The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-26
Advertisement CLAIM HENDERSON UNFIT FOR OFFICE HE'S RUNNING FOR
Candidate for Governor Re- fused to Consult States Attorneys in Rate
 Surrender"

In speech at Moulton, Ala, on April 2l as quoted in the Birmingham News of April 22, Charles Henderson said:
 Certainly we did not consult the
 states attorneys when we made the
 recent compromise. THEY WERE
 1@TERESTED PARTIES They
 drew 5000 each per month. s2OOO
 for the two. It was to their in-
 terest to continue the litigation
 that had been in progress for
 seven years. After the deci-
 sion of the United States Court
 declaring the state commission had
 authority to make rates the rail-
 roads SEEING THEY HAD LOST,
 began making overtures for a
 settlement"
 Nothing could more clearly show Charles Henderson's inherent weak ness. his susceptibility to influences lnimical to the interests of the peo- pie. his utter unfitness for the office of Governor or any other office re- curing the exercise of discretion and discrimination than these words out of his own mouth.
 He refused to consult the states at- torneys, who had successfully fought these cases for seven years, because they were interested parties"-inter- ested, not as reputable attorneys sworn To guard the interests of their clients the people of Alabama, but interested only in prolonging the litigation in or der 10 draw large fees. Whom did he consult? Did he consult even the attor- hey general before the agreement was prepared? No. He consulted only General Counsel Stone and General So- hcltor Colston of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, H. F. Smith, vice president of the N. c. & St. L. Rail- road and R. E. Steiner representing 2 the Western of Alabama Railway and the Central of Eanrpio Poi1 attorney general who was not draw Ing any fees, was not notified that any compromise was even contemplated un- til he was called into the Governor s office on the day the agreement was signed and less than an hour before II was signed, and there found the above named railroad attorneys and officers and MT. Henderson and the Governor, and was shown the agree ment already prepared by the rail- road attorneys. Upon the advice of these disinterested railroad attorneys alone MT. Henderson sacrificed the rights and interests of the people and practically all the advantages gained by seven years of successful litigation. Does Charles Henderson think the railroad attorneys were disinterested Does he think they were influenced solely by love for the people of Ala bama? Does he think the railroad at
 
 what kind of settlement the facts of the cases and the law applicable to them Justified him in making than were the counsel for the state?
 He says: The railroads, SEEING THEY HAD LOST. began to make over- lures for a settlement" Therefore, with victory in plain sight and the enemy ready to beg for terms, he entered into an agreement of disgraceful and cow ardly surrender to the Louisville and Nashville railroad He got absolutely nothing in return for the people of Ala bama, but did get the support of the l.. X N. Railroad for himself. He did not get any reduced freight rates for the agreement is silent to freight rates which are the same today as they were before the litigation began. He got nc recognition of the fairness of the 21h cent passenger rate. for the agreement expressly provides that it shall not be construed as an admission that the 21h cent rate is a fair rate He got nc recognition by the agreement of the power of the commission to fix rates Tor the courts had already declared that the commission had such power and had been so declared for 40 years He simply surrendered the right of the people to collect the excess charges paid by them in the past represented by passenger coupons and freight re-
 
 did the railroads make? They simply proposed to continue in force the 2H cent passenger rate which the courts had already compelled them to put in force and which the l.. & N. had had In force since August, 1913, provided MT. Henderson would withdraw the ap- peal from the decree of Judge Jones and relieve them of all liability for these excess charges paid by the peo- pie in the past. And Charles Hender- son, weak and ignorant, or blinded by tives, accepted the proposition and sac rificed the interests of the people
 One of two things is manifest Eith- CT Charles Henderson deliberately sac rinced the interests of the people of Alabama to promote hAs own interests ss candidate for governor by getting the support of these railroads, or, in his weakness and ignorance and sus- ceptibility to influence, he yielded to the advice of the railroad attorneys without the ability to give due consid- eratfon to the source of the advice or to discriminate between the peoples in- terests. In either event his unftness foi the office of governor of this great state is apparent. The Louisville and Nashville railroad Is supporting Mir Henderson today. Do the people of Ala bama want the governor the Louisville and Nashville railroad wants?
 The agreement settling the rate cases was child of shame. It was conceived in secret, born in secret and kept a secret hidden from the people for 10 days. It was christened "Victory' by its progenitors, but the people. after they got good look at 1t. named it Sur render"