The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-11-22
PROSECUTION OF
 LUMBER DEALERS
Mississippi Attorney Ce eraI Is
 Collecting Fines
MANY ARE DELINQUENT
Protest Is Made by Vicksburg Busi- ness Men Against Charter for New Railroad. But the Ac-
 ton Comes Too Late.

Jackson, Miss November 91.-(Special) Attorney General Stirling will go to Lex ington on Monday to take part in the states suit against the Retail Lumber Dealers association or members thereof. The attorney general has won a vic tory over the Lumber Dealers associa- tion, and several of them have confessed their sins and paid up their fines The penalties for belonging to this alleged trust amounted to some s200000 for each mill or company that was member of the Louisiana-Mississippi Retail Lumber Dealers association. but in a confer ence with the members of the associa- tion several months ago Attorney Gen eral Stirling agreed that he would ac- cept in behalf of the state the sum of $500 from each company, and declare the suit off as to them. number of the members of the association accepted the compromise and paid the fine. In all the attorney general has collected on this account S1s,O0O
 But there are several members of the dSSONldllOI lidI IeluSNu lO accept ltt compromise. The state, therefore, filed suit for the collection of the penalties inflicted by law, and the test case is to come up at Lexington on Monday. About 50 companies are among the rebels.
 A number of Yicksburg business men were in the city yesterday to see the governor and enter protest against the approval of the charter for the Yicksburg, Canton and Birmingham railroad. which was on yesterday authorized to organize in this state.
 The Vicksburgers claim that the terri tory is already occupied, a charter hav- ing been granted them several years ago. or in 1900 The company was organized and spent several thousand dollars in having the route surveyed. securing rights of way. etc, but never started work
 The protest comes too late In fact, it would hardly have availed anything if made earlier, as the granting of char ter does not give any exclusive rights to It makes no difference to the state if both companies go ahead and build railroad side by side, but of course that will never happen.
 It is stated that the new company has secured the money from Paris bankers to build the entire line and that they mean business. The hope is expressed here that the Vicksburgers are in the same boat, and that Mississippi will get two new lines across the state instead of one.
 The Jackson compress has not handled near so many bales of cotton this season as last, but proportionately she has shipped out great many more.
 The total receipts this year have been about 20,2S3, while last year to the same date the receipts amounted to 27,2S7.
 Last night there were 7O5o bales on hand, while on the same date last year the number of bales on hand was 1900.
 Cotton sold here yesterday at from 14.50 to b cents per pound, and the de- mand continues good.
 The world has at last come to the con clusion that the south has been telling the truth about having made no cotton. The bears have done their best to create the impression that a great crop was be- ing made in spite of reports from the cotton planters but it has not worked this
 
 sell for more, short as it is, than it did last year.
 Friends of Joel F Johnson are very greatly interested in the outcome of his trial before the federal court at Mon roe. La. on the charge of peonage.
 MT. Johnson is one of the largest land owners in this section of the country. and for several years has been engaged t.. %, ,;,,a. .11 -x.tt1 he also finds time to make a bunch of money now and then on land specula- tions.
 HA is the owner of a large plantation in Sbuisiana, and it is stated that he took a number of negroes from his planta- tions in this vicinity to live on his farm across the river. It is also stated that some of these negroes want to return to Mississippi, and that MT. Johnson has forced them to remain on the Louisiana side.
 It has always been found in cases of peonage tried here that there are two sides to the proposition. Negroes get in debt to their landlords and try to dodge payment by leaving the farm. Of course the farmers do their best to keep them in line till they get their money back. but the negro has found that the fed eral courts will entertain his charges of n planters a good deal of trouble.
 A namendment to tie charter of the Mississippi River and Western railroad has been received by the governor, and will no doubt be approved, if it has not been.
 This line is proposed to be built from Meridian to the Mississippi river, the junction to be at Natchez, and 1t has been understood for some time that the funds had been secured to finance the adventure Paris capitalists are said tc have furnished the money and it is re- ported here that work is to begin in 6 short while.
 The original charter of this company gave the capital stock at $2,00O, GOO. Latei on the capital was increased by amend ment to s400O,0O0 and now comes an other amendment fixing the capital stock at s6,000,0C0
 As matter of course, all such amend ments are promptly approved.
 Auditor Smith reports that the banks of the state have responded promptly to his call for a statement of their condi- tion on November 16, sent out on Friday More than 100 statements were received in yesterdays nail, and the auditor does not doubt thar the entire S24 will be on hand in time.