Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-08-12
GOV. BROWN VOTED
mo- WHEN HIS VOTE
MEANT REDUCTIONS
Minutes of Railroad Commits
sion Fail to Confirm His
Claim That He Voted for
Lower Passenger Rates
WHEN "Z0NE SYSTEM" MET
DEFEAT OPPOSED CHANGE

The records Of sfle railroad commits
sion. as shown by the minutes on file
at the capitol, fail to confirm Governor
Browns assertion that he voted for, or
In any way contributed to the reduced
passenger rates on any Of the railroa -.
in Georgia, which reductions were mails
during his membership on the comrais-
sion On the contrary, the records show
that Governor Brown voted AN EN-
PHATIC "No" ON WARNER Hills
MOTION TO REDUCE. THE PASSEN-s
GER RATES. WHEN THE MOTION
WAS ADOPTED.
Governor Browns recent card to the
people has invited attention to the rec
c.rds of the railroad commission bearing
on the passenger rate reductions.
As a substitute for Warner HIS mo-
tion to reduce the passenger rates, Gov
ernor Grown, as a commissioner, offered
HIS CELEBRATED ZONE SYSTEM
OF PASSENGER RATES, based upon .
sliding scale. His zone system receiv-
cd only his support, whereupon COM
nissioners Hell AMI Stevens voted for
the rates that became effective.
Here is what Governor Brown said IN
his card to the people:
'1he reductions in passenger rates
were made by the railroad commission
while I was a member OF it. The rate
fixed for the Central and Southern rail-
way systems was IL cents per mile.
I voted for that rate. 1t has never been
changed. The rate fixed for the Allan
tic Coast Line and the Georgia railroad
was "a cents per mile. Il voted
against that rate, declaring 1t too low
The minutes of the railroad commits
sion show:
That, on June 8, 1907, Warner Kill
offered written motion, reclasstfying
Iii reductions
seauently put in force (This motion
included the 1-2 cent rates for the
Central and Southern systems-)
Joseph NJ Brown, then a member OF
the railroad commission. asked that ac-
ton on Mr.. Hills motion be deferred UNI
III the next day-June Ito give aim
opportunity to consider 1t. His request
was granted.
ON June THE next day-when the
board met, JOSEPH NJ. BROWN OF
FERED A SUBSTITUTE FOR Mr..
HILLS MOTION. The substitute was
the celebrated zone system on the
vote on this substitute. COMMISSION
Err BROWN ALONE VOTED FOR 1T.
1t was dead.
Commissioner Hfli then asked for
vote on his motion. Messrs. Hill ana
Stevens voted ''yes." and IT was adopted
as an order of the commission.
COMMISSION JOSEPH NJ. BROWN
VOTED mo" THEN, HE FILED
DISSENTING OPINION.
Clarified, Governor Browns record was
this:
He voted for his celebrated zone sys-
tenn of rates, which carried reductions
under certain conditions.
When that was defeated. and the qtIes-
ton came on reductions or no reductions
Governor Brown voted No"
al nqf reductions.
The gone system Of rates is well re-
membered, and regarded by those falnil-
lar with both as rivaling only Hewlette
Halls famous prorating rule.
That's the record on the minuSes Of
the commission, according to a certified
copy made by the secretary Of the COM
mission.
If Governor Brown, as a commission
er, voted for the 2 IL cent rates on the
Central and Southern systems when the
reductions were adopted, the minutes OF
the commission fail to show 1t.