The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-08-31

rates as shown in the large and contin- Ued increase in the earnings of the Att
 lanta and West Point and Atlanta and
 Chattanooga roads. the two roads which
 carry the very lowest rate, both passen- ger and freight, in Georgia. This state
 ment by MT. Smith is conclusive evidence of what a state controlled road, a law made rate by railroad commission, over
 the roads protest and plea of contiscation end destruction. will do for a public ser vice carrier, and for the people whom it | Eerves, after many years trial
 MT. Smith on an Arbitrary Power
 "The following is an extract from the
 same statement of MT. Smith; This com pany recognizes the full, right of every
 individual to his own opinion, but it in-
 sists that 1t has the right to be heard in its own behalf, not only before the people themselves, but also in the courts of the land which were organized for the purpose of protecting every person In his life, liberty and property. This company has faith in the just intentions of the majority of the people, and it also has
 faith in their wisdom when their judg- ments are formed after a full considera- lion of all the testimony. It does not believe that a law suit, however, can be fairly tried on the political hustings, nor does 1t believe that any set of politicians,
 however personally honest and capable,
 should have the absolute right to dispose
 of the property of other people without
 their consent, and without an opportun-
 ity to be heard according to the orderly
 procedure of court of justice
 This company does not impugn the
 good faith, or the honesty of the repre-
 sentatives of the people when it declares
 that it is unwilling to have It's rights de- termined in ex parte proceedings, and it L f.t, Af l.~ state, and the wholesale and retail gro- cers and dry goods merchants had the right to determine for themselves, with out consultation with this company, what
 this company should charge for the use of it's own property. in which neither the
 politicians nor the wholesalers nor the. retailers have a dollar of invested cap- ital, it would be wholly unwise and pre- judicial to the best interest of the public to permit them to exercise such power and this for the reason that all history demonstrates that arbitrary power, no matter in whom vested, will sooner or later be used for selfish and personal ends, and that such power, either in a
 monarchy. or in a republic. has always been destructive of civil liberty and the l public welfare
 MT. Smith says that all history dem ! onstrates that arbitrary power no matter | in whom vested, will sooner or later be 1 used for selfish and personal aims, and | that such power. whether in monarchy, or in a republic has always been destruc- tive of civic liberty and public welfare. | A Case in Point
 l '"rhe Louisville and Nashville road for
 30 years has had arbitrary power in Ala bama has controlled so far as relates | to itself both legislation and the judiciary l The Louisville and Nashville had during | the meetings of the legislature it's man | in the lobby between the house and sen- | ate, and absolutely vised every species | Of legislation. Nothing could pass that did not have It's O. k. It put at the head of house and senate and on the important
 committees its own men, and nothing | was allowed which 1t did not like. It ! took charge of the railroad commission | law in the beginning, and so wrote it that it was farce Nominations to | the board of railroad commissioners were submitted to it's approval and it so ar l ranged their pay ehat it came from the | railroads. and it so managed the. courte- sies extended them that they became a
 railroads commission and not people s commission.
 "The freight rates of the railroads, l and up to 1907 their rules, or laws, as l will call them, governing their relation to the business of the state and the peo- pie of the state were absolutely of their
 own making
 Their freight and passenger charges
 have never been abated by any public au- thorisX The1fz l(oQt 431irgeeS Son all.th