The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-06


 the inferior court injunction and putting the rates on trial, and declaring that three years continued and actual use had proven that under the state made rates the railroads had paid their dividends, I their earning capacity had increased and | tkeir general condition had improved | Thus was the wisdom of the trial as or dei ed by the appellate court demonstrated and the legislature vindcated.
 Georgia and Alabama Rates "The Louisville and Nashville road in 1 Georgia charges a cent passenger fare 1 from Atlanta to Chattanooga, and cents l from Atlanta to Augusta. The Alabama law rate on the same road is 21s cents, | or 9 per cent more. The 110 Alabama commodity rates, known the Conner rates are lower by about per cent in Georgia than in Alabama. All other rates | were untouched by our law and are high 1 CT in Alabama than in Georgia.
 ''rhe Western road. owned by the Louis- l vile and Nashville, and Central of Geor- gia charges ? cents passenger rate from Atlanta to the Alabama line at West Point, and the Alabama law rate Is 21a cents. or 25 per cent higher. The 110 com modity rates are lower by about per cent in Georgia than In Alabama. All other rates were untouched and are quite a bit higher in Alabama than in Geor- gia.
 The Central railroad, crossing the Ala bama line from Georgia al Columbus, Eu- faula, Girard and Phenix City, charges 21s cents passenger rate in Georgia, and the law made rate in Alabama Is the same. The no commodity rates are lower by about per cent in Georgia than in Alabama, and all the other rates were un- touched by our law and are much higher In Alabama than in Georgia.
 lal t.... ft-s ing of passes and the Georgia law does not. These roads before our law was enacted issued many thousands of passes at great cost to the roads. The reduction in their passenger rate as formerly charged in Alabama and now restored by the inferior judge was fully offset by the value of the DE Sses which our law now prohibits. and which the Georgia law does not prohibit
 Alabama allows all the railroads to run freight trains on Sunday. a privilege the Georgia law prohibits This gives IS per cent additional time for train service in Alabama as compared with Georgia
 The operation of the 2Ik cent passen- ger rate benefited the poor as well as the rich. Universal benefits arose from the no commodity rates covering articles of common production, consumption and use embracing sand lime, cement, brick, fertilizer lumber cotton seed cotton seed meal, cotton, grain of every description, meat meat products, wagons, blow tools, those most common things which our farmers use, and which our people con sume, being just such items as the Under wood bill of 100 articles of common pro- duotion. consumption and use embraced and placed upon the free list. These rates gave new life to our merchants, inspired new hopes in our producers, and saved many thousands to our consumers. These benefits are just what Georgia. Carolina. NtrCfpia q, av,J had for many years, and the increased prices made by the federal court is a dis crimnation and a tax against the necessi- ties of the people.
 Showed Increased Earning
 After three years trial of this ate every railroad paid its dividends, every railroad showed increased earnings, every railroad made higher developments and gave better service, and every stock showed increased value. 1t was imDossl- ble out of these conditions for any but the most unusual minds to elucidate con fiscation and destruction. The classifica- ton of the roads was just and fair and is arrived at by the same method as those employed by every advanced state which has regulated its public carriers
 The appellate court of three judges meant by their decision that unless these rates did conhscate and destroy they should remain the legal rates. This right eous decision was recalled by the inferior federal judge. One judge against three and the one has been all his life an at torney of the road upon whose inter ests he sat as judge. The issue in Ala bama is whether the decision of this in- ferior court shall stand against the com bined wisdom of the appellate court and the welfare of the people of Alabama.
 The taxes in Birmingham and Jeffer- .l tax commissioner, and the insurance rate has been raised by the tariff association In the former case IF taxpayers are af- fected. A mass meeting was called for nal protest was entered. discrimination charged and a determination to fight through the agency of public sentiment and the courts was agreed upon.
 ''In the Alabama freight and passenger rate advances ordered by the federal in- feror court, a great state with 2,250,0O1 people is discriminated against; 2,25O, ,OO0 people organized into a state are over charged and their laws suppressed.
 ',The Louisville and Nashville railroad says appeal to the United States supreme court. Of coursel The state convention says appeal to the legislature. The recall of the appellate courts order by the in- feriofF court was unauthorized by the facts, and this whole miserable fasco advises us that no future Louisville and Nashville judicial proceeding should be held before a judge who passed his life in the employ of that railroad: that the same cardinal objection which should bar juryman should apply to a judge. It is insane to think that the judicial ermine destroys the germ of environment
 'The method of procedure by re-enact- ing the laws Is the most direct because under a new law of Congress the appl- cation for a new injunction, if made, would have to go before three federal judges instead of one, and if any repre- sentative should consider the instruction of the convention not binding, then a referendum to his constituents could be made by the governor, the same as was plade by Governor Hughes in the race | track law, and by Governor Wilson in the primary bills. I feel sure that the | legislature would heed the demand of | the convention and the people. if only it | can be gotten together in session duly | called by the governor.
 Opposed to Convention
 T am democrat. I believe in the | rule of the people: that popular sover- eighty is sure foundation of all govern : mental processes, that it will stand every