The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-03

an unfair and unreasonable charge. which
charge the people pay.
A forcefui example of this conflict is
shown in the revolution, with its shock
! ing disclosures. now going on at the ma
| tional capital. Under the leadership or
President Wilson. the people for the first
| time in many years are beginning to reap
the fruits of victory, and this American
country is on the eve of breaking loose
from the grasping, taxing power of the
greatest and most ruthless corporations
the world has ever seen. Mr. Wilson, in
his inaugural address declared THE
| great government we loved has too often
been made use of for private and selfish
purposes, and those who used it had for
gotten the people.
Mr.. Underwood says: "The time has
passed when the laws of this country will
be written for special interests; when
men can come and ask for legislation to
| convert dollars from the pockets of the
| masses into their own that they may
, CIV rich.
The Campaign of 1901
No better evidence of the pernicious
activity and the debanching Influence OF
the railroads and allied corporations need
be sought or can be found, than was
shown by the conduct of the Louisville
and Nashville i'll my election for presi-
dent of the railroad commission in 1901.
This evidence is beyond controversy. 1t
came from the reluctant lips of this rail
road company itself in answers, coerced
by order OF the court, to interrogatories
propounded to it in a libel suit brought
by me in the city court of Birmingham
against this corporation and some of its
| highest officials and some of the leading
newspapers in the state. all of which Is
now on record in that court My inter-
| rogatories were answered on behalf of
| the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
company, under oath, by George e.
Evans, its then general manager, and one
OF its vice presidents.
Expenditures of One Campaign
| This testimony shows that the Louis
willie and Nashville spent in that cam
paign to defeat me the sum of $l42, ,2S5.25.
| 1t further shows that all OF the railroads
in the state at that same time contributed
| to a further campaign fund. 1t was a
corrupt, sordid effort to defeat me for
president OF the railroad commission, and
| to elect its candidate on the issue forced
| by me in the interest of the people, viz. ::
| That Alabama should have equitable car
service rules, prompt settlement of claims
for damaged lost freight, decently
maintained depots and passenger accom-
| modatioDs, and the same rate of freight
on 10 commodities of common production.
consumption and use, which the roads had
maintained in our neighboring state of
Georgia, for many years, and which rates
had proven constructive and remunerative
both to the shipper and to the carrier.
The railroads because of their long con-
troll of every state activity. had MAIN
tanned in Alabama the highest freight
rate and the lowest tax rate, as compared
with any stare which had escaped their
withering control. Recognizing that, if
the people had an Independent railroad
commission service, an exposure of their
methods would be sure. they did not hesi-
tate at any proposition, any means or
methods. which would defeat this break
away from their control
1t appears from said testimony of the
Louisville and Nashville railroad that
Walker d. Hines, first vice president,
with headquarters at Louisville, Ky, or
ganized this road into political machine
| from the Alabama Tennessee line to Mo-
bile, including all subsidiary branch lines.
| The said Hines was the chief in COM
mand, stationed in Louisville KY. its di-
| vision superintendents and other officers
| in Alabama were his lieutenants, with
ITS various agents, engineers and the most
| efficient and intelligent of it's employees
as field workers. The first order issued
| by the said Hines was addressed to the
general manager, George E. Evans direct
ing him to create a strong anti Conner
| sentiment In Alabama; then, after ths
selection of its candidate, followed orders
| from the said Hines to vote for John V
Smith The said George V. Evans gen.
eral manager, then issued directions t,
| B, NJ. Starl<e and all division superntend
ehts to distribute among their men {
| circular letter in which a bitter attacl
| was made upon me. 1t is further shown
by the said testimony that circular letters
sigred by the said Walker d. Hines frs
vice president, and the said George E
Evans, general manager, and others, wer
freely distributed over Alabama through
the organized forces of this railroad, at
tacklng and harshly critcisng me-
Hines on the Ground
When the campaign became warm. th
said Walker ID. Hines removed his head
qua1'ters from Kentucky and statione,
himself in Alabama and conducted tin
fight in person issuing orders and com
mands in person and by word of mouth
direct to the Alabama Officials" of sal,
road
Ihis testimony further shows that al
OF the officers of the Louisville and Nash
VILE Railroad company, all of its impor
tant agents, its attorneys and its doc
tors. except one in Gadsden. we're place,
by 1t on the firing line. and were released
from the discharge of their duties to tn
pupnc and to the railroad in order tina
they might go into this political cam
paign in Alabama.
Never in the history of any country di,
a public servant, as this railroad com
Pany was, undertake. with more lnscru
puious methods and with more effron
terry, to over-awe and debauch the peopl,
ana TO snow its mastery over the state
IL hesitated at nothing Through ON
man, as shown by his own testimony i,
court 1t distributed $4,000 in Jefferson
county alone within 4S hours, just befor,
the erection, to debauch the electors.
The >Perjured Frame Up
rms railroad, through three of it's high
oiiIe!ais, b. M. Starke, superintendent
at birmingham; n. ID. DeFuniak, genera
l,eisnt agent at Birmingham, and Jone.
"a. Moore president of the Birmingham
southern railroad, procured from one q,
i.s ehployes, sectionmaster in the Br
minsnam district, false affidavit thai
he was my first cousin, that he as soc,
tionmaster had done some repair work
ON the private track of the Avondale mil
OF which | was president; that he was
| my first cousin and that because of tbi,
| relationship ! had approached him while
at work on the track and told him tha,
when the work was finished to come m
Inc office and get the money: that he had
replied that he was working for the
Louisville and Nashville Railroad com.
pany and that the money belonged to
them; that | told him that that was all
fght, he could take it; that his reply
| was tnat the money belonged to the rail-
! road and he could not take it, and that
| | told him If he did not take that ,onnav