The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-01


 ties through which the Western is run. The bill also seeks to restrain O. C. Bomar and the Winter-Loeb Grocery Company as persons who are liable to bring damage suits or invoke the penalty laws to compel the road to put in the new freight and passenger rates. With the clerks, the solicitors and the sheriffs. these persons are enjoined from bringing the new acts to bear upon the Western. Anf like the other restraining orders the one issued yes- terday Is broad enough to restrain, not only those persons specifically named in the bill, but all other persons in Ala bana from .endeavorfng to enforce the acts.
 Three Bills Unsigned.
 Three of the important railroad acts a.e as yet unsigned by the Governor. All three are penalty and damage suit acts. part of the plan adopted by the administration to secure the enforce ment of the new antirailroad legisla- tion. One Nof the acts Is what was known as the Gate and Wicket Bill the bill under the provision of which no railroad was allowed to keep up gate or wicket of any kind to prevent the public from having access to the passenger trains. The other relates to the refusal of a ticket agent to sell
 
 8 penalty for the offense. The third relates to the ejectment from any pas senger train of any person who offers the conductor the statutory fare. This act also provides for the bringing of damage suit against the road for any ejectment.
 The Governor announced yesterday that he would sign these bills on his return to the Capitol Tuesday. The time limit as fixed by the constitution does not expire until Tuesday night and he Is well within the limit If he signs them Tuesday.
 These three bills have caused some speculation, due no doubt to the fail- ure Of the Governor to sign them as quickly as he did the other anti-rail- road acts. There was some talk that perhaps the Governor was contemplat- ing some sort of a coup to be achieved through these three bills. It will be recalled that the Governor on Satur- day night a week ago signed a number of the railroad bills before he went tv Birmingham for his usual weeks end visit. The signing of the bills by the Governor was not given out and the bills were not sent over to the office of the Secretary of State until the fol- lowing Monday.
 May Have Signed.
 The speculation which was indulged in yesterday was to the effect that it was possible that the Governor had signed the three remaining bills last evening before going to Birmingham, but that no publicity would be given to his act until he returned Tuesday, In the meanwhile. 1t was contended that the acts went into effect upon the ap- proval by the Governor. Continuing this mode of speculation, 1t was held that some persons might attempt un- der the provisions of the three acts to invoke the penalty of the law or insti- tute suits for damages against the railroads. which were litigating in the courts. In other words, 1t was contend ed that way was being opened for some person or persons ito slip up on the blind side" of the railroads
 But further investigation into the situation developed that any specuIa- ton of this sort was far fetched and improbable. In the first place. the Gov ernor announced that he had not sign ed the acts but would wait until Tues day to do so. In the next place the en- lire anti-railroad code of the Legisla- tura was enjoined. The main central acts were enjoined and several subsid- iary acts for the Enforcement of the main acts were enjoined. Any round- about way of getting at the railroads would be. considered an evasion or 'vio- laltOu or tHe dHu tne court would undoubtedly so regard 1t. and so punish it. The proposed scheme was never given much consideration by the well-informed.
 Making soundings.
 The report has come from one or two of the towns of North Alabama that friends of the Governor have been nov ing among the shippers and sounding them as to the probability of their bringing suits against the roads. It was reported that several shippers and passengers were urged to hVing suits notwithstanding the injunctions. It Is not believed that this will be done. In fact the same authority for the rumors of the activity of the administration agents is also authority for the state ment that they receive little or no en- 
 There is not the slightest doubt but that the orders of the Federal Court will be enforced to the letter. There is no tthe slightest doubt that any violation of the injunctions or re- straining orders will be immediately punished. Moreover. these truths are over all Alabama. It is therefore not expected that any out side person will attempt to brave the court.
 h connection with the talk of suits for damages, 1t is pointed out that &ho,a is no pacassifv for anv augk o-