The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1908-01-23
GOV. PATTERSON'S EXPLANATION.
Railroad Commission Acted without Con-
sulting Him.

~As@NS sAS AOAAOWAhE pbnbChOubs
81 had taken the position on the rail-
road rate question that Tennessee was
entitled to receive the same reduction
in rates that was accorded the people
of surrounding states, and had made
the announcement in a public speech
that If the courts decided that the re-
reduced rates, as fixed by Legislative
enactment in other states, were valid
under the charters of the railroads, and
if the railroads in Tennessee did not
voluntarily, as | believed they would
do, reduce their rates to correspond
with the reduced rates in other states,
/ could and would call an extta session
OF tho legislature to deal with the ques-
ton.
81 hoped that the whole matter
would be amicably adjusted without
the necessity of an extra call of the
legislature, and without involving the
state in expensive litigation, and with
out popular excitement of any sort.
Recently 1 learned that President
Finley had voluntarily offered reduc-
tion to the people Of Georgia and South
Carolina, and on the 18th OF January he
wrote me a letter in which he stated
that he would come to Tennessee to
confer with me and the railroad COM
mission on this subject, saying in the
letter that he was then i'll, and would
have to delay his trip. Acting upon
this letter and my own statement made
to the people, and believing that if the
Southern railroad could offer reduced
rates in other states, voluntarily, the
people of Tennessee should also have
the benefit Of them, and believing also
that this voluntary action on the part
OF the Southern railway was equally
binding and effective omit as any judi.
cial decision could be, I came to the
conclusion that it was best to have a
general conference of all the represen-
satives of the leading railroads operat-
ing in Tennessee, so as to arrive at an
amicable adjustment of the rate ques-
ton, not only with the Southern road,
but with all the other roads operating
in the state.
"The conference, therefore, was call
ed in the hope and expectation that it
would result in an understanding and
agreement that would save litigation
and the expense and annoyance of an
extra session.
SIN the meantime, the railroad COM
nilsson, acting Independently and with
out consultation with me, and without
notice to the railroads, promulgated an
order that two and one-half cent rate
should be made effective on all the
railroads operating in Tennessee on the
first day Of April, 1908.
"The meeting was to be entirely in
the nature of conference, looking to a
satisfactory adjustment of the passen-
ger rates in Tennessee, and l intened,
when the conference took place, to in
vite the railroad commission to be pres
emit, just as invited it to be present at
@ previous conference l had with Pres
ident Finley in regard to the car short
age at Brushy mountain.
81 would gladly have availed myself
of any power or authority the commits
sion had, and intended to do SO. If ii
can act legally, and if any order it can
make is valid and enforceable, then
there is no necessity for an extra SEES
sion on this subject.
1.-THE people are interested in getting
Q reduction in rates, and it Is only q
question Of getting the reduction in O
valid, legal and regular way.
II left Nashville at O'Clock last Fri
day afternoon to meet an engagement
to speak at Union City Saturday, and
about 10 or 10. 80 o'clock on that morn
ing / sent for Mr.. Avent, a member Of
the commission, Mr.. Enloe, the chair.
man; not being in the building, or al
least could not be found, and invited
him to my office, and there said to him
that l had received telegram from the
general counsel of the Southen railway
at Washington, asking if had any OBJ
lection to letting the railroad commits
sion know of the conference which had
been called, and then 1 said to Mr..
Avent that, at the conference, / desired
} to invite, and expected to invite, the
members of the commission.
81 was informed by Mr.. Avent thai
} he did notify the other members of the
. commission about IL o'clock on Friday
that I intended to invite them to this
| conference. It was after my converse
} ton with Mr.. Avent that the commits
: sion acted.
II left Nashville fol Union City, hav
ing NO previous notice that the commits
> sion intended to, or would, act, nor die
: / know of the action until informed by
telephone message from Nashville t.
Union City"
81 believe this matter is of sufficen
. importance to the people of the state tt
Q give this explanation and statement
and, therefore, it is made.
"The conference which have called
D on the 27th of January has been post
3 poned until the 2sth, and will tax,
|, place at that time, unless further post
! poned.