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THE ATLANTIAN
July, 1917
a marvelous feat which reflects the greatest credit on the
management.
As Southerners it is a matter of pride and pleasure
to us that this great Artery which traverses the South
from Washington to the Mississippi has arrived at that
point of efficiency in service, and has so eliminated acci
dents, that its officers and employees do not have to doff
their hats in the presence of any railroad man — as the
Scotch say — “whatefer.”
The Railroad Rate Increase
The railroads are asking for a flat increase of 15
per cent in freight rates. Why not? They have had
to increase wages by 75 million dollars this year. Every
pound of steel, every locomotive, every car, every kind
of supplies they buy, costs from two to four times what
they paid two years ago.
How long can they maintain effective service with
the same old revenue and doubled expenses? Let us be
fair. Whatever the railroads may have done or left un
done in the past, the one great outstanding fact of to-day
is that to keep the railroads effective they must have
more money.
There is no way to get it except by raising rates.
Government ownership, some will answer. That ques
tion will have to be fought out some day, but this is not
the day.
To shift railroad operation to the government at this
time would put an overwhelming burden on a govern
mental machine, which, due to the culpable neglect and
indifference of all the people, is even now trying to do
miracles.
There is a definite limit to the miracle-working pow
ers of men.
We may not with impunity go beyond those limits,
for that would spell disaster.
Nothing counts now but essentials.
One essential is effective railroad service. Let us
give the roads the money they ask and then make them
give effective service.
Stand by Our Allies
Between us and disaster stand England’s navy and
the heroic armies of our allies of all the nations enlisted
for our common cause.
There are no illusions among those men. They know
why they are fighting. Their priceless liberties are at
stake. Some fools and rascals in our country cannot
or will not see the truth.
Today we have a composite dictatorship in a huddle
of traitorous speculators who ought to be shot. If we
do not put them out of business we will inevitably be
beaten, and then we will face the dictatorship of the Ger
man Kaiser.
There is only one way to stand by our allies and put
these unwholesome dictators out of commission, and that
is to stand whole-heartedly behind the administration at
Washington in the measures it wants to use for the effec
tive prosecution of this war. To do less means treason
to our own country and a betrayal of our loyal allies.
It is most distressing to hear the disloyal prating
about their convictions. In the lives of nations patriots
sometimes have to choose between obvious duty and cher
ished convictions.
In such emergencies the true patriot will hold his
convictions in abeyance until the duty is performed.
The obvious duty of the moment is to stand by our
allies and friends, by standing by the Administration.
The New Legislature
The new legislature has come together, organized,
and is busy. Hon. Sam L. Olive, of Augusta, is presi
dent of the Senate, and Hon. John N. Holder of Jackson,
is Speaker of the House. The presiding officers are
well equipped for their duties.
The personnel of the legislature seems to be fairly
good; of the ability of its members to measure up to
their responsibilities we can only judge after the event.
Big questions are to the fore. Taxation, land titles,
education, vital statistics, agricultural problems, woman’s
suffrage, and other live questions, are clamorous for rec
ognition. Some of these will have to be met and worked
out. Some, as usual, will be side-stepped.
If at the conclusion of the session we can see some
solid accomplishment, we will have to give credit for
the things done, even though the legislature may not go
so far in some directions as we might wish.
In this connection it is well to remember that in
Democracies there is rarely continued forward movement
all along the line.
Like the great war, Democratic success consists in
taking one salient at a time, for it rarely happens that
the whole people can be induced all at the same time to
press for a general forward movement.
Let us, therefore, not be hasty in condemning the
legislature if it fails to move as rapidly as in our judg
ment it should do, but at the same time let us sternly in
sist that time be not wasted on non-essentials until the
essentials have been properly cared for.
W ell Deserved Promotions
J. P. Billups, for years past General Passenger Agent
of the Atlanta and West Point and Georgia railroads, has
been promoted to be Passenger Traffic Manager for the
two roads, and at the same time Fred Higgins, his chief
clerk, was given the position made vacant by Mr. Billups’
promotion.
These promotions have given great pleasure to the
army of friends of these two veteran and efficient rail
road officials.
It is a special pleasure to record promotions which
are earned by sheer industry, ability and fidelity. These
men have given all that to their employers and at the
same time have met the people who have come into con
tact with them in their official capacities in such a spirit
that they may be said to cotint their friends by their
acquaintances.
Should higher honors come to them in future there
is no danger of their being over-rewarded. They deserve
well of both the roads and the public.