Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-15
RAILWAYS IN GEORGIA
Conservative Policy Adopted
by the New Commission.
FAIR TREATMENT PROMISED
Transportation Lines Wanted to
Build Up the State.
FALLING OFF IN CAR SERVICE
Decrease Of Revenues From Freight.
Labor Cost 1ncreasing-Margin
of Profit Growing Smaller.
FALLING OFF IN CAR SERVICE

u 31OuL 0IO"l0S 0ud11cI.
. BIZ WILLIAM E. CURTIS
Special Correspondence OF The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.
ATLANTA. April 10, 1905
Z, Mr.. Samuel G.. McLendon is recognized
as one of the foremost citizens of Geor-
gia. man whom everybody trusts and
honors for his ability. his integrity and
his public spirit; and when he was ap-
pointed chairman of the railway commits
sion of this state the officials of the trans
portation companies drew long breath
of relief. for they recognized that under
his administration the laws would be ad-
ministered wisely and justly, without fear
and without favor. o Mr.. McLendon has
been a close student of transportation
problems for many years and he brought
to the Office knowledge and experience
that were very valuable. He takes a
broad view of the rights of corporations.
and in discussing them talks very much
like Gov. Hughes of New York.
What we want of the transportation
lines in Georgia. said Mr.. McLendon, lis
to help us build up this state, and we will
encourage and support and assist them
in every lawful measure that points that
way. We recognize that their stockhold-
ers and officials have just as much right
as any other citizen to the protection OF
our laws to fair and just treatment and
to a reasonable profit on their business:
and, so far as the commission is CONCERN
ed we propose to see that they have It.
The anti-railway agitation has died
down in Georgia and was never very Sc
rious in this state 1t has been eXagser-
ated in the newspapers. Last year our
legislature passed an act very much ike
the public utilities law of New York state
increa sing the membership of the board
Of railway commissioners and adolns 10
their powers. We can now regulate rates
schedules, train service. speed. etc; we
can require improvements whenever nee
essary: we supervise the bookkeeping OF
the companies, control franchises and
have almost everything that has 10 90
with the railway management under our
jurisdiction. The commissioners are
elected by the people for terms of six
years. and take great satisfaction IN the
fact that my colleagues are wise, pracu-
cal and impartial men. The law mas oeen
in effect only since August. l9oi, out Is
working smoothly and seems to De saus
factory both to the railway managers and
to the public.
New Passenger Rates.
Our. new passenger rates went into ef-
feet April l. They include 2.OOO-mlle In
terchangeable books good for any hve
persons on all roads at the rate OF two
cents mile. These are called family
tickets. Then we have another 1,OOO-mile
book. good for the buyer only. Tor Two
cents a mile We have a FANNY fate VI
two and one-fourth cents mile and a
straight two and half cent rate for local
fares The railroads are agreeable ana
the public is satisfied.
Georgia is very prosperous. although
We have narrowly escaped financial trou-
tles like the rest of the country. The two
best standards of measurement are BANK
clearingB and the sale of postage stamps,
and both keep up to normal ngures aho
show an unmist akable. continuous ana
healthy increase in business; Atlanta mas
pendent upon iron; Augusta on cotton,
but Atlanta is dependent upon nothing IN
particular. She does not carry all her
eggs in one basket. and is therefore in
position to stand shock better than most
cities.
Conservative Policy Adopted.
when this commission became clothed
with the powers set out in the act of Au-
gust O. 1907. the country was on the
verge of a panic. Indeed. the panic,
which has since swept over the country.
was at that time in full activity in New
York, the state Of it's birth. Endowed
with unusual authority charged with
great responsibility and facing condition
which threatened dangers that no man
could foresee or forestall. the railroad
commission determined that it would pro-
coed with caution in the administration CT
its trust 1t decided that 1t was not neces-
sary to act regarding ANYTHING IN precip-
itate haste. 1t decided that in all matters
It would take time for ample and deliber-
ate consideration. 1t was not a revolu-
tionary body and therefore 1t made no
change In what the oiu commission had
done. It has proceeded cautiously. and
we believe it has proceeded wisely. 1t
has recognized that the greatest states
manship Of which man is capable is evil
denc<d in the ability to preserve and the
disposition to improve.
THE commission recognized the fact
that out of $4,000 600 paid annually by
the people of Georgia for the transpor-
tation Of persons and property. nearly
three-fourths of 1t was spent for lumber,
for coal and for labor. and 1t also recos-
nizes that the expenditure for these pur-
poses went into our banks and grocery
stores, and furnished large portion OF
the current money of the state. 1t was
not disposed to embarrass our transpor-
tation companies in the face of what
appeared to be a coming storm. 1t is
needless for me to say that the storm
came and 1t would also be waste of
time to undertake to explain why it
came. The same rates Of freight and
the same rates OF passenger ldreS no"
in force with the slight reductions in the
latter made by the old commission and
ratified by the present commission, were
In force during the year of phenomenal
railway earnings. 1t would, therefore, be
foolish for any man to assert that the
railroad commission of Georgia is in any
way responsible for the conditions that
now surround our railroads. Business
has fallen off everywhere.
High Tide in Prosperity.
The year 1907 marked the highest de-
gree of. prosperity this country and per-
haps the world has ever experienced.
and, the railroads had their share con-
tinued Mr.. McLendon. 'In the United
States there are thirty-eight car service
associations whose reports show the
movement during the calendar year 1871
Of 37.!Si.4 I6 cars. as against 1865. $50
cars in 1905. an increase of LOG, 1886
These same associations show for Deem
Der. 1905. a movement of 3,050.57S cars,
as against 2.57s.622 in December 1907. or
decrease for the. month of 47l.356.
.'Of these thirty-eight associations only
Ave report an increase for the month of
December, 1907. These were the New York