The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-26
Must Visit Every Coun- ty Seat. NEW DUTIES OF COMMISSION Must Sit Not Alone in Montgom-
 cry. Complaints of Shippers Shall Be Heard By State Railroad Commission CTS in Every Court
 House Once
 Year.
NEW DUTIES OF COMMISSION

The Other Legislature" as they are now terming the Codification Com mittee of the regular" Legislature of Alabama. has stacked the new Code with many things in the way of laws. but the latest and most strenuous fea- ture has just been brought to light in the form of a section which compels the Railroad Commission of Alabama to sit at least once a year in every county seat of the State for the purpose of hearing complaints. Of course, the section has been in the Code all the time. but 1t didn't strike those inter ested in it's fullest stature until yester- day when its existence became known.
 A good many people have thought that the members of the Railroad Com mission are a pretty busy lot merely sitting in Montgomery 10 hear com plaints. The complaints have appa- rently come to Secretary Kennedy with sufficient speed and in sufficient volume to dispense with the idea of the Com misisoners going to localities to scrape them up or to receive them even. The Codihcation Committee however, does not seem to have felt that way about 1t. The new law presents the idea, rather, that the Commissioners are servants of the people and as servants. should come into their very midst and hear the complaints.
 It is not believed that the proposi- tion Is a very welcome one to the Com missioners: Yet they have no alterna- tive. The law Is on the books and the books make up the Code. The liquor dealers did not relish the idea of the new Code coming in about May l and declaring that the license taken out in January was not enough and that $iST 50 should be handed over as extra. They have expressed themselves dis satisfied with this New Code" busi- ness.
 Nor did the State chemist take kindly to the idea of being deprived of his salary. Yet the members of the Codi- iica ton Committee did not think exactly like he does and 80 he works for noth- ing. Nor did the Commissioner of Az riculture and Industries think we'll of having to make a daily instead of a monthly report to the State Auditor and Treasurer. but his thoughts were at variance from the trend of thinking by the "other Legislature.
 And so 1t goes. All public ofncials are awakening morning after morn ing with fear less some new duty be added to their daily task. Not that they are faithless officers, but rather than they are afraid they may be forced to do something that might in- terfere with their sleep.
 
 of this new section touching their du- tis, it is difficult to see how they can set aside enough time to attend to the general complaints tha ought to be heard In Montgomery.
 Some one guessed yesterday that the idea of the Code makers was to make a travelling local al-adjusta ble" Commis- sion of the State Railroad Commission. Still. one cannot tell. as It was whis- pered in the Capitol. because if the Commissioners can go to the localities there Is the postage saved which might be spent on sending the complaints to Montgomery.
 The mysterious new section follows. in part:
 The Commission. or one of more members tn ereof. shall visit the coun- ty seat of every county in the State at least once year. for the purpose of hearing and receiving complaints. and examining and enquiring into and se- curing information as to the conduct and management of the several rail roads in the State. Notice shall