The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-07
FORMAL REQUEST FOR 5-CENT FARE
 WILL bE DENIED Commission Shows Differ ence of Opinion on the
 Proposition SPEECHES AT LENGTH IN DEFINING ISSUE Weatherly and Exum Doubt the City's Authority to Compel the Company to Grant the
 Reduced Rate

resolution was adopted yesterday at the Birmingham commission meeting, re- questing the Birmingham Railway. Light and Power company to reduce its fare of 10 cents to a scent basis between Ems ley. Vivian, Pratt City and Birmingham. peal will be made to the railroad con- mission to compel the company to yield.
 The commissioners. after hearing speeches and written communications from the company and the people as- sumed a very definite attitude on the question of a reduced rate and without a dissenting voice directed the company to reduce the fare.
 The company was represented by Presi- dent A. H. Ford and Vice President Lee C. Bradley.
 Mir Bradley did not argue the case ex- cept to read a communication from Pres ident Ford.
 The most startling event was the un- conditional utterance of Commissioner Lane. He said 25,0O0 or 26.O00 people had been camoring for years to get into the p-tNit tdI ldtc EoHt, Dut tfldl dDSOlulc- ly no heed had been paid their demands by the company. Judge Lane asserted that the company had been getting more favors from the city than any city ever granted any public utility corporation, and that when the city asked it for a favor 1t resisted with all the power it possessed. In pointing out his views upon the Jn6pe 10 would iend all his strength from this time until his term of office ceased to compel the Birmingham Railway. Light and Power company to treat fair with the people of Wylam, Ensley and that neighborhood.
 Weatherly Disagrees
 Commissioner Weathery, after speeches had been made by Judge Lane. w. R. Stewart of Ensey and c. D. Comstock of Pratt City. said he did not believe the city possessed the legal right to make the company accede to the resolution. He said that inasmuch as the resolu- ton had been worded as a request rather than as a demand he would vote for 1t in order to bring the question to a head.
 'I am not in favor of holding up any COilpdDN Dy TeluslHS II COhttSsioiSi Sdiu MT Weatherly "The company should be compelled to pay and the people should be compelled to pay, and no favors should be granted either side
 The meeting was attended by a large crowd of citizens from the section af- fected and interest was very high. Judge Lanes remarks, appealing as they did to the people. caused laundering applause, the first that has yet been given in the dignified commission room.
 Judge Lane, when Mir Bradley com pleted reading the statement of MT. Ford, made these remarks:
 Lanes Statement
 MT. President, I have a few words to say. I feel sure that this commission and the people of Birmingham generally, within the 5-cent limit, are entirely friend- ly to the Birmingham Railway. Light and Power company, and I think that I would not go far amiss if I were to assert that throughout these United States there has never been a company in any city which has received more consideration at the hands of the city government than the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company.
 It mas pTdCllcaliy HdQ us own way pretty much all the time, and I am sure would not do them willingly and know ingly any injustice; but 1t is well known fact to every man of common observation and ordinary experience that 1t Is un- usual for a company, or an individual either, to give up something that he does not have to give up unless he feels sure 1t Is going to benefit him. don't pre- tend to be railroad man, and I don't pretend to be a financier. but I am as well convinced as I am that l am look ing in your faces today that this resolu- ton If put into effect would be of great benefit to the company itself.
 ''Here are 25,00O or 26,00O people who have been, it seems to me, for years clamoring for a great many years, to be put on the same. basis as the East Lake people; and I feel that MT. Bradley's argument is fallacious-and I recognize he is a lawyer of great ability--insisting that the population is greater on the East Lake line than out on this line Why? Because they have got a cheap rate. I recall that a few years ago there was an attempt made to have this company to give 5-cent rate to East Lake, and they were just as strong in their oppo- sition to that as they are today towards the other part of the town"
 MT. Bradley. East Lake, Judge Lane?
 Judge Lane: Yes, sir; East Lake. And I remember that that board insisted on their revising their rates, and they thought suppose they thought they were in earnest-were really going to be hurt, were possibly sincere: but what have been the results? Why the travel has doubled, tripled or quadrupled; and yet they have been benefited and not injured.
 Has Complete Power
 Now. of course, 1t is perfectly we'll known. whether this board has the power or not directly to force these peo- pie to do the right thing-and am sure we would not undertake to force them to do something that is not right, not just; but it is perfectly manifest that this board has the complete power to compel them to accede to all right and lawful and Just demands. Now. they are con stantly asking benefits from this board asking favors. and yet when the board comes to ask them a favor in behalf of 25 GOO or 26.000 people they are not willing to accede to our request. Well, now, what would be more natural, looking at it as men-and we are all human--f they want all the favors granted to them why should we continue to grant them Why shouldn't we plant ourselves upon