The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-03-03
spent LARGE SUMS
RAILROAD STIFLED OPPOSITION
By MISUSE OF FUNDS
To CREATE SENTIMENT

Commerce Commission Report On
Louisville and Nashville Shows
Road Wilfully Restrained Competi-
ton and Attempted to Buy Public
Opinion and Political Influence.
The interstate commerce commits
sion's report on its investigation OF.
the finances, rates and practices OF
the Louisville and Nashville and al
lied railroads, sent to the Senate
| Thursday, charges the Louisville and
Nashville with acquiring competing
lines and with carrying on for years
at cost Of millions of dollars elab-
crate political and publicity CAM
paigns to eliminate competition and
influence public opinion.
Further inquiry and, If possible,
inspection of the railroads CORE
spondence was said to be necessary.
The report was written before the
Supreme Court handed down its opin-
ion holding that the commission was
without power to force the company
to submit its correspondence as well
as its records and books to scrutiny.
The investigation was directed In a
Senate resolution mainly to discover
whether the Louisville and Nashville,
through control of the Nashville,
Chattanooga and st. Louis Railway
and smaller lines, had restrained
competition; whether the one-time
control Of the Louisville and Nash
vile by the Atlantic Coast Line rail-
road 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 compet-
ing roads, through political agents or.
through public sentiment favorable
to their cause.
To all these questions the commits
sion gives an Affirmative answer. It
qualities its declaration that the
Louisville and Nashville wilfully re-
strained competition by pointing out
that in some instances it was trying
to meet the competition OF other
large systems.
In the recital Of political activities
Of the roads, the commission an
nounces its inability to set forth all
the money these carriers may have
expended in political and publicity
work, but the items which its investi-
gators discovered and which it has
placed in the report run into The
millions. In connection with the
Tennessee Railroad association form
ed by carriers in 1884 to combat ad-
verse legislation in Tennessee there
port is specific in its allegations.
1.-THE various payments made on
account of the-Tennessee Railroad
association by the Nashville, Chatta-
nooga and St. Louis railroad and the
Louisville and Nashville Railroad
company said the report, "were to
large extent made to State officials
and legislators Of Tennessee, munich
pal officers of Nashville, political lob
byists and attorneys. Investigation
showed that payments made by the
Nashville, Chattanooga and st. Louis
in this connection, agsregating over
$4,000, could be definitely assigned
to persons formerly or at present
holding public Office, but the total
amount paid to such persons was no
doubt much in excess Of this sum-"
Here are some Of the disclosures
OF money placed in the column OF
political or publicity expenditures:
Payments aggregating $S2,596 for
purposes mentioned in the resolu-
ton" between September /, 1906, and
July 1, 1914, by the Louisville and
Nashville, as shown in its accounts.
Expenditures by the Louisville and
Nashville in the same period of main
tanning political and legislative
agents, s23,274.41.
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 $685.
600 was used in a publicity campaign
in Alabama to mould public opinion
through the press.
Part of the rest was contributed to
finance a campaign in Louisiana to
prevent the change Of tax laws. In
this connection of indifference the
funds were placed in the hands OF
bank, to be disbursed by it as II II
furtherance Of banking interests.
The Louisville and Nashville paid
to the New Orlea1s and st. Louis
s120,19S.44 for the Tennessee Rail-
road association. This was in addi-
ton to other Large expenditures in
connection with that association"
the commission said.
The report says that s2s5,0o0 IN
vouchers was issued by the Louisville
and Nashville in the 1906-1S14
period to various persons, concern
ing which the accounts give no In
formation other than the expendi-
lures were for special services and
expenses. Other vouchers aggregat"
ing s67,722.30 were issued from
1900 to 1911, under the direction OF
the legal or executive departments OF
the road, without the purpose being
stated. One Of these vouchers was
for more than $4,000 and all were
in excess of $1,000.
The commission gives an instance
OF one special ledger account record
ing large expenditures, the purpose
of which could not be learned. II
recites that an account was opened
in the name Of the immigration md
Industrial association of Alabama IN
1907. This" says the report, re
cords a cash advance to George W.
Jones, assistant district attorney In
MONTGOMERY, Ala, made under au-
thority Of the first vice-preslcent.
The nature Of this account is
indicated by notations On the treas
urer's statements of cash receipts en-
tered therein and such as proportion
of expenses, account adjourned ses-