The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-19
MERRITT TELLS WHY HE OUGHT ID WIN
 COMMISSION PLACE
Says Boards Record Is Not Necessarily the Record of Kennedy's Ac-
 tiOn Upon It

Henry P. Merritt of Tuskegee, cans didate for president of the Alabama public utilities commission, was in Bir- mingham yesterday and spent some time calling on shippers in the district and working to perfect his campaign organization. Incidentally. MT. Merritt took enough time off from this work to discuss his campaign with newspa- per men.
 q notice that my opponent, Sam P. Kennedy, present head of the commits sion, in an interview calls attention to certain accomplishments of the com mission" said MT. Merritt when seen at the Motion. You know there are three members of the body, and the vote of two governs. MT. Kennedy in meption- ing the accomplishments of the conn mission, failed to state specifically to what particular matters he referred, nor did he announce whether he favored all the good things which had been done by the commission. I am sure he would not want to deprive his asso- ciates, MT. Cooper of Birmingham and MT. Gaillard of Mobile of the part they have played in getting these things done.
 T think MT. Kennedy owes it to the people of the state, since he says he ! is standing on his record, to tell how
 he voted on the various questions which have come before the commits
 sion, since he has been member. He fought to let the people know just how he stood on these matter, and whether
 or not he voted in support of some of
 the things which were favored by his
 two associates.
 MT. Kennedy was secretary of the commission when the now famous set
 tlement with the railroads was made
 about two years ago. When he ap-
 peared before the legislature and was
 questioned concerning the settlement
 which deprived the people of Alabama
 of their rebate from the Louisville and Nashville, amounting to more than 1 $1,000,000, on passenger tickets, and an
 equal amount of freight rebates, he did not express an opinion as to what
 he thought of that transaction. Yet he 1 seeks to claim credit for most of the
 good things done in the matter of regu-
 lating the railroads and securing better l conditions for the people of the state
 T have been a member of the leg
 islature or senate since this railroad fight came up<which took the naming 1 Of the members of the commission out of the hands of the governor and placed it where it belonged-in the hands of | tbe people. l voted to give the people 1 the right to name these officials, for prior to that time, the people had not received the benefits from the com
 mission which they had right 10 ex- pect. I would not do the railroads any
 
 that the man who is elected president of the commission should be interested in protecting the rights of the shippers. as well asNlooking out for the inter- ests of the railroads. My record of service in the last three legislatures
 when many matters affecting the rail
 road commission and the interests of the shippers and passengers of the roads have been up, are positive proof
 that I am looking after the interests of all rather than those of the special interests.
 Kennedy, have come some criticisms of l the fact that the shippers of Birming ham indorsed my candidacy. I might add that a representative of MT. Ken nedy spent sometime in Birmingham trying to get these same shippers to indorse his candidacy, but on account of the fact that they considered my election to the interest of the public and the shippers, they refused the requested Endorsement of MT. Kennedy. The fact that MT. Cooper, who is now a mem | Der of the commission, lives in Birming- ham has nothing to do with the mat ter, as live in Tuskegee.
 q am we'll pleased with the recep- tion my candidacy is receiving all over the state, and I am being assured every day that the people understand the real issues in this fight. With that assur- ioaaa that will b6 able to show them that can best represent them in this office, which is now one of the most important in the state"