The Adair County news., 1914-04-01

| co any unCU9 Part atty 10 the rail-
roads or to ans of the corporate inter
ests. An impartial inspection OF my
record on that subject is a complete
refutatiOn of his charges.
When l became governor upon the
| death of Governor GCebel, February.
! 1900, determined that | would, as far
! as | was able, see that every premise
made by him to the people should be
/ fulhlled, not alone out Of sentiment
ever his tragic death, but because |
lad fought with him for those prin-
ciples upon which he made his cam
/ paign, and | believe III them. II any
one will take the trouble to look at
/ the Democratic platform of 1899, upon
! which he made his race for governor,
he VIII see that every promise in it
that could be fulfilled was fulflle1
and enacted into law while | was gov
/ ernOr The leading issue of that cam
paign was the railroad rate measure.
known as the McChord bill, which had
passed the general assembly of 1898,
when | was speaker Of the house, but
had been vetoed by Governor Bradley.
1t proposed to give to the state rail-
| road commission power to regulate
rates, and prevent eXtOrtion and dis
elimination upon the part of the rail
( roads
Fulfilled Goebel's Pledges.
After the death of Governor Goebel.
| Notwithstanding all the chaos. excite
ment, and danger Of that period, |
| used every power that | could proper
ly use as governor to have that gen
! eraI assembly pass it. The BILL as draft
eu by Governor GOebel ana Nj. Nc
Chord, was passed and promptly sign
ed by me. 1t was contested by the rail-
roads in the courts; and after confer
ring with Mr.. McChOrd, the chairman
OF the board, and with the attorney
general, | employed able lawyers to
represent the state in the defense Of
the law, all the way to the supreme
court of the United States. never
failed at any time to use every power
| could to have the law established
and enforced. That law, which could
not have passed at that time without
my active assistance, has formed the
ground work Of what power is in the
hands OF the railroad commission, 70
remedy any wrongs against the peo-
pie and the shippers in intrastate
transported ton
Let us now look at the taxation Of
railroad properties while l was gov
ernor, and let us take the case of tn
Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Company, the largest system III the
state, and tie one to which Stanle.
charges I was So partial.
The year before | became governor.
il 1899. Chat company was payin-
taxes. all told, to the state, counties.
cities and other taxing districts. III
sum of $269, 3O8.74. In 1907, the yea
I went out Of Office, the same com.
pany paid for the same purposes. til
sum Of $4@5.51426, nearly twice as
much as it laid in 1899. Correspond
ing increases were made upon tu-
other railroads and public service cor
pOTatiOrs doing business in the state
When I came into Office, those COY
pOIatiCus we're not uaying any iran
chise taxes at all to the counties
cities and. taxing districts. But | EN-
plOyed counsel With the approval Of
the attorreE General, to carry the case
to the supreme court, and that court
upheld Cur contentious that the
should pay franchise taxes upon that
basis.
By reason Of that decision. every
county, city and school district il the
state, into which a railroad runs. re-
ceiyes annually lis proportion of the
franchise tax.
Numerous other instances dur.ng
the nearly eicht years of my service
as governor. o0n:d be shown, If neces-
sary, to prove the utter falsity of Stan
Iey's charges; but IS he does not he
lieve them himself. il is not likely
that, even with all of his fervtd
and freIz.ad oratory, he can make
others belize them.
While Id al that was in my DOW
er to hold the railroads to d strict
-AN oO'--- 't-'|----. 90 -t - anu W Ian
dealing with the ueOr-o. I did not seek
to Oprress or ham er them. be
ievei IN giving chem every reason
able eucouraG cement possible, to in
duce them 70 improve their se~vic=
and 70 build new lines. 7 Gid not olar
the demagoGue about them and try 20
win popular favor hy denOuncing or
JerseCUting them. When I first he
came governor, there were twertv-siv
counties in Kentucky that did nc.
have mile of railroad in them, now
there are nineteen counties IN tha.
condition, and Kentucky is far behind
most Of the other states in not having
sufficient railroad mileage to 2evoloo
its resources. On the general subject
of railroad matters, ! expressed ny
position in 1896 when 7 sent nv last
regular message to a general assem-
bly,. In discussing the subject | said
Railroad Commissioners Report.
The report of the board of rail.
road commissioners is before you.
and shows the condition and progress