The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-27
MIGHT REyJKE THE LICENSES Railroad Litigation Up
 to Governor. CONFERENCE HELD AT CAPITOL Question Raised Is of National
 Importance. President Roosevelt May Take Up Question i'm Jamestown Speech
 ef Federal Control of All
 Railroad Properties.

VIII Governor Conner have cancels ed the licenses of the railroads which filed injunction proceedings in the Fed eral Court. In the language of the street, it is up to the administration to do this
 The licenses were not revoked yes terday. No intimation came from ad- ministration circles as to what was going to be done. President Charles Henderson, J. c. Harris and W. D. Nes- bit of the Railroad Commission spent the day in the city. They held a con l ference at the Capitol at which the le- gal issues raised by the bills filed by the railroads was discussed But no statement was given out.
 Under several of the laws. the laws adopted by the Legislature hold good. the oGvernor has the right to revoke the license of any railroad company which has the tamerity to either bring a suit in a Federal Court or remove 1t from state to Federal Court But the rail- roads continued to run trains through out all or yesterday.
 Tn the meanwhile. it Is realized that the litigation inaugurated Monday in the Federal Court is of national signi- ! ficance. It Is the first general orga- nized attempt on the part of the roads to fight the drastic legislation enacted hy a number of States. The fate of anti-railroad legislation. not only in Alabama. but in other States where such laws have been passed. depend in ] a measure upon the outcome of the suits brought in the court of Judge Iones The result will affect not only the future policy of Alabama. but the policy of other states. in the enact- \ ment of lesislation affecting railway matters.
 But the most potent bearing the leg islation and its consequent litigation win have will be it's effect upon the new policy semi officially advocated by President Roosevelt of taking all rail- road property under national control; of considering all railroad property within the State as part of interstate commerce and therefore subject to na- tional supervision and control
 It has been announced semi-ofncially that President Roosevelt, the original railroad reformer, now takes the posi- tion. that in view of the drastic and in- malicious legislation of certain Of the States, the entire property of the rail- roads is property devoted to interstate commerce.
 The President will make the opening address at the Jamestown Exposition in April. It is semi onicially amour ced lIat the address will be devoted to the exposition of the Presidents views on railway rate regulation. It Is further announced with some au- thority that the President will boldly take the position that the provision ot the Constitution which declares that Congress of the United States shall have the right to control and regulate interstate commerce also authorizes Congress to take under it's control raiI- road property within the State wheth- CT it is or Is not devoted to interstate business. This will be done under the 
 the interstate business cannot be di- vorced from each other.
 May Affect "Jim Crow" Cars.
 The question which will bring out the policy to place all lines under the control of the President. is that the Legislatures of the states nave passed such burdensome and injudi-
 
 ! ment should assume charge of all rail road property. under the law. and pass upon it as a part of the general sys- tenn of interstate commerce.
 If the President takes this position ss intimated by men who are close to him, the first protest will go up from the South. It opens the way for fresh trouble from the ever present race question. If Congress has control of the intra-state and interstate business 1t will have the right to govern all so- called Jim Crow car questions In other words. Congress, If the suggest ed policy is carried into effect, would have the right to abolish separate transportation accommodations for the white and the negro races.
 The certain effects of the litigation , in the Federal court. however. is that whenever Slue Winss the SultS VIII De carried to the Supreme Court of the United States. If the railroads should be granted the injunction which the ten Alabama railroads have asked for the State will, no doubt, take the case to the Circuit Court of Appeals and from there to the Supreme Court.
 On the other hand. If the suit goeI a against the State. the Governor might a revoke the right of the railroad to dr f business in Alabama. In such an even, y the railroads would again resort to tn, n Federal courts and the litigation woult 8 bA started anew. In whatever way il . Is regarded, and in whatever way it 1, a pursued and fought. the present liti' . gation will be before the people of Ala. r bama for many, many months.
 The injunction suits involve ever, r important phase of the railway legis 0 lation enacted by the last Legislature f Tn the courts, for the first time. tn, ]. lave passed by the Legislature vii