The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-12
NESBITT ISSUES
 RATE STATEMENT Wi Not Be Candidate for
 Reelection PURPOSE ACCOMPLISHED Points Out Great Amount Being Saved By People of State as Result of Laws Now on Statute
 Books.
PURPOSE ACCOMPLISHED


 missioner of Alabama, yesterday made public a statement which he has issued to the people of Alabama in which he points out at length what has been done in Alabama toward railroad rate regu- lation.
 In his statement Mir. Nesbitt takes oc- casion to say that he will not be a can didate for reelection next year. His pamphlet among other things says:
 l have served by appointment for three years as associate railroad commissioner of Alabama and have one year longer in office, my term expering March, 1911. The democratic primaries, at which my successor will be nominated, will prob ably occur in the summer of 1910. That no injustice be done any possible candi- date of any of the measures for which l have stood, I take this early oppor- tunity of saying that will not be a can didate to succeed myself: giving my req sons for my decision and making a brief statement of the present transportation conditions in the state.
 I will not be candidate, if for no oth- CTS, at least for the following:
 There is no compelling reason for my candidacy. The principles of transporta- ton control for which I fought are writ ten in the laws of Alabama and are now the rules governing her common carriers. The rates of freight and passage for which contended are in effect on every line of railroad in the state. The Louis vile and Nashville railroad and it's allied lines are claiming in the courts and in the newspapers that these rates are too low, and do not give them a fair turn upon their investments. If the facts prove this statement correct the rates should and will be raised. Personally, have little fear but that when their actual costs of operation are taken from their real earnings the balance will show am pie returns upon the value of property used for transportation purposes.
 Conditions Not Perfect.
 Conditions are not perfect and never will be, but the theory of a transportation service in Alabama Is somewhat changed and the direction of thought makes it pos- sible for the small shipper or individual to ask that he be given equal amounts of transportation or service for the same amount of money as is paid by his neigh bors, without being called an ''agitator," an anarchist" or Morris avenue sore head
 The large shippers and railroad fa- vorites who travelled on passes and had special advantages in rates on the class Of goods they produced or shipped, now realize that 1t was at least unbe- coming to harshly criticiss those less fortunate who desired only to be ac- corded rights then apparently possible of requirement only through fayorit- ism or fawning.
 In 1907 In their affidavits asking for injunctions against the application of the state freight and passenger rates. the railroads. through their of hcers, swore that the Alabama statute rates, if applied wnr,'S reduce the revenues of the railroads in the state more than $1Ooo,0OO annually never agreed with these figures. but granting them to be correct, the people of Ala bama, now that these rates are in ef- feet on every road in the state, are saw ing annually, in freight and passenger hire, more than s1,0O0.OOo.
 Apout ncdSTiH9 OoHSumer. There has been a great deal said about the reduction in freight rates not reaching the consumer. It is un- necessary to argue this question. If | the railroads statements are correct, !! people who live in Alabama and make | their living here, are saving more than $1.0oo,ooo each year to spend for of1, ta into apf investments, which formerly they paid | to ship and travel. Certainly the re- duced passenger rate is one that reaches l promptly the individual. Every man who I travels 50 miles to and from his trading | center now keeps 50 cents more in his pocket than formerly and this pays for his dinner in town or takes home a pres l ent for the baby.
 l The charges made by the express companies of Alabama have been re- duced S25.Oo0 per year and these re- auctions apply principally on country | produce = fruits, vegetables, milk and butter and the things that the man in | the country sells in town.
 For the first time in Alabamas his | tory state rates for sleeping car berths are less than $2 There are now many | points in the state between which the berth rate Is only s1.5o, notably Mont gomery to Mobile.
 Hundreds of old claims for loss and 1 damage. amounting to thousands of dol lars have been settled and the transpor- tation lines, now through special agents and authority to local agents, are in nearly all cases promptly settling just claims of this character.
 These are, broadly, the conditions; the costs of requirement to date are great deal of thought, energy and eff fort, but in cash paid out, by the state, only approximately $31 .000 and $S0OO of this paid for court costs will be returned to the treasury, because the contesting railroads lost their cases and were there fore taxed with the costs advanced by the state.
 So much for the service
 Prosperity of Railroads. Have we bankrupted the railroads? Two new trunk lines have entered Alabama in the last two years and at this time railroad business and condi- tions are good.
 The Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic got into financial difficulties in 1908 and went into the hands of receivers. This line made its own freight tariff and, on account of its being under construc- kl& .sroS