Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-20
W|MB|SH TO HEAD
COMMITTEE ON
". & A. ROAD
Four Other Men to Aid in Arrang-
ing for Western & Atlantic Dis
posaI Convention in July.

President Wilmer L. Moore. Of the
Atlanta Chamber of Commerce said
Friday morning that he would ask w.
A. Wimbish. chairman Of the cham
ber's temporary Western ana Atlantic
committee, to serve as chairman of
the committee Of five to be named to
arrange for a convention to consider
the future and proper disposal of the
Western and Atlantic Railroad, the
States property, and to offer sugges-
lions to the Legislature. Nh Moore
said he will also request that Mr..
,Wimbish name the other four mem
bers of the committee, which prob
ably viii be done within a week.
II is proposed TO invite represen-
tatives of every city and town in
Georgia to attend the convention, as
well as representatives OF all lines Of
industries affected.
The Chambers plans call for the
convention while the Legislature is
in session, possibly the first or second
week In July. 1t will be held in At
lants-
Authority for the appointment of
the arrangement committee was given
60 President Moore at a meeting of
members of the Chamber at Taft
Hall Thursday night.
Suggestions for the disposal Of the
property were contained In addresses
delivered by four men who have given
considerable time and thought TO the
matter-W A. Wimbish, chairman of
the w. and A. committee Of the
Chamber Of Commerce; ATurphey
Gambler. chairman of the State Rail-
road Commission; James r. Gray
editor, of The Atlanta Journal, and
Hon. Hooper Alexander, who has been
fighting fer ten years for an extern
sion Of the road to the sea.
Politics Plays Part.
"ThA great question" Mr. Wimbish
declared, lis whether the State shall
regard the road as an investment or
as a great transportation facility. The
question of the future OF the road is
political in its nature, but, at the same
time, ii is essentially economic. If
the road is leased by the State to an
other railroad, II must be regarded
solely a3 an investment, and not as
State institution II can not be used
by the State to control rates, not even
by contract. the Supreme Court OF
Georgia having recently held that
contract such as is even now in force
with the n. c. and st. L., the lessees
of the road is an attempt to control
interstate commerce"
State is not now getting a fair finan-
cial return from the road. "The N,
c. and st. L. pays the State s420,012
year for the use of the property"
he said "and the net earnings for the
year 1910, were $7,2S5 a mile. more
than the majority of the big railroad
systems Of the country No taxes,
State or municipal are paid on the
property
GAMBLER Wants State Operation.
AIurphey Gambler chairman of the
State Railroad Commission thinks
the State should operate the road and
use ii as a freight regulator to force
other Georgia railroads to establish
and maintain fair and equitable rates.
James r. Gray declared if Mr.. Can
dler's plan were adopted and the road
used as regulator of freight rates,
il might bankrupt every other rail-
road in the State. we must be fair
TO the railroads." he said. They are
our greatest civilizers and our great
est means for progress"
Hon. Hooper Alexander declared
the people were capable of operating
their own road, and said the road
should be extended TO the sea and
operated by the State. state opera
ton of the road is the only way that
freight rates in Georgia can ever be
reduced to a fair and reasonable
figure" he said. Mr. Alexander adj
mitted there was possibility of the
road becoming a political machine,
but intimated that this danger could
be overcome by civil service"