The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1907-12-12
b 4. Z BLAKEsLEE, Jaen..n, M,

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If there is any one thing more
than another that will cause the next
legislature to enact stringent laws
concerning the corporations, it is the
absolute disregard Of the roads to
treat fairly with individual shippers,
or in other words. the man who makes
only few shipments each year and
Is not in position to know what the
rate on his shipments is. This has
been forcibly brought to the mind of
the writer during the present year
by the trial at enforcement of the
rate on Mississippi made syrup as or
dered by the railroad commission.
Early in the year a rate on this syrup
was fixed at % cents per hundred
pounds from any one point in the
state to any other point, provided that
it vas not necessary to go outside the
state in reaching its destination. The
only exception to this rule was in the
case where it was necessary to use
two or more roads in shipping. Each
road is entitled to minimum charge
of 25 cents on any shipment, SO .sat
if only one hundred pounds went
over two roads the charge would be
so cents, or three roads, Is cents.
On the other hand, if the shipment
was 400 pounds the rate would be
% cents per hundred, divided be-
tween two or three roads. allowing
each their share which would be more
than 25 cents. 1t has been a fearful
task to get the roads to instruct their
agents as to this rate. Producers
have been charged the old rate right
along despite the attempts to enforce
the new rate. This has been the case
at Centerville, McComb City, Mag
nolia, Mcneil, Starkville and other
points too numerous to mention.
There is farmer up in Lafayette
county who is we'll fixed to hold his
cotton an indefinite length of time if
necessary to get the price demanded.
The Lafayette County Press tells the
story thus:
"A few miles from Oxford lives
quiet, modest young man who answers
to the name of w. NJ. Rogers. Banks
may break, financiers may commit sui
eide, merchants may run over their
accounts with blanched faces, but
Rr.pors ic not oopoornod covo no opo
man sympathizes with another who
is in distress. Listen: On less than
three-fourths of an acre of land he
raised and sold for money, salad,
$28; turnips, $40; potatoes, $75. Be-
sides this, which he did mostly for
experiment, he raised corn, meat,
oats. hay, potatoes and five bales of
cotton on his place. On being ques-
toned about not being able to get
money for his cotton, he answered
with a contented smile that he didn't
have to sell it. Next year he pro-
poses to go into the trucking bust
ness on somewhat larger scale, and
is already putting out raspberry and
strawberry plants. Yet, some people
say that cotton is the only money
crop"
Then what recourse is there for the
man who has been overchargedq His
is small matter and he can't afford
to employ lawyer to collect claim
of a few cents or possibly few dol
lars. This applies to merchants and
others alike. Some remedial legisla-
tion is needed here. Our people are
deserving of protection. The roads
have their regular lawyers employed
by the year and the individual who
desires his rights is at great dis
advantage. This has been going along
for years, then would it be surprising
that if in attempting to remedy this
the legislature might pass law that
roads would deem stringent and
freakish. The roads ignore the regu-
lations of the commission as well as
the rules of classification to an alarm
ing extent with the small shippers
and something should be done for
their protection.
This means a great deal to the peo-
pile of Mississippi. 1t is an agricul-
tural state and will so remain. Then
if the planters will get together and
cooperate with those from other
states for fair price for their pro-
duet it will mean millions annually
to us. Our present prosperity will
be only the beginning of period be-
yond the expectations of the most op-
timistic. 1t means "Greater Mis-
sissippi" in every sense of the word,
croakers and sore toes to the contrary
Notwithstanding.
Mississippi killed approximately
seventy million pounds Of pork last
year and probably considerable more
this year. That is the next best thing
to warehouse in aiding the farmers
tn hnlj fheir cntton for a Poi. ,,r;oa