About Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 16, 1909)
THE JOURNAL \ CGVEHS DIXIE -t LIKE THE DEW j- VOL. VIII. HOUSE VOTES DOWN BILL TO NUKE KNOXj ELIGIBLEJ OFFICE Champ Clark Declared Con gress Had Been Asked to Stutifv Itself to Escape Being Persona Non Grta. { CLAYTON OF ALABAMA MADE PLEA FOB BILL IN SPEECH IN HOUSE Mwure Had Previously Passed the Senate, but It Met Its Waterloo Be fore the Lower Branch of Con gress. By Ralph Smith WASHINGTON. Feb. 14.—The Georgia detention divided on the proposition in the house today to remove Senator Knox’s disqualifications and enable him ta accept a seat in President-elect Taft's cabinet. j Eight of the eleven members voted. Mott. Lea of the Seventh, and Howard, of the Eighth. voted to pase the bill de cruasing the salary of the secretary of Wets The others, except the absentees. Messrs. Edwards, of ths First; Griggs, of the Second, and Lewis, of the Third, voted squarely against the proposition. It developed later that Messrs. Bartlett, of the Sixth, and Adamson, of the Fourth, i were paired and their votes were with drawn by them. The action of the bouse in defeating the motion to suspend the rules and pass the enabling act does not necessarily mean than Senator Knox's disqualifications will i not be removed. Still Another Chance There is still another chance to pass the act by taking It up in its regular or der when only a majority vote will be required. Under the procedure today a two-thirds vote was required and this was not obtainable. One hundred and seventy-nine members voted to suspend the rules and pass the Mil: one hundred and twenty-three voted against a suspension. Seven members answered present, indicating pairs. Two hundred and six votes were required to suspend the rule*, so that the bill was lost by a margin of ST vote*. The division generally was along party lines, though tn some instances the Dem . ocrats voted for the bill, and in a few other KepuMicane voted against it. F Clayton Favors Bill Mr. Clayton, of Alabama. Democrat. In favoring the bill, said that It offended against no provision of the constitution and that its enactment into law would not be in violation of the organic law of the had. The bill, he said, sought • simply to reduce the annual compensa tion of the secretary of state, and that congress clearly had the power to make such reduction. "For that reason.' he said. "I favor the bOl in order that Senator Knox may assume the duties of his office.” Mr. Clark, of Missouri, opposed the bin which he said was simply an effort to override the constitution, not a statute. "We are asked to stultify ourselves,” he exclaimed, "and that is exactly what it amounts to, for fear that we will not be persona grata at the White house." Raises Point of Law Representative Mann, Republican. of Dltnols. opposed the passage of the bill on the ground that Mr. Knox's appoint ment to that position would be uncon stitutional whether the bill was passed or not. He said he did not Intend to be a party to a conspiracy to violate the con stitution. "We have had." said Mr. Mann, "some criticism of the present president, because he was not a lawyer or judge and did not fully appreciate the provisions of the con stitution, and we had hoped that the next president, both a lawyer and a Judge, would consider the constitution Inviolate and sacred. I am not In favor of forcing him to its violation.” Further opposition came from Mr. Gil lespie. of Texas, who charged that the bill iwas an attempt to amend the consti tution by legislative enactment. He said he would forever feel humiliated if the congress passed any act to override it. Hardwick Opposes Bill The bill was also opposed by Messrs. Rucker, of Missouri; Hackett, of North Carolina; Hardwick, of Georgia; Henry, of Texas; Webb, of North Carolina; Mann, of Illinois, and Cockran. of New York, and advocated by Messrs. Parker, of New Jersey; Lassiter, of Virginia; De- Armond. of Missouri, and Gaines, of West Virginia. As the result of a viva voce vote on the bill. Speaker Cannon declared that it had been carried, but Mr Rucker rallied the opponents of the measure and forced a roll call. By a vote of 179 to 122, in which all party lines were broken, the bill was rejected, the necessary two-thlrds requir ed to suspend the rules not being forth coming. * Immediately after this result was an nounced the committee on rules met. with a view to bringing in a rule whereby the bill could be passed by a majority vote. Comes Vp Again After being in session a few moments the committee reported a rule to take the bill this afternoon and dispose J of IL YOUNG WOMAN WILL DISCARD MALE ATTIRE “William Winters.” Who Has Posed As Man for Nine Years, Goes Back to Skirts. (By Associated Frees., ST. LOUIS. Mo . Feb. 15.—" William Winters." who is held by the police, will discard his trousers and wear skirts. "He" will also take the name of Lillian Winters, the name her parents gave her 23 years ago. For the last nine years she has been wearing men's clothe*. She left her home tn Galveston. Tex.. In 1900. and since then has worked as a bill poster, teamster, rivet heater and a clerk tn a hardware store. Until arrested on the charge of idling none of her associates suspected her sex. Ihirlng her masquerade she learned to smoke, chew and drink beer. A young woman, she says, was in love with her, but she repulsed the young woman’s ad vances. Atlanta Semi-Weekly Journal NO POWER CUN LICK UNITED STATES NOW DECLARER SCHLEY Noted Admiral Discusses Mil- itant Peaceful and Religious Relations of the Country To ward Other Powers. MORE GUNS AND SHIPS AND ONE WOULD HEAR LESS TALK OF WAR He Pictures Situation in Japan and Shows, Though It is 111-Advised To Start a Quarrel, Yet Uncle Sam is Prepared. (Special Dispatch to The Journal.) WASHINGTON. Feb. 13.—Admiral Winfield Scott Schley, hero of the battle off Santiago. In which the Spanish fleet commanded by Admiral Cervera, was an nihilated on July 4. 1899, retired now from active naval service, received a newspa per correspondent in his home In this city today and discussed the militant, peaceful and religious relations of the United States toward other powers. "Mr. Hearst's insistence that the Pa cific coagt be fortified with an addition al navy strength," he said, “is sound Americanism and its logic cannot be dis puted by any one. I think the Pacific coast should be supplied with at least 28 dry docks and naval stations, the central station being San Francisco. "It would be Indelicate for me in my position to tell congress what it should do or to advise the Americans as to how many battleships it should keep on the Poclfie coast. My knowledge now Is that we have twenty-five or more fighting ships in the Pacific. But none of these unfortunately, are battleships. How To Stop War Talk "If we possessed more guns and more steam power and more powder in that re gion it is possible we would hear less talk of war. "I do not think there is a man in the navy or army who believes In fighting. Surely those of us who have seen blood shed or been tn the conflict of battle re vere such memories. My idea is that all army and navy men would much rather* be bishops than colonels or admirals. We would then sleep sounder of nights. "But from the dawn of time the human race has been a fighting race. Wars come of competition for commercial ad vancement. Let us take the prise fighter, Jeffries. His right arm possesses a ter rible swing—a terrible punch. You and I having also an athletic training, we will say, have become Jealous of the rep utation of Jeffries. It is the natural de sire to discover whether this man really is the awe-inspiring creature that he has been pictured. Situation in Japan "So it Is, I think with Japan. She went against one of the most powerful na tions of civilisation and that nation was subdued. She heard of an American sen timent that was Inharmonious with her commercial and military ambitions. It would not be fair to say that the govern ment of Japan—intelligent government that it is, friendly government too, I might say—is now or ever was desirous of clashing swords with America, but the people behind the ruling powers of the little Island, inflated and overzealous be cause of former triumphs have had it In their minds that they could lick the uni verse. "It may be that some of these years long to come the United States may be licked by some power or other. But I doubt If any one existing on either hem isphere could do it now. If we were sud denly engaged in a conflict, we might be temporarily embarrassed because of the lack of warships, because of the lack of military material, because of the absence of coast defence. But to whip this coun try or to em bar ass it for more than a day or two, would be like comparing the ath letic force and energy of Battling Nel son to that of a Jim Jeffries, or of a small savings bank depositor to that of an E. H. Harriman depositor. We have the men. We have, all of us, that nation al pride which when aroused is Invin cible. Moreover our nation Is blessed with so many natural resources that we could fight for an interminable time without causing hunger in any home. "It would be inadvisable in me as an attache of the navy department to sug gest to the government how our coasts, both east and west might be better fci tified. I agree with the president that we could 111 afford to pick a quarrel with Japan at the present time. No Conflict Imminent "I don't mean to say that this govern ment would be embarrassed should a quarrel be developed, but I do say that I do not think the circumstances so far presented are sufficient to precipitate a conflict. I believe, however, that this war talk will so influence the American people that they will insist that con gress will provide the seas with those in struments that really insure peace. "For instance, we will take Great Britain. Not in 100 years has she had a naval battle. Nor a war with a nation that had coast to defend. You ask the reason why. "Well, while nations have been angered at England and have want ed war with her. they have not dared to go against England, because they knew that war would be disastrous. “I have read with much interest the proceedings emanating from year to year at The Hague. They are intensely instructive. But you know as I know, that every government reprerented at The Hague conference goes there with a memorandum of its battlships, its guns and its mei* and its money. Navy Brings Peace “The safest road to peace Is a navy. 1 do not mean that we should have an ex travagance of ships floating about idly upon the seas, manned by dilettantes or that the names of the vessels should be gilded on in letters of gold, or that their searchlights emblazoned with diamonds, but I do say that if the United States had a fighting water force superior to that of any other power, we would be freer from prospects of war than we are now or that we will be until we assume that position. "In my position you will readily under stand the delicacy it would be for me to say to the public whether there is any defect at all in our navy of today. But I will make this statement, that no coun try ever had or now have such a complement of trained men—men who know how to fire, who know how to man ships, who ATLANTA. GEORGIA. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, California/ '~~~ Tana /(/ fr. TEDDY / 'f’ •,! > _ fW i f \'(( r \ A f •”:■< ■7 s - r \ -Sf s now U i&ssk —7 J s 1 v&z T ' // atlamta HOVEY 5" FR X° MEMBERS of «Zs< "ANANIAS CLUB SOME COMIC VALENTINES THAT MAY RELIEVE THE DAY KENTUCKY TO HAVE FIGHT ON LIQUOR Will Be Battlefield for Declaration of County Option or Total Prohi bition—Convention Tuesday. (By As«oci«ted Press. > LOUISVILLE. Ky., Feb. s.—Kentucky, second producing liquor state in the union and up to this time unscathed by a statewide prohibition fight, will be the I batlefield for the declaration of uniform county option embracing cities of the first and second classes or for total prohibition from Tuesday forward. Tomorrow the Anti-Saloon league and kindred temper ance forces will meet in Louisville and the upshot of the meeting means the pass ing of the sa'oons, calling on Governor Eustace Willson to summon the leglsla- I ture in extra session for the consideration of a staewlde bill. Willson has hereto fore declared that he would not call the legislature extraordinarily unless a crisis impended, and It is not believed that he will yield to the demand of the temper ance people at this time. The chief Interest point of the con vention beginning Tuesday is a speech to be delivered by Justice E. C. O’Rear, I the retiring chief justice of the Kentucky I court of appeals, who has previously de- I dared in favor of total prohibition for the I state and nation, even to the abrogation l of consumption, purchase and manufac ture of whisky. O'Rear is a prominent Republican, and "Willson was elected under the standard of that party. But four counties in the state are entirely wet at present. FIRES ON BROTHER OF HIS SWEETHEART While Alleged to Be Drinking At Party, Guest Uses Revolver— Had Been Slighted by Girl. (Special Dispatch to The Journal.) > CUMMING, Ga., Feb. 15.—While at a party Cole Campbell shot Dan Gravlt, the ball entering his cheek and coming out at the back of the ear. It is not thought Gravlt can live. It seems that Cambpell had been court ing Gravit’s sister, but was said to be under the Influence of liquor that night and she slighted him. This made Camp bell angry, it Is claimed, and when he found Gravlt he is said to have cursed him. and asked him why he caused his sister to go back on him. Gravlt denied the accusation and Camp bell drew his pistol and shot him. As Gravlt fell, Campbell shot again, but missed. Then he ran into the house and shot three times at the girl who had slighted him. Campbell made his escape. The shooting occurred eight miles east of here. GREAT CROWDS CHEER KING ON HIS RETURN LONDON, Feb. 15.—The reception Lon don accorded King Edward and Queen Alexandra never lacks enthusiasm, but ! the welcome their majesties received this I evening on their return from Berlin was j more remarkable than ever. I At the station to meet them were the ’ prince and princess of Wales, Premier ■ Asquith and Foreign Secretary Grey, while on the road to Buckingham palace I great crowds cheered vociferously. The royal visit has had a wonderful i effect upon the mind of the British re ' public, and the antagonism against Ger ! many seems to have disappeared. Ber- I Un’s cordial reception of the king has paved the way for this, and communlca : tions have been given out by the British ; and German officials, in which mutual I satisfaction is expressed relative to the aims and foreign policies of the two gov ernments. I The endurance of the Anglo-German re approchement, it is recognized, largely depends on what between Germany and France, for, In recent years, the differ ence between Germany and Great Bri tain arose largely from Germany’s sup posed hostile attitude towards Great Bri tain’s new found French friends. know the science of marine fighting. I may make reference here somewhat per sonal. Never in the history of naval war fare was there such an ending to sucil a terrific half day’s battle as at Santiago, when the ships of a foreign country— every one of them—was either sunk or captured and every man on them, either dead or alive, was rescued, the dead given decent burial, the living given their liberty.” GOLD WAVE SWOOPS TOWARD ATLANTA WKATHTjR BUREAU PREDICTS 20 DEGREES BY TUESDAY NIGHT —PLUMBERS WILL GET YOU IF YOU DON’T OUT. Another cold wave is coming! It will be much colder in Atlanta on Monday night, and a twmperature close to freezing is promised for Tuesday morning, with the mercury sliding down to 20 by Tuesday night. The storm center is in Mississippi and it is caus ing bad weather throughout the entire country, especially in the southern states, where rains are general and some sleet is falling. At Galveston on Monday morning the mercury had dropped to 24 degrees and was below freezing over the entire state, which is an Indication of how rapidly the cold wave is approaching this section. It is very cold in the upper Mississippi and Missouri valleys, 20 below zero being reported from Huron, S. D., while the unusual tem perature of 2 below is reported from as far south as Dodd City, Kansas. In Grip of Sleet Storms St. Louis and Little Rock are in the grip of sleet storms, and in Kansas City it is snowing. While It is not as cold in the northwest as in the Missouri valley, nevertheless the temperatures are low and still falling, while the cold wave is advancing very rapidly over the southern states. It Is promised that the arrival of the cold wave during Monday night will put an end to the rains here. At 12 o'clock on Monday more than an Inch of rain had fallen in Atlanta, the rain having begun soon after 7 o'clock and continued almost Inces santly. The streets were thoroughly washed by the heavy downpour, and the flood of water ran in such swollen streams along the sidewalk copings as to cause some facetious persons to mention the advisability of taxi launches for a more satisfactory navi gation of the streets. Wet and bedrag gled pedestrians floundered about in the flood in such manner as to suggest that such an innovation would have been a kind deliverance from surplus mois ture. , Heavy Rainfall February thus far has furnished more than five inches of rain—s.2B, to be exact. This is much more than the normal for the whole month, which is 4.65, and the month is only half gone. From which it becomes manifest that the present February is holding its own most successfully In the moisture col umn, and there may be still more rain in store. The heavy rains of Monday followed a very hot Sunday, the mean tempera ture of which was 62, while the maxi mum went as high as 70 degrees. The mean temperature for the day was 17 degrees above the normal, while the maximum amount of heat ran 8 de grees above the mean. But with it all Sunday was as balmy as a day in spring and was well in keeping with budding plum bushes and crabapple trees. RAILROADS MAY NOW TEAR UP WASTE PAPER (By Associated Preaa.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.—Under the Hepburn rate law the railroads are re quired to keep inviolate nearly every scrap of paper connected with their busi ness. These papers have added such a burden to the railroads that the house committee on interstate and foreign com merce has been induced to report a bill authorizing the interstate commerce com mission to grant permission to the rail roads to destroy useless papers. iowaliay soon vote ON PROHIBITION BILL Dl® MOINES, lowa, Feb. 15.—A petition, signed by ten thousand names, was received by Senator George B. Gosson, of lowa, for a re snbuilsslon to the people of lowa of the state constitutional amendment providing for absolute prohibition. The signers are from every town and Tillage in the state. Bills now before the legislature alm only at the strict enforcement of the Mulct law, but it la probable that a measure will be drafted aim Ing at prohibition. STORM KING STARTS SOUTH IN ICY BLAST (By associated Press. 1 CHICAGO, Feb. 15.—Following the ex ample of January’s blizzard, the sleet storm which has tied up the middle west is moving eastward, leaving suffering and destruction in its wake. In Nebraska the temperature has fallen below zero and in Texas it is unusually cold and it Is feared there will be a heavy loss among cattle. Thousands of telegraph poles are down In Missouri, Ohio and neighboring states, while passenger traffic has been badly hampered by a heavy snowfall In Minnesota. In Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio similar conditions prevail. Unlike its predecessor, however, the present storm has not taken toll of human life, al though the cities visited report the usual amount of suffering among the unfortu nate. The middle states, east of the Missis sippi and the Gulf states, will next feel the full force of the storm, which is scheduled to' reach the Atlantic regin to morrow. A cold wave is in prospect for some days in the northwest. One of the serious results due to trouble heard is the demoralization of street rail way service in the city and the tie up of Interurban traffic through the coun try. Indications are, however, that the blockade will be speedily lifted. SEVERE SLEET STORM SWEEPS THROUGH OHIO PITTSBURG, Pa., Feb. 15.—Owing to a severe sleet storm in Ohio today, trains are arriving here from two to three hours late. The Pennsylvania here reports that over fifty miles of poles and telegraph wire are down in the vij.nity of Crestline, 0., arid the storm is moving eastward. Near Zero at Fort Worth FORT WORTH, Tex., Feb. 15.—The “norther," which swept down upon Texas last night, caused a decided drop In tem peratures today. Many localities in north Texas and the Panhandle report zero weather and a fall of snow. The mercury here registers ten degrees above zero. j REPORT ON CANAL WILL BE PRESENTED CINCINNATI, Feb. 15.—President-elect Taft left here for Washington at noon today. His trip is primarily for the pur pose of receiving and trinsmltting to Pres ident Roosevelt the report of the board of civil engineers which accompanied him to Panama. He will take advantage of the visit to consult regarding his In augural address, his speech of acceptance and other matters. , Before leaving today, Mr. Taft was vis ited by a committee from Kilwinning lodge of Masons, of which he is to be made a member "at sight” Thursday night. Mr. Taft’s father was a promi nent member of this lodge. The ceremony Is a most unusual proceeding and will be performed by State Grand Master Hask inson. It is sanctioned by the constitution of the grand lodge on the ground of "honors achieved.” The president-elect was also invited to attend the opening in June of the AlAska- Yukon exposition at Seattle by Secretary Josiah Collins, who came here for that purpose. Mr. Taft will return here Thursday to remain three days. FORCES M~AN TO HAUL DOWN UNION JACK NEW YORK, Feb. 15.—With the air surcharged with patriotism during the many Lincoln celebrations yesterday, Gustavus G. Henning, a consulting engi neer, who lives in West 142 d street, se lected a very inappropriate time to dis play the British Union Jack above the stars and stripes. However, he swung the English emblem on the roof and the red. white and blue from a 'second story window. A neigh bor Indignantly noting the position ot the flags complained to the police and whether by strictly right or not detect ives were sent to notify Henning that the British flag must be brought down at least to the level of old glory. Henning complied with Instructions and throughout the remainder of the day the flags fluttered in the breeze side by side. SNOW FALLS IN TEXAS; ZERO W EATHER PREVAILS DALLAS. Tex., Feb. 15.—Snow is falling at many points in Texas today, and the state is experiencing the coldest weather of the winter. The mercury in some places registers zero. In Dallas snow fell at in terval* during the morning and a stiff north wind added to the general discom fort. FIGHT PROHIBITION IN LEGISLATURE REV. C. M. LEDBETTER SAYS LIQUOR MEN ARE WELL OR GANIZED-s—TELLS METHODIST MINISTERS ABOUT SAVANNAH. That the liquor men in this state ar* powerfully organized, and that a cun ning effort will be made to have the com ing legislature change the prohibition law to a local option law, and also allow the manufacture of domestic wine, were among several startling statements made Monday by Rev. C. M. Ledbetter, an agent of the Georgia Anti-Saloon league, who addressed the Methodist ministers. “The liquor men have the name of ev ery man in this state who is opposed to them," said Mr. Ledbetter, "and they have the nephew of a United States sen ator working in the state in their inter ests. They are going to tackle the legis lature In two places. They’re going to suggest local option as the best foe of whisky, and they are going to suggest the manufacture of domestic wine. “I understand the governor-elect has signified that he will be glad to sign a bill allowing the manufacture of domes tic wine. But the man who will make do mestic wine will run a blind tiger.” Mr. Ledbetter said that there were two cities in this state which disregarded the prohibition law. One was Savannah and the other was Augusta. Would Hong Preachers "They wouldn’t keep but one law in Savannah,” said the speaker. "That would be a law hanging every preacher who came within twenty-five miles of the city. They’d keep that law.” Mr. Ledbetter scored the recorder of Augusta, who, he said, the other day apologized to a man he fined for a liquor violation. Mr. Ledbetter said that he made it a business of interviewing railroad conduc tors, and they told him that where they used to carry four drunken men a day, now, since prhibltion came, they carried about four a month. Prohibition and Prosperity Mr. Ledbetter said that crime had show ed an alarming increase in Jacksonville the past year, and that. Incidentally. Jacksonville’s bank clearings had fallen off $2,000,000. He contrasted the condition in Atlanta, where prohibition reigned, and where crime had decreased nearly half, and bank clearings, notwithstanding the money that had been sent to Jacksonville for liquor, bad increased $1,000,000. The same decrease of crime and In crease of clearings, he said, had been shown in Macon, Augusta, Albany, Rome and Brunswick. In 1907, he said, there had been ten lynchings and more than that number of criminal assaults in the state. In 1908 there had been one lynching and one at tempted assault. LAYMEN TO HOLD BIG CONVENTION BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Feb. 15.—Dele gates are arriving for the first genera, convention of the laym®n>' missionary movement of the Presbyterian church in the United States, which begins Tuesday afternoon and continues three days. Gov ernor Glenn, of North Carolina, will be the presiding officer and he has arrived. No less than twelve to fifteen hundred representatives from various cities throughout the country are looked for. Committees are meeting all trains and are according the delegates a hearty recep tion. Governor Glenn will address a women’s meeting Wednesday afternoon and he has been invited to other places during the convention. CLARENDON HOTEL IS BURNED DOWN Flames at Seabreexe, Fla., Destroy Hotel and Ten Cottages— Loss «200,000. DAYTONA. Fl*.. Feb. 15.—Fire Sunday momlni at 5:90 o'clock destroyed the Hotel Clarendon at Sea Breeze, together with tan cotta<es adioinlnz the hotel. The loss is placed at 9200.000. The 315 guests escaped without injury and were In many Instances able to gather up their belongings. Flames were discovered by the bakers, who were just going to work. The fire originated in the coal bins under the kitchen. For Details of Our $300.09 Puzzle Contest See Page Eight. HOftDS PROSPERING UNDER REGULATION, SAYS m SMITH Earnings of Georgia Roads During Panic Year Fell Off 1 1-2 Against 15 Per Cent Loss Through the Country* FOUR BIG LINES ACTUALLY INCREASED THEIR EARNINGS The People of Georgia Cannot Afford To Abandon Present Policy of Reg ulation, Declares Governor in Im portant Statement. Gov. Hoke Smith Saturday gave to the press an important statement in regard to the net earnings of the railroads of Georgia for the year covered by the panic. The figures are taken from official re ports to the railroad commission, and show that the net earnings of four of the big lines actually increased, while the falling off of net earnings of eight of the principal systems in Georgia was but one and one-half per cent, against a loss of fifteen per cent by the roads of the coun try as a whole. The Governor’s Statement The governor’s statement follows: “Much has been said during th* past twelve months to create the impression that the railroads of the state have l>een crippled by what is termed ’reform’ pol icies. "Quite recently certain railroad im provements have been promised provldea Georgia Is real good and ‘repeals some ot its antl-corporatlon acts.’ “I believe that the legislation and ad ministration in Georgia affecting railroads and public service companies has been 01 great value and that a reactionary policy would be a public calamity. For this reason I wish to call attention briefly to what has taken place, and to the finan cial showings of the principal Georgia railroads during the year ending July Ist, 1908. . Ji “’t'ransportation companies and other public service companies are special powers by the state, and are to a large extent necessarily monopolies. The courts of America and England agree that the state and nation owe to the public the duty of requiring such companies to give proper service at reasonable rates. To insist upon the performance by state and nation of this duty is not hostility to rail road companies. It Is simply a demand for Justice to both the companies and the public. “The legislation passed in Georgia pro vides for a railroad commission with en larged powers to do no wrong to the com panies, but to see that to their customers are accorded legitimate rights. Cannot Name Hostile Laws "It is noticeable that the critics do not dare name the legislation which ®iey say should be repealed. The legislation and administration in Georgia on this subject may be compared to that of New York state without fear that our ntats will lose by the comparison. "The administration has required bet ter road beds and better service. It ha* prevented the suspension of train service necessary for public convenience. It has required the settlement of claim* due to shippers. It has required service for fac tories andl ocal plants. "It has prevented the wages of emp oyes from being arbitrarily cut. “It has stopped the free pass evil, ana has reduced the cost of travel to those who pay. “The public service corporations have been compelled to pay more nearly thett just taxes. “This is the record. From what part of it shall the state recede? "But have the railroads been crippled, or has the outcry been rather one’with out reason unless for political effect? "The railroad companies are required to file with the railroad commission state ments showing the business which they do annually. These reports cover the busi ness of each fiscal year running from July Ist to July Ist. A Remarkable Showing "The 1 eports of the nine largest rail roads, with the exception of the Seaboard, are now in the hands of the railroad com mission. The figures which I shall use are from these reports. "Eight railroad companies in Georgia from July 1. 1907. to July 1, 1908, made net profits as follows: Central of Georgias2,4Bs 429.12 Western and'Atlantic 689.243.42 Georgia railroad 492.614.a£ Louisville and Nashville 149,853-sfl Atlantic Coast Line 1,217,745.57 Atlanta and West Point 235,335.93 Southern railway 1,141,949.66 Georgia Southern and Florida.. 455,021.56 Total net profits of 8 r0ad5...56,867,243.33 "The net profits of four of these roads increased for the year ending July 1, 1908, over their net profits for the year ending July 1, 1907, as follows: Central of Georgias2lfl,*lDN ; Georgia railroad 19 830.23 Louisville and Nashville 99 781.57 Western and Atlantic .... 100,973.81 i Queer Figures of the West Point "While the Atlanta and West Point showed a decrease of net profits amount ing to $193,368.40 for 1908, it also showed an increase of operating expenses of $158,- ”59 70. 'Without some reason for this in crease of operating expenses at a time when all roads were economising, it may fairly be attributed to changes in book keeping rather than to real losses. “The other railroads which showed loss of net earnings are partly located in por tions of the state which Indicate de pendence to a considerable extent upon the transportation of lumber and turpen tine. "The lessened use of these commodi ties in other parts of the United States, due to the effect of the panic in those states, to a large extent accounts for the shrinkage of business with these roads. It is also true that the Atlanta, Birminham and Atlantic railroad cut somewhat into their business. "In spite of the fact that the year ending July 1, 1908, was the year of the panic when 'all business was more or less affected throughout the entire country, the eight railroads to vrhlch 1 have called attention show (is a wnole only a loss of net profits in Georgia amounting to slightly mors Coutinued on page Three NO. 44.
