Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-04-06
Hoke Smith Defends
Georgid'S Policies
New York Times.


.,,t this talk about the Hartman lines
in Georgia losing money and Delns run
'as a side line is the merest drivel' salo
Governor Hoke Smith, OF Georgia. 10
Times reporter last night GoVelnol
Smith, who was secretary OF the iilIeIloL
under Cleveland, was passing through
This city from Buffalo, where he delivered
an address at the exercises in memory OF
Mr. Cleveland Thursday night. he was
in a very optimistic frame OF nina con-
cerning the future of the state OF Geor-
gia. and seemed particularly pleased over
the fact that after April / there viii De
no more convicts leased out to private
narties. He expressed himself as grau-
fed over the working of the prohibition
law in Georgia.
mo state passed through the financial
disturbances of 1907 with less injury than
Georgia" said the governor taxable
values increased several millions of DOL
lars in 1908 as compared with 1907. The
railroads of Georgia lost in net returns
for the fiscal year ended July i, 1908, as
compared with the fiscal year ended July
1897 only about one-tenth as much as
the average railroads of the United
States lost ! make this statement based
upon the returns of the Georgia raliroads
to the railroad commission ana the re-
ports of the interstate commerce commits
sion as to the conditions of the railroads
of the United States as a Whole. The
Central Railroad of Georgia CMr. Harri-
mans railroad) by it's returns to the rail-
road commission showed a net profit over
operation for the fiscal year ended July /,
1908, of over 81, 100000.
'While the gross earnings of this road
fell off about 5 per cent for the hscal
year of 1908 as compared with the previous
year of 1907, they were about as large in
1908 as in 1906, and 100000 larger in 1908
than they were in 1905.
'rrhe stories that have been sent out
from the state about drastic railroad and
corporation legislation have been greatly
exaggerated" the governor said "Our
railroad legislation has consisted of an
| amendment to the railroad commission
bill. giving to the commission general SUI
pervision over public service companies,
and substantially the same authority as
the New York law gives to the public
service commission of this state. The
railroad commission abolished free passes
and reduced the cost of passenger trans
portation to 2 1-2 cents per mile on the
majority of the railroads of the state.
The taxes of the railroads and public SER
vice companies have been been increased
during the last two years $7500O0 annu-
ally. They pay their taxes upon ad va
loren valuation, and these values do not
exceed today 60 per cent of the actual
value of their properties.
Railroad Taxes Comparatively Low
I'm matters of taxation the railroads
and public service companies in Georgia
| bear a less part of the public burdens
than they do in New York and in the New
England states. In the city of Atlanta
the property of the average private citi-
gen is assessed at nearer actual value
than property of the railroads and public
service companies throughout the state.
A great deal has been done by the new
railroad commission to require tracks
kept in better shape, better schedules, ard
compelling the railroad companies to
make connections at points whera they
had failed to furnish proper service, but
no order Of the railroad commission dur
| ing the last two years has been a. any
time even temporarily enjoined by any
court
"It is frequently reported in the north
that the Georgia prohibition law is fail
| ure, especially in so far as the cities are
concerned" 1t was suggested.
1.-The prohibition law, believe, is more
popular in the state at the present time
| than it was even when 1t passed. In
| the rural sections and in the smaller cities
| il is enforced with ease and finds scarcely
| any opposition. In several of the larger
cities there is substantial opposition to
the law and more or less violation of the
! law, but the stories sent out from the
| state with reference to the violations
found in the large cities have been, so
| far as l can learn, greatly overstated, and
present indications certainly point toward
/ a continuation of statewide prohibition
| in Georgia"
Governor Smith was particularly elated
over the law passed by the legislature
doing away with the leasing Of convict
| labor to contractors and others.
| THE law providing for the handling of
| cOnvicts,' said the governor, goes into
| effect April /. From that time on there
will be no leasing of convicts in Georgia.
| OF course, there was a stubborn fight by
the lessees and those who had profited
from convict leasing, against the repeal