The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-06

ty corporations: however, the legisla- ture will be compelled to look at the question from both sides of the shield; providing protection to the people and
 at the same time give adequate pro-
 lection to the corporation. The advent of the hydro-electric and water power
 companies has aroused much inteihst in the subject and the corporations are recognizing the fact that control by
 the state is neccary.
 The recent telephone controversies between the cities of Birmin <lam. New
 Decatur and Anniston and the phone
 companies has brought out the fact that the state has no supervisory powers,
 other than over long distance rates The citiens of Montgomery are en- toying probably the lowest electric
 rates of any southern city, due to a
 rate war between the competing light ing companies should the companies
 adjust their differences there is no relief for the citizen when rates go higher.
 From recent newspaper articles the
 uninformed would think that the con trol of utilities was but another
 scheme for providing plances for the faithful, but such is not the case. There Is a wide demand that the state
 take charge of the utility corporations and the legislature will no doubt pass adequate laws on this subject.
 Politicians Responsible for RuInors Just here l am reminded that sev- eral of the daily papers have been in dulging In a controversy as to whether or not the control of public utility cor porstions will be placed under direction of the railroad commission, and if so whether the law will add additional members to the commission. At the risk of being accused of telling tales .Nf ff ha4 4,.fs. ,r
 me to state that the first talk of tits kind came to me direct from one of the close supporters of Governor Co., mer, and later in a conversation with one of the successful candidates for railroad commissioner I was told that in the event of MT. Comer's election such a law would be passed; in fa2t that the present railroad commission law would be reepealed and a new law enacted and that the governor would be given power of appointing A1em- bers. Just here I will add that since the election result was contrary to the aforesaid gentleman's wishes that nothing further has been said about abolishing the commission and letting. the governor appoint.
 The latest not of warning was sounded at the recent meeting of the state executive committee meeting but the tune has changed; what was good some weeks before the primary Is now a direct attempt to throttle the will of the peo o-pul. Suffice it to say that the rumors responsible for the talk now being indulged in first came from sup porters of Governor Conner and no i'm portance Is attached to the fears ex- pressed.
 Railroad Legislation
 Defect in the present railroad laws Is evidenced by the glaring uefects in the statutes they exist today. "The laws at present do not give the citizen the right of appeal from a decision of the railroad commission. On the other hand the carrier has the right of appeal to any of the numerous courts of the state.
 "A most discriminatory law Is the one allowing the railroads the right of granting low industrial rates on coal to certain localities Under this law the commission cannot put in rates of like kind, and the only power given the commission Is to prevent the rate be- | ing taken out when once established, | or raise the rates. This law was the subject of quite a bit of controvers~ during the recent campaign. Without attempting to say who is responsiJie for l this statute it is one law that should l be amended so that the commission can establish the industrial rates as well as the carrier.
 | "The recent decision of the interstate commerce commission in the Shreves- l port-Texas case is going to have a wide effect in rate making by state commissions, and laws will be needed | to conform present statutes to that de-
 cison The decision, to say the least. | has given the carriers another argu-
 ment for objecting to consideration of
 rate matters by state commissions. In- | icidentlly the decision will have bear. l ing on whether or not a rate In one state Is reasonable, or unreasonable as the case may be, because the rate Is
 in effect in adjoining states-the Geor-
 gia rate compared with the Alabama
 rate, for instance.
 Primary Elections
 1 What will be done towards riddinsg
 the primary elections of fraudulent
 practices. if there be fraud?
 | Under the present laws only a man
 of vast means can afford to enter the
 primaries with any hope of winaing
 the gubernatorial nomination. The evil
 of the practice of use of money also
 bars the poor man from running for the
 minor offices. Unless some change Is
 made the old convention system will supplant the primary. !. ! "The South Carolina plan will no doubt be given consideration, and this
 plan will offer some improvement ovNr
 the present system. In South Carolina the state takes charge of party pri- maries and fixes the assessment upon candidates; arrangements are made for all candidates to visit the various counties on days designated aHd the candidate who fails to attend on the | day set misses meeting the people of that particular county.
 Any change in the present laws, es- lpecially if 1t prohibits the candidate from expending more than a specified lsum will be an Improvement.
 | Liquor Revenues
 During the short period of statewide prohibition several of the larger cities
 were strenuous in their demands for th'
 return to liquor license, and one city 1T particular went so far as to raise tho license of practically every business ant occupation, because 'the liquor revenue had been cut off" However after th'
 return of saloons this same city found
 1t necessary to continue its high license
 scale because the city did not receive
 as much revenue as before from liquo
 license Evidently the liquor revenue i'
 not what the cities anticipated.
 Much speculation Is being indulged II
 at present as to the probable attitude O the legislature on the liquor question. |
 the three larger counties, Jefferson, Mo
 bile and Montgomery, are permitted t' retain the open saloon will the excis
 commissions be abolished? Many ther'
 ara who advocate the abolishment of th