The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-12-23
GOOD WORK DONE
BY COMMISSION
Freight Rates Have Been Re-
duced In Mississippi
LIEN LAW Is BURDENSOME
Legislature Will Be Asked to Repeal
the Law Next Session Because It
Is Said to Have outIived Its
Usefulness.
LIEN LAW Is BURDENSOME

In their report to the legislature the
railroad commissioners have prepared a
narrative in the way of introduction that
will be found of interest TO the taxpay-
ers of the state as well as to the law
making body. This report, according to
the narrative. shows all that the COM
mission has been doing during the two
year period. save the little matters that
are only of local interest. The narra-
tive is short, clear-cut and plain, writ
ten in a business-like style, and is bound
to command the respect of the solons
when they come to act on the suggestions
therein contained.
Since the beginning of this term, in two
years, the ad valorem assessment of the
public service corporation in Mississippi.
which includes railroads, telegraph, tele-
phone. sleeping car. express companies,
ETC., has been increased from $46075, 242
TO $51.47s.o41. and the state tax thereon
from s27e, 451 As to s308,s74.24, while rail-
road mileage has increased from 1885
to lO1550
The commission claims to have made
a great reduction in freight rates. espe-
cially on cotton, the chief product of
the farms of the state. That reduction is
estimated at about % per cent. True, this
matter of rates on cotton has been con-
tested by the railroads. and is still be-
fore the courts, which are called upon to
decide whether or not the commission
has the right and the authority of law to
fix rates at will. The commission claims
to have discovered that cotton is paying
a much higher rate than is any other
commodity, and proposes to get it down
to the average, at least.
The commission complains, and justly.
ton, that it has not sufficient room in the
capitol. and that It's clerical force is very
inadequate. 1t is shown that the clerical
force is the same as when this depart
ment of the state government was in
stituted about % years ago. 1t had one
clerk, or secretary then, and it has no
more now-yet the business of the de-
partment has increased more than loo
fold. The correspondence of the COM
mission is something terrific. and yet
there is no stenographer in the office. The
commissioners are not required by law TO
remain in jackson and attend to any Oh
the office work, and the one attache is ex-
| pected to do work that could not we'll be
performed by three or four men.
One of the most important matters to
come before the approaching session OF
the legislature, that is, providing that the
governor submits the proposition, is the
\, oe,.jat
that he's burdened the statute books Oh
the state for years, and that has brought
more disaster to the farmers than any
other one law on the Understanding 10
the Farmers union, and many others oil
the best informed men of the state
! Under this law the farmer may mort
gage his crop before he puts seed In the
ground, or before he turns furrow. NO
doubt the law was blessing to the poor
man at the time of its adoption, which
was soon after the surrender of the Con-
| federate armies, and when the returning
| soldiers had nothing but brave hearts ana
| willing hands.
The negroes had been set free and they
had nothing, either They could rent land
from their old masters. but they had no
teams. and nothing to live on while they
were making their crop. The merchants
were willing to furnish these small far-
mers with supplies, but must have Sc
curty There was nothing with which to
secure them except promised crop, and
1 the lien law was the result.
1t is now urged that the law has out
lived it's usefulness, and that 1t has really
come to be a drawback to the prosperity
OF the farmer, as too many OF them even
now depend upon 1t for support rather
than to prepare one year for the next.
The idea of the man VINO gives a lien on
his unplanted crop seems to be that all
he has to do Is to make just enough cot
ton to pay his store account, and patch
of corn for roasting ears. The fact that
he and his family must live the next year
does not enter into the proposition at all,
and he is Just as poor at the end OF the
farming season as before it commenced.
The Farmers union take the position. and
It is reasonable. that while the repeal of
the lien law might. and doubtless would,
work a great hardship on quite number
of the poorer class of farmers the first
| year or two, ii would be the best thing
! that could happen to them in the long
| n-encouraging thrift and enterprise
and teaching them to save and to prepare
| for the rainy days that are bound to come.
! The best advertised farmer in MISSISSIPPI
nj today, excepting, of course. those few
who made such wonderful exhibits Of the
products of their farms and counties at
the late State fair, Is Sank Perkins of
Tate county.
| Two or three weeks ago Mr.. Perkins
local paper printed a half column state
ment as to how he had made money on
the farm In two years, and 1t has been
reproduced in half the papers of the state,
often with favorable editorial comment.
Two years ago Sank Perkins. young
married man left his county town and
settled on a small hill farm that had been
rented to negroes several years and was
worked to death. He did little the first
year the land being in such impoverished
condition. but after his crops were gath
cred he broke his land with a two-horse
pillow and allowed 1t to take the winter
rains and freezes. In the spring he har-
rowed well and planted corn on the level.
/ Cotton land was treated to another plow-
| ing and he planted on a small bed. Both
crops were cultivated frequently but shall
low. The Young farmer has sold s110o
worth OF cotton. has 1875 bushels Of corn in
his crib rs gallons of molssses, plenty of
meat and potatoes TO do him next year.
And this on thirty acres of land old and
WON out, and on which no fertilizer was
used
Before going to the farm Sank Perkins
was clerltine in store at about $50 per
month and working, no doubt an aver
age of u hours per day for somebody
else.
The battieship committee met at the
office Of the governor today and pre-
pared It's report to the legislature. Those
present were Governor Noel. DR.. Dun
| bar Rowland and Mrs. Eunice Lockwood
A.