The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-10

ulcdIlOn. IL IS not proper treatment ne thought 10 endeavor to make such enact- ments while suit is pending in the courts to test the very question at issue. He did not believe, either, that these suits would be 10 years in the courts, as mad been reported.
 Dangerous Ideas.
 MT Bowie said that in suits the rail- roads might win out on seven of the eight groups of bills and lose in the other one and the penalties in that one would bankrupt every road in the state.
 MT. Smith of Elmore said this law would annul those in the courts.
 MT. Bowie said he had seen so from the papers.
 MT. Bowie then read from the platform of the administration and certain speeches nuof the governor in which it was said that every interest is to be given it's rights in the courts. These bills would not do so and would be, in effect, a failure to carry out the platform that he had heard so much about.
 MT. kornegay asked if 1t would not be better to give the rates trial, thus avoid the possibilities of penalties, es- pecially in the face of the fact that the railroad commission has the right to raise them if they are confiscatory.
 MT. Bowie replied that the state had no right to thus take property without giv- liiS tllc IOdub tilt fiBHI Llldl OLlitT ClllAeuS are given. If the legislature should pass the bills 1t will be the only law making body to take such radical action.
 Exceeding Power.
 MT. Bowie denied the right of the legislature to take such action. He said, in reply to a question of Senator Reid that they feared a repetition of the North Carolina affair. That the Southern is all lowed to charge moro than the Louisville and Nashville, brings up many questions he said. He was informed that the new bills were like the ola, save that the first class roads are allowed to charge per cent more. 41
 On being asked by MT. Maner how the fairness of a rate was to be determined MT. Bowie said that figures made showed that the new rates would not be fair to the roads. He said that tho total saving by cutting out free passes would not he per cent. MT. Bowie then read fig- ures to show that even with the rates now in use the earnings per mile of road in Alabama Is much below that of Georgia In 1901, Georgia earnings were s1o79, Ala bama, s10oS; 1904, Georgia, s1306, Alabama. $1214
 Persident Hanson said that ever since the reorganization of his road a large per cent of the money spent on improve ments came out of the operating expenses.
 Increased Expenses.
 Mir. Bowie then pointed out the great increase in expenses in operating rail- roads, also he thought 1t unjust to punish all corporations for what one had done. He said that the Louisville and Nashville handled more cars than any other system in the state. They run the road to It's highest efficiency. Also that the rates on that line are cheaper locally than any other
 Major Hanson of the Central said his road could not stand reduction in in- come. We are compelled to oppose any law that reduces our revenues" said Major Hanson. He attributed the pres ent financial crisis to the antagonistic. legislation to corporations. He said: until something is done to restore con- fidence in railroad and other securities the people will suffer The railroad se- curities of the country are owned by private individuals. You are pledged to give equal protection to all persons by the democratic platform and that is all we ask.
 Tt means more to the state than to the railroads. It is going to be the loser in the end. The credit of the south has been built up by these great agencies which have developed the country. You should cast all the politicians aside and
 
 their money. Our interest in this matter is the same. We can not go on if our revenue is cut down.
 More Authority.
 Mir Lusk asked If he had any remedy to suggest.
 Mir Hanson said that he believed the railroad commission should have authority over all public service corporation, and see that the rates are fixed so that reasonable earnings may be had on in- vestments.
 MT. Hanson holds President Roosevelt responsible for the crisis now on in the country. He said: Roosevelt and such demagogues have destroyed the conf- dence of the public in railroad securities. If there is one crooked railroad then punish that one. not all Tor that one. 1 voted for Roosevelt and contributed to