The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1908-07-21

commission in the courts | deny his
right to agitate in opposition to the
action of the commission, thereby en-
couraging litigation by the railroad
companies against the commission.
When the railroad commission
renders decision upon any subject
favorable to the people either in the
line Of reducing passenger or freight
rates, It has been the almost uniform
course of the railroads to seek by in
junction in the federal courts to pre-
vent the action of the commission
from being put into effect. The action
of the commission becomes the action
of the state. When a railroad COM
pany brings a legal procedure to en-
join the action of the commission, the
commissioners are made parties and
are called upon to defend what the
commission has done
! "Tbe attorney general of the state
and other state officials are also some
; times made parties. AS the action of
the majority of the commissioners is
the action of the state the attorney
general would not publicly question
the wisdom of the majority of the
commissions. He should give their
action his loyal support. Even more,
each one. If the commissioners should
support the action of the majority of
the commissioners for they in all cases
of litigation over their action are the
parties representing the state.
"a commissioner wn6 fgesEsaicly dis,
approves the action of the majority re-
ducing freight or passenger rate,
poses the state in the very work where
he is employed to support the state.
"Mr Brown knew when he made
public his motion after the rates were
/ fixed by the commission that the ac-
A., tion of the commission would be at.
Itacked in the courts. for representa-
tives of the railroads had so stated in
Mr.. Browns presence at the hearing
Tor the application to have the rates
reduced.
II did not suspend Mr.. Brown upon
my Inauguration because there were
measures pending before the legisla-
Iture which 1 deemed cf great impor-
Itance, and l did not wish TO place
before the bodies this additional ques-
Ition, as it would occupy time and per-
|haps hinder action upon the measures
to which | have referred.
"The legislature did not pass these
measures until the last hour of the
session Al,er the adjournment | was
considering the prc@iety of suspend
ing Mr.. Brown. THB time was near
at hand when | knew the commission
would be in litigation with the rail
road companies over the passenger
rates which Mr. Brown had publicly
condemned. With Mr. Brown left
upon the commission we would have
had a representative of the state who
was distributing his opinion contain
ing matter adverse to the state in liti-
cation where his office required him
to represent the state. The advantage
to the state of filling his place with
commissioner who would support the
action of the commission was obvious.
Still | hesitated about suspending
him because the legislature had ad-
journed. and he could not be given an
opportunity to have my decision re-
viewed until his term of office had
ended.
Third. On August 20, 1907, re-
,ceived a communication from Mr.
Brown. 1t was left in my reception
room without explanation. 1t is neces-
sary to know the peculiarities con-
Injected with It's transmission to prop
erly understand it's meaning 1t was
sent to my office addressed to me in
sonal and confidential an the front
of the envelope. The words personal
and confidential were underscored
three times, and surrounded by four
heavy ink lines. Across the seal of
the envelope was written in large let
ters the word personal underscored
five times and boxed in by four heavy
link lines. The envelope was one
which had belonged to my former
Il law firm On the left hand corner was
printed return in five days to Hoke
Smith and H. G. Peoples, Atlanta, Ga
81 mention these details as they
show the great care used to bring the
envelope to my personal and exclusive
attention, even to the extent of Great
ling the false impression that it came
from some one connected with my old
law firm.
Inside this large envelope was an
lother large sealed envelope. This in
ner envelope was addressed to me and
marked personal and confidential
these words also being doubly under
lscored.
From these facts it may be seen
how intent was the purpose Of the
slender of the envelope that no one but
myself and the serder should know
the contents g t.e ir ar envelope.