Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-26
MILLIONS TO BLOCK
COMPETING ROADS
l. c. c. Reports on Investigation
of Finances, Rates and Prac-
tees of the l.. & N.
FURTHER INQUIRY NECESSARY
Elaborate Political and Publicity
Campaigns Carried On to In
fluence Public Opinion.

IluSnCe fuDnC OplnlOn.
WASHINGTON February 25-Thc
port on Its investigation OF tho finances.
rates ana practices Of the Louisville
and Nashville and allied railroads sent
to the Senate to-day charges the
Louisville and Nashville with acquir-
ing competing lines. and with carrying
on for years. ut cost Of millions OF
dollars. elaborate political and pub
licity campaigns to eliminate compcti-
tion and influence public opinion.
Further inquiry and, if possible. in
spcction of the railroads corresponds
ence was said to he necessary. The
report was written before the Supreme
Court handed down it's opinion yestcr-
day. holding that the commission was
without power to force the company 10
submit it's correspondence as we'll as
It's records and books to scrutiny
The investigation was directed in n
Senate resolution mainly to discover
whether the Louisville and Nashville
through control of the Nashville. Chat
tanooea and st. Louis Railroad and
smaller lines. had restrained competi-
ton; whether at one time the control
of the Louisville and Nashville by the
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad operated
TO the same end In wider field. and
what amount OF money the Louisville
and Nashville and related roads have
contributed in blocking the entrance
OF competing roads through political
agents or through public sentiment fav-
orable to their cause.
AFFIRMATIVE ANSWER
TO ALL QUESTIONS
To all these questions the commits
sion gives an affirmative answer. II
qualities it's declaration that the Louis
willie and Nashville wilfullv restrained
competition by pointing out that in
some instances. il was trying to meet
the competition Of other large systems
In the recital OF politica! activities
of the roads, the commission announces
its inability TO set forth all the money
these carriers may have expended in
political and publicity work. but the
items which it's investigators discov-
cred run into the millions. In connec-
ton with the Tennessee Railroad Asso-
ella ton. formed by carricrsN in 1884 to
combat adverse legislation I'm Tennes-
| see, the report is specific in its allcya-
tions.
The various payments made on ac-
count OF the Tennessee Railroad Asso-
citation by the Nashville. Chattanooga
and ST. Louis Railway. and the Louis
VILE and Nashville Railroad Company"
said the report. were to a large eX-
tent made TO State officials and legisla-
tors Of Tennessee. municipal officers OF
Nashville. political lobbyists and at
torneys. Investigation showed that
payments made by the Nashville, Chat
tanooga and st. Louis in this connec-
ton aggregate over 100000, and could
be definitely assigned to persons form
erly or at present holding public Of
! flee. but the total amount paid to such
persons was. no doubt. much in excess
Of this sum"
DISCLOSURES OF MONEY
FOR POLITICS OR PUBLICITY
Here arc some OF the disclosures of
money placed in the columns OF politi-
cal or publicity expenditures:
Expenditures by the Louisville and
| Nashville between September /, 1906,
and July l, 1914. for maintaining polit-
ical and legislative agents, S23,2744l.
For creating public sentiment in
! favor of the plans of the Louisville
and Nashville in the same period. the
commission reports that the railroad
expended s59.322.4S, of which $500
was used in publicity campaign in
I Alabama to mold public opiniop
through the press.
The Louisville and Nashville paid
to the Nashville. Chattanooga and St.
Louis sl2o.IaS4+ for the Tennessee
! Railroad Association. This was i'm ad-
dition to other large expenditures in
; connection with that associations" the
/ commission said.
/ The report says that S2g5o 900 i'm
vouchers was issued by the Louisville
and Nashville In the 19O6-i9l4 period
| to various persons. concerning which
| the accounts gave no information other
than that the expenditures were for
Special services and expenses
The commission gives an instance OF
/ one special ledger account recording
! large expenditures, the purpose OF
. which could not he learned. II rccites
/ that an account was opened i'm the
name of the immigration and Industrial
Association of Alabama in 1907. This"
says the report. records cash ad
vance to George w. Jones, assistant
district attorney in Montgomery. Ala.
! made under authority OF the first vicc
! president. The nature Of this ac-
count is indicated by notations on the
/ treasurer's statements of cash receipts
. entered therein, such as proportion of
I expenses account adjourned session OF
! Alabama Legislaturc.'
| NO INFORMATION on
/ BIG "SuSPENSE" ACCOUNTS
no information could be gained, the
report says, concerning big "suspcnsc"
accounts opened in banks
OF these accounts the report saw.
, 1T seems clear, that for some reason
/ the officials who were responsible for
/ these entries deemed it eXpedieut In
conceal not only in the original entry
but from those engaged In this investi-
| cation. the real purpose for which
/ these expenditures were made"
/ The commission said there were dis
bursements aggrcgating s599.66S. the