The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-13
BESSIE ABOTT COMPANY GIVES
 A SPLENDID PERFORMANCE

altogether the most discriminating critics could but accord unstinted praise to the company.
 Miss Abott has a singular1y sympathetic voice and tone quality of rare beauty. She was very much of an artist when she sang here in a concert at the High school auditorium two or three years ago but she has developed immeasurably since then. Her voice is larger and her colorature style is much finer She now ranks with the really gerat stars, and she is yet quite young.
 Miss Noveili made decided hit. She not only revealed thorough vocalization, but she proved to be a finished come dienne as we'll
 Albert Amadi, who had the lovers part-Rodolfo, the poet--was in the best form and so too was Signor Gravina, basso, as Colline, a philosopher. Bass singers of noble quality are seldom heard in these recent years. It was partic- ularly refreshing, therefore, to hear one so acceptable as Gravina was last night.
 The music of La Boheme' belongs to the new school. Its beautiful motives are beautifully worked out and it's charming melodic passages and rich orchestral tints make it one of the greatest works of the musical world.
 Among the notable ensembles last night was the finale of the third act. So per sistent was the applause that the entire scene was repeated; and one of the great est solos was Colline's ode to the coat in the last act.
 The denoument was impressive and ar tisticaly effective and never did Bir- ningham audience give more marked evi- dence of satisfaction with performance than that of last night
 Northern Securities company to do.
 'The railroad is a government agency, and is therefore supposed to be subject to law. It is a creature of government, but the creature has grown to tsuch propor- tions of wealth and political power that provisions of law and decrees of courts have proven ineffective in so far as they weer intended to exercise direct control over the operation of these commercial giants.
 Railroad Earnings
 "In 1898 the dividends paid by the rail- roads of the United States amounted to $97, coo In 1908 these dividends amount ed 10 $SS6, GOO, CO., an increase of 400 per cent in ten years.
 "ln 1909 the railroads earned $93,O00, ,0O0 more net revenue than they did In 1908, and for the first five months of 1910 have earned S3S, GOO more net revenue than they did in the five corresponding months of the previous year?
 "These figures prove that there is no reasonable basis upon which the railroads can demand an advance in freight rates. Upon the contrary, they prove conclu- sively that railroad rates are already too high. And yet practically. all the rail- roads in the United States have formed a gigantic combination to increase freight rates. which the shippers who have inves- tigated the matter claim will ultimately enormously increase the cost of freight transportation.
 Higher Freight Rates
 "The advanced freight rates demanded by the railroads, and now being consid- cred by the interstate commerce commis- sion, were agreed to by the combined railroads of the United States, anu are, therefore, clearly in violation of the Sher- man antitrust law. I submit to you, gentlemen, the proposition that it is un- wise and contrary to sound. public policy for the federal government to permit