The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-04-01
Says Drastic Legislation Proved
Disastrous
CONFIDENCE IS RESTORED
When Corporations Were Attacked 1t
Meant Suffering and Hardship
For Thousands of People
In the State.


On October 81, 1907 in letter addressed
to you upon the then existing condition
of affairs. | tiIeo TO point to where we
wsre drifting aa1 ,iied to demonstrate
the remedy that yes necessary to keep
us away rom the rsefs on which we were
drifting. Eut the 81 Oh t-sighted policy of
"the powers shat rt" prevailed, and the
drastic acts of iePIslGtion that, followed
worked such injury and ruin that people
travelling in the s'ite on the cars could
see from the car WlGdcws visible evidence
Of tie widespread CO.. esson that existed.
That condition was the result of unwisa
and discriminating legislation. all of which
was founded upon an unjust prejudice
This prejudice was directed ostensibly
against the railroads, which it was her.
aided were the vioators of the law, and
"a law unto themselves" in their inter
probation of their rights, duties and OBJ
| legations TO the public. A panic ensued
! in which not onIy tba railroads suffered
! but every .orrctaiior which had located
| ir the limits .. cur state, lured by the
expectation of that protection which is
extended to all wno Keep within the
| law" Any che CT observation and ex-
| pericuce OF who is gifted with either,
| knows when money fails to find pro-
lection in our laws it takes wings and
| flies away And that was the effect of the
! drastic legislation formally arrayed
against money and the corporations it
represented.
| These corporations were the main stay
| of their operatives, and when unfriendly
| legislation was aimed at them it reacted
n nf "
| corporations shut down or slowed down
found their 1ce;:allon gone. Never in the
| history OF the state was the machinery of
| its government so signaly. so determined
ly and so unrelentingly directed to what
was characterized as the disciplining of
| the railroads. A full treasury was soon
depleted and an appropriation of $4,000
| was voted to UPHOLD the contention that
Alabama coi.ic live unto herself, and did
! not need the fostering care nor aid OF
outsiders. We all remember with what
urehimity lending companies declined fur
Their loans and how quickly business de-
| pending upon railroad and other inter-
ests shrunk to insignifcance. The incon-
venience and hardship that resulted af-
fecting all classes, we we'll remember,
| nor can we forget how labor, finding no
employment here, sought it in other
| fields. In all that time of almost dark
despair, unawed by power and unds-
| mayed by arbitrary actOn one man, act
! ing on the theory that thrice is he armed
! who hath his quarrel just" stood for the
| rights of his company, fighting inch by
| inch, with never a thought of surrender
| till the last court of resort issued tho
| edict-M. H. Smith-was no less to DE
| commended for the stand he took in de-
| Tending the rights of his road than he was
/; for the broad and liberal spirit that
| prompted him to give a helping hand to
! this district in the days of its struggling
| infancy. No one man is more entitled TO
| the kindly feeling of the people of this
| state for no other man has done more to
deyelop the riches of the state And ne
| has aided in cases within my knowledge
| where remuneration or profit cut no fig-
| ure. He has always been our firm friend.
| and say 1t in all sincerity he has been
| to birmingham a tower Of strength To-
! gether with him in the litigation before
| the various courts stood Mai. j. +. Han
son. president of the Central of Georgia
railroad The stand taken by these two
presidents of corporations so largely in
terested in definite decision of their rights.
has led TO the opinion handed down by
Judge Jones of the United States court,
and which settles the question of the pro-
lection of property rights in this state
even of corporations. Had the governor.
when he assumed the reins of govern
ment been man of broad views and In
love with his people and encouraged for
eien corporations by legal, just and APP
proved legislation. the side tracks would