs are profitable,
as has been shown by actual experience.
Yazoo City has located a branch OF a
Memphis handle company that will EN-
pIey a number of hands and furnish a
market for the splendid hardwood TIM
her that is so abundant in that section.
PITY It's that every county in the State
could not manufacture this valuable
timber instead of allowing it to be
shipped away for consumption else
where.
There is something for all to do that
are looking for a job. Openings for good
men are more frequent than ever before.
There is absolutely no excuse Tor a de-
cent man to be out of a job at TINS time
Azl<oxcn14