The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1908-02-21
MR.. BURR HAS
DONE n SURE
''Ths Railroad Comal We Have
. sFsat 0nq"

Comments culled from the Florida
Press on a recent ruling Of FlOFidR's
Railroad Commission:
Gadsden Times: 'The Railroad Com
mission, we have a great one, haven't
wei" One Of the latest things they
have done is TO say that q newspaper
man can't sell his advertising space 10
a railroad company and ride part Of
it out. In plain English, a newspaper
man can't make a legitimate business
trade.
1.-THE editors were not getting any
thing free, and they charged for their
work, ana we firmly believe If they felt
/ disposed 10 ride out fifty or q hundred
dollars worth of work, II was none Of
| the railroad commissions business, and
if they would come half as near earn
ing their pensions from the State as an
editor earns what he gets out Of rail-
road, there would be no kick coming,
and we. as citizens Of Florida, ask them
to try to devote a few minutes of their
attention to matters that will do some
one some good,
1.-THE Railroad Commission in Florida
have the power to accomplish much
good for the State, but are they doing
il? Well, hardly. They claim they
have done lots to lower freight rates in
some sections of the State, but if they
have done anything over in this dFec-
ton, the people in Quincy don't know
it. They issue orders all right, but re-
suits fail to follow.
Sometime in the early fall they
commanded the Seaboard 70 build de-
pot in Quincy not later than December
LIST, but where is the depot? The tram
going East about 1910 in the afternoon
hasn't been on time more than about
forty times in fifteen months, still they
don't remedy it. The waiting room at
the Seaboard should be well lighted at
night, still the railroad has not fur
niShed the agent here with oil since
August The jerk-water road from
Quincy TO Havana is dangerous TO ride
over, though fortunately no one has
been hurt in the number Of times It has
run of the track. These are q few Of
the things the Quincy people want the
BIG ''dO-nOthing'' railroad commission
ers to do, and not try % n - l.le 1s1lit-
Ors from getting a fGW 10 dollars.
Now, we are willing 90 do without the
business we have been getting from the
railroads, but we respectfully ask the
railroad commissioners to do something
for Quincy and West Florida, or else
resign and crawl off in q hole where
they will never be seen. OF course we
are not asking for a decent depot, we
viii be satisfied IL they can get Us big
shed down near the railroad track, and
let as stand under IL like a bunch of
cattle, when we are waiting for the be
lated tram in wet weather. IL you,
Mr.. Railroad Commissioners, can't get
as big shed, for goodness sake resign
and don't rob the people Of their money
BY drawing your salary.
Key West Citizen: ''The railroad
commission has decided that q railroad
may not sell the editor Of a paper a
mileage book on credit. The abolish
ment Of the pass system has proven
profitable 20 The Citizen, because il has
opened up new field Of advertising,
but we think the commission Is stretch
ing It's power when it decides that the
railroads may not do business like any
other business institution"
Gainesville Sun and Lakeland News (:
''ReferTing to q recent ruling Of the
Florida Railroad Commission, The Lake
land News voices the sentiments Of the
Sun in the following words The Flor
ida Railroad Commission has made an
asinine ruling that the railroads cannot
exchange mileage for advertising space
in the newspapers. They might a. well
hold that a grocer or dry goods Lnan
must not sell goods to a publisher and
accept advertising in payment. There
are great many things that the Rail-
road Commission could undertake for
the benefit Of the people in Florida, but
they pass these matters Of real import
apce by to interfere with q purely pTi-
vate business transaction with which
neither they nor the pubic are con-
cerned. So far as we are advised, the
railroads are not paying the slightest
attention to the ruling, and we do not
believe il could be sustained In the
courts. - And the Live Oak Demo
erat adds : elm the above the News
voices the sentiment Of perhaps every
newspaper in the State. y
Timea-UniOn Short Talks: "The
Florida railroad commission has made a
number OF. enemies by itg ruling inter-
fering with the purely business arrange
ment whereby the railroads exchange
transportation for advertising. The
Newspaper men are not likely 70 forget
Il and It would seem % indicate that
the members Of the commission do not
expert % ever stand tor Office again
BrOOksville Argus: Demagogues 90
beyond the limits Of tolerance when
they undertake 20 prevent the press
from purchasing railroad transportation
with advertising. The blow more d.
rectly affects the country press. Dem