The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-08-29
URGED PEOPLES RIGHTS.
For This Cause Governor Smith SEs.
pended Him, Says Deposed Rail-
read Commissioner Brown.

When Railroad Commissioner Jo
seph NJ. Brown received notice of his
dismissal at the hands Of Governor
Smith, he was in his Office at the cap
itol answering a number Of requests
for his recent pamphlet showing that
reduced frsight rates have been &C
companied by an increase in the price
Of all articles upon which reductions
were secured. When asked about the
order of the governor and his plans,
Commissioner Brown stas:d that he
had recently received numerous re-
quests fer this pamphlet, not only
from Georgia, but from Alabama, and
eight or ten other states.
Il have had no intimation from the
governor as to his purpose Commits
sioner Brown said,. "and hence can
only Judge from the logic Of past
events as to what his reasons We're.
ITO begin with, when I came on
the board in August, 1904, there was
pending before it. petition from the
Atlanta freight bureau, asking the
commission to put in the we'll known
port rate. There was also pending a
Petition for reductions in interstate
rates, which was of vastly more i'm.
portance to all cities and sections of
the state than the question of rates
between Atlanta and the ports alone.
The more important petition was ta-
ken up first and resulted in the agree.
ment secured in February, 1905, which
was followed by the announcement OF
the reductions made in May following
Then the port rate question was
taken up, and Governor Smith, then
as an attorney, appeared before the
board and strongly urged that it be
granted. Decisions CT the United States
supreme. court, SO far as I could read
them, put it out Of the Power of the
board to grant the reductions asked
in this petition; hence I, with another
member of the board, felt that We had
to deny it.
"A few weeks after that time, Mr..
Smith made public speeches, in which
he announced that, if elected govern.
or, he would suspend me.
After We reduced freight rates, l
noticed that the prices OF everything
on which rates were reduced had ad-
eanced. I got from the United States
bureal of labor Office figures showing
The prices before the rates We're re-
duced, and also the prices in Decem'
ber. 1906, and 1 showed in pamphlet
which 1 isued that this reduction OF
100000 in the freight rates had
been all absorbed by manufacturers
and jobbers, and that farmers and the
other labcring people Of Georgia not
only received no share of the reduc-
ton in rates, which had been promised
them, but that Governor Smiths for
lner clients and other manufacturers
and jobbsrs throughout the state were
absorbing the reductions and then rais-
ing the prices until they were higher
than before the rates were reduced. l
naturally assume that Governor
Smiths feeling of loyalty to his for
mer clients, the manufacturers and the
iubbers has caused him to take the
action toward me which has just been
made public.'
Asked as to whether he would take
any steps to contest the action OF the
governor in ordering his suspension,
Mr.. Brown replied:
Being an official of the state, ap-
pointed by the proper power and cloth
ed with certain duties Of momentous
| interest to the people of Georgia, l
deem that l would be recreant to my
duty ii 1 consented to the proposed
suoversion of their rights equally with
my own. In brief, the question for
the people. to determine, is whether
the prejudice or whim Of the govern
Or shall, or shall not, supplant the
constitution and. the statute laws OF
! the state.''
Commissioner Brown stated that he
would be at his office in the capitol,
as usual, and as to his future conduct
would be guided by whatever his counr
sci advised.