The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-07-08
In the Middle of the Stream.

James Callaway in Macon Telegraph.
 The Washington Post. in a recent editorial on the lack of adeauats aa, trans, to rapid development of the Southern States ih the pas. few ~,crs, made this
 It would require the expenditure road facilities enjoyed by Indiana. The South Is vitally interested in this Men do not build r-ilroads for fun: but for profit. A prosperous railroad Is of incalculable value to a communi- excellent customer. and supplies home market. It develops the latest energies of men and things and the most gree dy of them have wrought much more bankrupt road Is much like an in futile farm that makes no adequate return for the labor bestowed on it," on1sn, There h has been such raiirosd dsyel, far behind such States as Indiana we
 The Washington Post says 1t wiy enjoyed by Indiana.
 One of the greatest speeches on this Samuel Spencer in Montsomery. Ala. before convention of farmers. not many weeks before his unttmely large audience the railroad conditions twelve years ago when he became Pre- sident of the Southern. He showed that Northern capital was not looking and the Pacific, and that 1t was the battle of his life to persuade Northern capitalists to interests themselves in the Atlantic and Gulf ports-to join
 He won his fight. and short lines were bought up ahI transformed into great through lines, giving Savannah leans such entrance into the he west and East as never before enjoyed. To &C., complish this in twelve years was an heroic work. It took man of nerve. But 1t was dona.
 This battle fought and won--a vic- tory so important In results to the south--ths next step. MT. Spencer de- meet the demands of trade-prspare for the immense development of the South along all lines, that stupendous increase of business, prosperity un-
 To do this he showed that he was preparing for double trackage alol.g all strenuous lines to facilitate travel and move the freight. He told of his with Northern and Western States. as Ohio and Indiana.
 He said he was but in the middle Gf the stream-that with the Atlantic and established. his other great work was to meet the demands of trade and trat- fic. To do this. he said, would re- quire immense sums of money, and he patience and forbearance. He showed that If after Southern States heaped upon him the same harsh criticism arousing the masses against him. as laH khAA kknxv woulh break him down in "the middle pleted. and ruin his financial standing and his ability to borrow the noIsy plans for the South.
 And his words were prophetic. The Review of Reviews. March number. re- veals an embarrassing condition: and that number of the Review of Reviews.
 The Washington Post Is right. We need more railroads in Georgia. IT Carnegie or some 'tner big trust like and draw unJustly from Georgia. $5.- 900, 900 1t Is that much absolute loss No indirect beneht-a direct loss. But frailroads should act likewise and a rebate, at last-an indirect benefit. Because the railroads are our custo- mers they buy our produce. disburse thousands of money; they are develop up. school houses appear, and churches are built. Culture and refinement fol- low railroads. Property increases in value. Think of .he factories. indus trial development. reaultants of rail road energy, that bless our State. But DO rebates from a rise in steel or coal. or meat. or breadstuffs. or oil. none. Yet we are getting these indirect benefits
 from railroads without any rise in freight. Indeed. since May. 1905. Preights have ben somewhat reduced. The Washington Post is right. Geor- gia needs more railroads.
 On with progress; on with develop L->nt. Get like Indiana.
 the stream"