The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-01-17
WOULD ASSUME
ALL The CREDIT
PATTERSON TRYING TO APPRoPRi-
ATE RESULTS ACHIEVED BY
RAILROAD COMMISSION.
I'm SECURING REDUCED RATES
Fruits Of carmack Labor Day
Speech Soon 70 Be
Realized.
Special to The Herald.

| Special to The Herald.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Jan. 15.-Real
izing that something must be done
to conceal, If possible. his offensivs
and defensive alliance with the cor
/ rupt railroad corporations of the
State, Gov. Patterson is preparing tc
rob the Tennessee Railroad Commits
sion Of the glory Of securing an agree
ment to reduce passenger rates In
Tennessee to the point where they
have been reduced in other Southern
States. With view to appropriatine
to himself all the credit that is due
the commission and In order to de
tract attention from his coalition with
the railroads to foist upon the people
another free pass boss ridden conven-
ton. the Governor has directed let
ters to railroad presidents asking for
conference here on Jan. 81.
The remarkable and amusing fea,
ture of the case is that the Governors
action is given to the public with a
great blare of trumpets by the Gov
errors two morning organs, the cor
poration controlled American, and the
anti-corporation Tennessean, and both
approve the course of the Governor.
The American, because it. knows that
two and a half cent rate would have
come In Tennessee II the Governor
mad never opened his mouth. 1t also
knows that the Governor will never
ask anything from the railroads for
the people unless the n quest is agree
able 10 the former. The Tennessean
because ii wants some excuse to give
the public for its support of cor
poration controlled administration
while processing allegiance to the
common people"
Just how absurd it all appears is
made manifest by little reference
to the agitation for reduced rates In
Tennessee. When the proposition
was submitted to the last Legislature
and a committee. after long, ex-
haustive and expensive hearing rec
It's adoption. the order
went down the line from administra-
ton leaders to defeat the measure.
Why? Because the railroads had
saved the day for the infamous Mem
phis ripper bill.
Nothing more was heard Of reduced |
rates. although the Governors and
Of North Carolina. vir-
yinia, Georgia and Alabama approved
ind enacted legislation giving to the
PEOPLE OF those states greatly reduced
,atcs. The first declaration made on
he question In Tennessee was made
~ Senator e. w. Carmack In an adj
lress at Nashville on Labor Day,
sept. g., last, In which he showed plain
y that the Railroad Commission had
he authority to reduce rates and
allied upon that body to take action
which would give to Tennessee the
most favored rates obtained by any
tate in the South.
Two days later, on Wednesday,
ept 4, the Tennessee Railroad Com
Mission authorized the publication in
ne Tennessean of statement to the
fleet that the commission would at
nee take up the question of lower
assenger rates and would insist that
ennessee have as favorable rate
) that obtained by the people of any
her Southern States. This declara-
on of the commission was editorial
approved by the Tennesseean.
More than month after the speech
Senator Carmack and about FIVE
eeks after the declaration in favor :
reduced rates by the Railroad Com
ission, Gov. Patterson went to I'm !,
n City and parrot like repeated the
atements of both Carmack and the
adding with much -susto !.
at II the railroads did not come !,
ross he would call special session :.
the Legislature. etc.
In the meantime the Railroad Com :
Ission had been in correspondence !.
I'll railroad magnates and some days !,
o announced that two and half !
Mt rate would be secured. The Gov :
uor's efforts to appropriate to him !.
II the credit for achieving something :
itch others had already achieved is :
ally amusing. The American. which
8 bitterly assailed the efforts made
other States TO reduce rates. will .
prove the Governors course be- =
use he has not hurt its masters. =