The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-11-07

railroads in the matter of rates was so be discussed. the conclLsior of the Governors to keep their deliberations secret is s.disappointing.
 There istan- assumption entirely con- trarv to the constitutions of the three stases represented, in the statement:
 "When tte railroad companies cease init to the duly constituted authorities. upon which alone rests the right to determine questions of public policy, raeas rstnsn ef ppabic @ ana a restoration of normal credits.
 The governors arVuot the duly con stituted authorities" of their respect herein set forth. The courts are the fina1 arbiters in questions of public policy. A Governor can suggest a pol- icy icy. Legislatphre h. enact mac t into Ho,cs ia%
 to the merits of the law. If 1t were otherwise the rights of the individual, as we'll as the corporation, would not the humblest citizen to protect his property apd person against legis. lative enactment which attacks either,
 the railroads have appealed to the
 depreciation of their property. The three Governors deny their right tfo do this, and by placing themselves su- functions of the Judiciary. Il. Is very Ieeroius situation In which the people of Alabama, Georgia and North Caro- lima find themselves, If the assuanp- the final judges of public policy as to corporations Is permitted to go unchal- lenged by the people. what is to pre-
 nlsr the on and property rights of the individualf The signed statement places Cover
 nor Conner in a peculiar fix. It con-
 tains~the following paragraph:
 "No injury has been done to any cor poration in either of our States by the
 exercise If the power of. regulation.
 Increased business ,s, as eSnse1nenssee @ sea1a 9a authorities has in every case where
 fairly tried. compensated the corpora
 Three railroads in AIapama accepted the f-2 cents a mile passenger fare
 decreed bS the Legislature and the freight rates on the hundred and ten
 commodities" named by the tame body.
 agreement with the three railroads en- abling them to charge 3-4 cents pas senger fare and largely modifying the
 statutory freight rates. If 'increased rates has compensated the corpora tions," what was the necessity for Gov
 ernor Corners agreement enabling the railroads of Alabama which had put in force the reduced rates. to charge ihigher rates? The Governors state ment in Atlanta and the Governors ac- rlOn m 1AiaDaIna are cOntraOictOFys It is probable that the conference in Atlanta fell 60 pieces because of the agreement Governor Comer made with the Alabsnla roads. Current report be- fore the conference was that the Ala bama Agreement was to be made the basia. of "a settlement for North Car oiina and Georgia Georgia has In force a lower passenger rate than efth- CT of the other States obtalned by the Railroad Commission under Governor
 Terrell's administration. The present
 Railroad Commission has approved the passenger rate and wfile the State has
 recovered s1mewhat from the anti-raii-
 road campaign which put Governor Smith in office. there ie no disposition
 to take a backward step In the matter of rate reduction, passenger or freight. In this condition 1t was not possible that the Governor of Georgia and the Governor of Alabama could agree on
 rates which would obtain uniformity.
 and. until the administrations of the three States In the conference return to the sepaFgtlon of executive. legislstive and judicial functions. their railroad regulation laws win continue to be the most confusing and destructive enact-
 ments the railroads. have ever labored under.<