The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-15

ldl as tnelf dealing with the general pub-
lie Is concerned, by proper law for their
regulation, supervision and control; not II
a desire to inture honest. capital honestly
Invested, and whose affairs were honestly
conducted, but with the determination OF
taking away from these great corporate
interests the power to tyranize over indi-
viduals and communities who dared to de-
mand at their hands fair and just treat
ment.
In accordance with this purpose in May,
1862 | mailed from my office in Troy to
citizens and business men throughout the
state a circular letter setting forth the
necessity of cooperation in the pro-
gremme of legislation for the control and
regulation of the railroads operating with
Ing the state of Alabama.
"To these circular letters about 20 replies
were received, and on the strength of that
! called meeting to assemble in lBirming-
ham for the purpose of maturing plans
for the campaign which was to follow.
Such incidental expenses as were incurred
by this meeting, and the labor incident
thereto, was betrayed out of my individual
funds
II refer to these matters by reason OF
the fact that others, who were not pres
ent at the meeting, although invited TO
be there, one of whom Is now candidate
for governor opposed to me afterward.
recognizing the growth and strength of
tho organization formed at that time.
availed themselves of the advantage of
the movement to acquire political honors,
which they have since received abundantly
at the hands of the people of the state.
81 am stating this to you thus frankly.
not for the purpose of boasting, but to
show to you that l am not now occupying
a position of trust as president of the
railroad commission of Alabama, by
reason of having jumped astride of an
others issue for the purpose of personal
political preferment.
First Rate Movement
There were just 10 men present at the
first meeting when the preliminary crgan-
ization for railroad rate reform was
launched These 13 original citizens were
primarily responsible for whatever has
been accomplished in the regulation of
the transportation companies of the state
of Alabama.
1T is not my purpose, nor do | desire.
to detract one iota from the credit due TO
those who Joined us, or the individual
leaders who entered into the fight to bring
about the desired results. 1t was brave
fight 1t was a hard fight. 1t was con-
test that required the brain and the
Drawn of the yeomanry of brave people,
and. looking back over it now. we ought
to be big enough to say: There is glory
enough for us ALL" and no one man. with
out an egotism equal to that of Theodore
or a selfishness and ambition
as great as that of Julius Caesar, can
claim to be the sole and only cause OF
the victory won by the people at the polls.
and no man except such as forgets all
save an inordinate ambition to dominate
and control, can be dishonest enough to
charge one whose every act has been in
line with this movement, of having de-
serted the cause for which he has done
so much, unless it be for the purpose of
furthering an ambition personal to him
self and at variance with the truth.
'At that time l was content that others
should receive the emoluments of office,
and the political preferment incident to
the contest; my only thought and desire
being for relief from the increasing ag-
gression upon the rights of my people,
brought about by the change incident TO
the great development of our industrial
life.
The founders of this government had de-
clared that all men were free and equal,
and I saw no just reason why we should
have departed from the principles declared
by the fathers and upheld by the patriot
ism and blood of brave men through the
conflict of eight years.
Habit In Government
But these departures were never ac'
complished BY one act. Some were had by
simple neglect and by the gradual estab.
lishment of new precedents, which We
were prone to follow, although contrary
to the spirit of the fundamental law, until
they became a part of our Jurisprudence,
or at least, dignifed by the term estao-
lished policies in government. The estab-
lishment of new precedents are always to
be carefully guarded, considered from ev-
cry angle, scanned from every viewpoint,
and If the precedent thus to be established
can grow into a habit which will or may
produce bad results, 1t We're better left
undone, and the first step had better never
be taken. Habit is difficult thing to sep
arate from. whether good or bad and
when habits have been established by
precedent in the body polite, it is impos-
sible to toss them aside without serious
hindrance from the courts of the land,
who are too often dominated by the infiu-
epce of powerful political machines, and
frequently 1t requires a revolution to over
turn what has come to be claimed as
vested rights by those who think they
have the power to hold them.
So ii was in this state. These innova-
tions has been made in our laws and our
governmental affairs, and the failure 9f
our legislatures to enact laws in keeping
with the demands of new conditions, Sc
strongly entrenched, the corporate inter
ests in this state, and so arrogant had
that interest become in its demands that
1t was only after a severe contest that we
could eXclaim 'Victoryv
Fight of Murphree
ain the constitutional convention of 1901
a brave, fearless and patriotic statesman
of this county, the Hon. Joel d. Mur-
phree, the memory of whose life fingers
with us as one whose patriotism was
placed above selfshness, and whose
sterling character is a part of the heri.
tage of this people, after a long and bitter
fight, wrote into the constitution of this
state that clause which authorized com
ing legislatures to regulate the public
service corporations doing business in Ala
bama. The fight then began, and after
four years of continual struggle. practi
cally the only success achieved was tha'
of an elective railroad commission witt
an act authorizing the fixing of rates os
that commission, and, while not entirely
satisfactory, there were ample powers by
which reduction of freight rates and o.
passenger rates through this state NIGH
have been taken up and carried to a sue
cessful conclusion. OF this commission
the Hon. B. B. Conner was then the pres
ident
THAT law, however, was never entirely
satisfactory to me and to others of oul
organization, and we determined to con
tinue our efforts toward securing sucs
laws as we thought proper and necessary
Better Commission Laws
This was the condition in 1906 wher
friends of the cause thought it advisabl,
that l should enter the contest in the ap
preaching primaries for member of th'
railroad commission. 1t was the opinion
of many that I could procure the enact
ment of such legislation along the line.