The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-16
Conner OUTLINES
FUTURE POLICY
ForcibIe Message is Sent TO the
Legislature
RAILROADS GET MUCH SPACE
Treats Many Subjects of Vital Interest
and Some of His Recommended
tons Are Entirely New.
Text of Message.
GET MUCH SPACE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE H.


pertinent l cite to you the relations be-
tween and charges in those states by the
public service corporations, in contrast
with the same conditions in Alabama. Ali
of these states have clearly defined law
made freight rates, express rates and
telegraph rates; Alabama has, according
TO the recent history of the state the
protection of the conscience of the
carriers and public service corpora lions,
and that conscience, by their own admis-
sion, limited to what the traffic will
stand"
Alabama has been kind and generous to
the railroads and public service corpora
tions The state has given much money
and large areas of land and valuable
franchises, and according to the admis-
sion of the railroads the .'fairest laws"
and the most unrestricted conduct in the
management of their affairs, perhaps, of
any state in the union. With these gen.
erous conditions and ''farest laws" the
railroads and public service corporations
have taxed our people with the highest
freight rates and charges the lowest tax
valuation, in many instances the poorest
car service, and the most arbitrary and
one-sided rules and regulations, that pre-
vail in any of the states through which
they run or do business. They have MAIN
the purpose of influencing and dominat-
ing our laws; their agents have even
occupied our capital without any apparent
recognition of the evil of it; they have
used graft and money on our electorate
for the purpose of controlling our cleo
tions; they have multiplied their stocks
and securities without proper foundation,
and claim the right within our law to
tax the people a sufficient sum to pay
int history
corporate greed, unrestricted, sooner or
later regards the people as altogether
proper subjects for their taxation, spolia-
ton and plundering. The situation is
most dangerous to the proper develop
ment of our state and the proper security
of our citizens.
New Railroad Commission Law.
In conformity with the demands of the
people and the platform of the democra-
tic party and for the purpose of securing
the people against these onerous and de-
structve conditions, l recommend rail-
road commission law, ginivng the rail-
road commission adequate power and
means to make investigations concerning
the rules of railroads, their charges and
their methods of doing business, and to
put restriction on their charges and to
establish between these corporations and
the people such rules and regulations
Tor business ana service as Will De 1alr
and just to both parties alike.
The present railroad commission law
was a compromise measure and of doubt
full validity, and should be supplanted by
another, giving said railroad commission
plenary power and adequate means to
carry out these, the just demands of the
people. 1t Is my conviction that the plat
form carried the voice of the people, and
1t is your highest duty and mine to COM
a1t xnyffh ifo dc md an.
force laws in conformity Herewith.
Maximum Rates.
The state of Georgia. through It's COM
mission, more than twenty-five years ago
established the price of freight on all
the article of common manufacture, pro-
duction, consumption and use, and these
rates have constantly been maintained
since, and the evidence from Georgia
is that all the railroad there have pros
pered These rates are much lower by
comparison than the same roads charge
the freght-payers of Alabama. The ton
mage of Alabama has outstripped that
of Georgia and other neighboring states
by far, and there is no reason why the
price of freight on any road in Alabama
should be higher than in Georgia or any
other neghboring state. | recommend the
enactment of laws fixing a maximum
freight rate not to exceed the present
freight rate IN this state IN Ofuer TO
give to the freight-payers of Alabama
the quicket relief and the surest relief,
recommend that you enact a statute nam
ing the classification and rates of freight
on all the articles OF common manufac-
ture, production, consumption and use not
to exceed the present classification and
rate on such articles in the state of Geor-
gia, which rates shall not be increased
except by statute, but may be reduced
by the railroad commission of the state,
or by the carriers themselves
recommend the enactment of law
fixing a maximum passenger rate of 2Ia
cents per mile on all railroads in Ala
bama.
Waterways.
The port of Mobile and the water
ways of the state are the most valu-
able assets of the state These assets
are now throttled by, the railroads.
They are intended by the large expendi-
lures made on them by the govern
ment, and intended by nature to be of
the greatest use to the state; the regu-
lation of the interstate traffic depends
in the largest measure upon their use,
and it is akin to criminalty to allow
them to be held in such utter useless