The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-10
To the People of Alabama:

To the People of Alabama:
 It is altogether proper that the South ern Railway company should make d public statement concerning it's recent matters of controversy with the state of Alabama. It Is well known that at tho last session of the legislature an act was passed fixing the rate for passenger travel between points in Alabama at 21s cents per mile, and that another act was passed fixing certain freight rates on no commodities. The laws of Alabama provide that it is competent for rail- road company, when it believes that rates fixed by the legislature or the railroad commission are unreasonable and un- jus., to file a suit setting up it's grounds for this belief, and having q judicial determination of the disputed matters. The laws of Alabama further provide that pending this determination there may be by the court suspension of the contested rates.
 The legislature passed another act, entirely convinced that these rates were not only unreasonable and unjust but would result in so diminishing its reXe- nues as to amount to a deprivation of it's property, saw proper in March last to file q suit in the federal court, contest Ing the rates fixed by these acts, and obtained from the court an injunction suspendng these rates during the pend ency of the suit, or until the matter could be fully inquired into and jndicially determined.
 The Southern Railway company being which is known as senate bill No. S6. This act required all foreign corpora tions on or before July 1, 1907, to take out A license from the secretary of state, authorizing such foreign corporations 10 do business in Alabama. This law pro- vided that f. after taking out such H. cense. any foreign corporation on be- ing sued should remove a case from state court to federal court, it's license should be cancelled and thereafter if 1t should transact any business in the state of Alabama. it should be subject to fine. and It's agents and employees sub feet to a fine and Imprisonment.
 In October, 1906, a suit was brought against the Southern Railway company in the Talladega circuit court. This suit it will be observed was brought five months prior to the passage of senate bill No S6, that act being passed in March of 1907; and nine months prior to tha time when a license was required to
 
 Southern Railway company on July "A, 190i. filed q petition to remove this case from the state court to the federal court, and in consequence of it's doing so, it's license to do business In the state of Alabama was cancelled This step on the part of the Southern Railway company was not taken with any purpose of defy ing the laws of Alabama. and 1t is be- lieved by it's counsel that it was not for hidden bv senate bill No. S6, inasmuch as the case removed was one which was removable under the federal statutes, and had been brought, as before stated, long be.ore the passage of senate bill No. s6. The state authorities, however. did not take this view of the matter; the South ern Railway company was indicted in Perry county and 1t was further stated that many other indictments were to he found against it and it's agents and employee
 The claim that the Southern Railway company had forfeited it's right to do an intrastate passenger and freight bus mess along it's line by the cancellation of it's license. presented condition of affairs which was most serious. On ono hand 1t was practically impossible for