The new South-news., 1908-02-15
COY. NOEL ON
CORPORATIONS
BENDS MESSAGE DEALING
WITH THEM
RECON- MENDS TWO CENT FARE
Prohibition Bill Passes Lower Houye
BY Unanimous Vote Amid Much
Rejoicing Among Supporters.


jackson, Mis- Governor Noel sent
10 the legislature message dealing
with corporations and making sug-
grHions relative 20 railroad legiala-
tion. A summary Of lhe document
~ a. follow;
Enactment of two cent mileage
las. with proyiso that railroad com
fnrslou may increase the rate II it is
shown that ihe two ceni Law Is un-
profitable. lie suggests that, DO view
OF The present airiugency 10 money
matters, The law be- made effective
several months hence.
Repeal OF fellow servant laws and
statute relative 10 conirbulory neg.
iigencc
Enactment Of law prohibiting rail
way black lists.
Law TO prevent drinking OF iniox-
icanis on running trains.
New statutes for government OF tel
cphouc companics
The message in is 10 full as fol-
lows;
February 1ih. 1908.
TO the Senate and H1aso of Repre-
spntaiiyca;
Gentlemen Obligations 20 iis ciii-
zeuship TO provide, on equal aud fea.
souable terms, adequate facilities, for
transportation Of persons and Of prop
-riy IS recognized, and, more or lcss.
effectively enforced by an civilized
governments. The agency employed
whether ordinary highway, turn. pike.
bridge, ferry or railroad. or kind of
ownership, a public. individual. or.
corporate, does not altar the real
question The government could eth.
cr make all transportation free, now
the case with roads and bridges. de.
frayiug the cost by general taxation
or cold make the traffic pay its own
expenses, directly TO the government,
or 20 those TO whom 10 delegated the
authority Of becoming common car
f,crs, with the incidental right Of
condemning private property, for such
uses
These principles are clearly vote
ed in our state constitution which de-
clarcs "All railroads which carry per
sons or property for hire shall lrc pub
lie highways, and all railroad COM
pauies shall be common carriers ac-
companied by the injunction, that
The 4egislaturc shall pass laws to
prevent abuses, hniust discrimination.
and esioriion in al charges Of cx
press. telephone, sleeping car. felc-
graph, and railroad companies" " The
tr9nd Of Judicial decision. especially |
federal seem to place strict con
struclion ON statutes intended 10
effeciuate the quoted constitutional
requirements. denyisg TO the railroad
commission the exercise of authority
not clearly conferred. Consequently
more definite expression is need.
ed, as TO some measures. which popu.
lar judgment regards necessary for
the better promotion on lne common
good.
'u0' shh aii iA'dtiu'uts
Both public service corporations
and the people are entitled TO just /
and fair treatment Their rights are
not antagonislic and can be SO de-
fined and regulated as TO adjust and |
advance the interests of each For
cost of construction an operation. |
with reasonable margin for profit, |
common carriers are entitled to coll |
lect compensation from their custo-
mers. There is neither desire nor
power TO take from them this priyi- |
lege. essential TO their continued exist |
encc. Any law or decision Of the
railroad commission, having such cf-
feet would be nullfied by the courts 4
a. contiscatory. Constitutional guar /
autccs. Federal and state arV as
obligatory upon the state, as upon
Federal courts and officials. the only /
difference being that litigation insii
tuied ia federal courts is not only
much more expensive, but often of
almost inlermiuable length. In each
ease, federal questions arc finally set
tied by the United States supreme
court whose binding authority. ON all
courts, Is unquestioned.
Increased business, improved ma
chinery, rails aud other operating ma
terial. ought 10 effect. noiwi,hstand- (
ing some advance in labor and sup
plies, constant. il small reduction Z
In freight and passenger rates. The
average passenger rates in this coun-
try are less than two cents a mile. but /
there has been no reduction, in Mis-
sissippi. for several decades. A thor
Whitaker Plays Bully.