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TO READJUST RATES
TO CEORGIA POINTS
RAILROADS MUST OBEY ORDER
ENFORCING THE LONG AND
SHORT HAUL CLAUSE
LOCAL POINTS TO BENEFIT
Will Ask State Commission To Ap
prove Bimilar Revision In
Intrastate Rates
Atlanta, Ga. The recent order of
the Interstate Commerce Commission
enforcing the Long and Short Haul
clause of the Federal Act to Regulate
Commerce, lias made necessary a gen
eral readjustment of freight rates
throughout Southern territory, declare
Presidents J. It. Kenfy of the* Atlantic
Coast Line, W. A. Winburn of the
Central of Georgia, M. 11. Smith of
the Louisville and Nashville, W. J.
Harahan of the Seaboard Air Line, and
Fairfax Harrison of the Southern, in
a statement, addressed "To The Peo
ple Served by the Railroads of the
South,” which has just been issued.
Since the order of the Commission
was handed down, a committee of traf
fic officers has been at work prepar
ing tariffs which will put into eflcct
its provisions. Obviously, precise fig
ures to ail points may not be an
nounced pending a completion of the
work of revision. It. is understood that
where long and short haul discrimi
nations now exist, many rates will be
reduced and some of them advanced,
and that an important effect of the
revision in Georgia will be to give
a large number of local points more
favorable rates as compared with the
rates enjoyed by the distributing cen
ters.
For the local points to get the full
benefit of the principles under which
the interstate rates will be readjust
ed, that is to say, the reducing or elim
ation of the differences between the
rates at the local points as compared
with the rates at the so-called com
mon points, which are in the main
the large cities, it will be necessary
for a revision, following the principles
of the interstate adjustment, to be
made in the intrastate rates, and a pe
tition to this effect is to be made by
the railroads to the State Railroad
Commission.
Statement Of President
The statement of the railroad pres
idents is as follows:
“To The People Served By The Rail
rouds Of The South:
"An order of the Interstate Com
merce Commission, pursuant to re
quirements of Federal law, compels %
general revision of Southern freight
rates. It Is proper that the people of
the South should be Informed as to
the reasous for this revision and the
principles upon which it is being made.
"Excepting the Norfolk & Western,
Chesapeake & Ohio and Virginian Rail
ways, which lie in Official Classifica
tion territory, the railroads of the
Southeast receive virtually no part of
the five per cent increase in rates
recently acquiesced in by the Inter
state Commerce Commlsalou. While
the need of the carriers of the South
for increased revenue is certainly no
less than is that of the Northern and
Eastern roads, that need is in no way
related to the revision of rates now
in progress which arises solely from
the necessity of more nearly conform
itig to the so-called "long and short
haul clause" of the law as amended
in 1910, and as now construed by the
Interstate Commerce Commission.
“The original Act to Regulate Com
merce forbade the making of lower
rates for a longer than for a shorter
distance within the same line .or route
under substantially the same circum
atances and conditions. The carriers
were free to meet competition as they
found it and were required to answer
only upon complaint as to the reason
ableness of their acts.
“The amendment of 1910 deprived
the carriers of the right to Initiate
departures from the long and short
haul requirement, and they may no
longer meet competition as they find It
If the long and short haul requirement
Free Literature Describing the
Great California Expositions
Write at once to this Bureau for literature descriptive of the great Panama-
Pacitiv International Exposition, which opened m San b rancisca Febru
ary 20, and the great Pananta-California Expositionnow open at ban Diego
This Bureau is prepared to supply complete information in regard to rail
road rates, hotel accomodations, interesting side trips and reliable, authen
tic, unbiased information about any section of the great Pacific Coast
country.
Send us *2O cents in stamps and we will send you book describing the Pan
ama-Pacific International Exposition, book describing Panama-talitornia
Exposition, a map of Calirornia and a sample eopv of Scnskt Magazink
the great Pacitie Coast national magazine, containing beautiful pictures of
the Expositions. The regular price of the magazine is ‘JO cents per copy.
Address v
SUNSET MAGAZINE SERVICE BUREAU, San Francisco, California
of the law Is Involved, unless they
first obtain the approval of the later*
state Commerce Commission.
‘‘They were furthermore required,
by this change in the law, to apply
to the Commission for authority to
continue in force rates existing at the
time of its passage which contravened
the long and short haul principle.
Roads Must Make Changes
"The existing rate structure of the
South is not the creation of traffic
managers of his generation. It is
an inheritam- from those who built
the roads, and finds its explanation
largely in the geography of the South,
and in a public policy which encour
aged its creation. The changes now in
progress are not of the carriers’ choice.
"Water competition, the most im
portant factor in bringing about de
parture from the long and short haul
principle of the law, lias been peculiar
ly influential on the rate adjustments
of the South, surrounded as it is on
tiiree sides by navigable water and
penetrated by navigable streams. Ter
mini of the first roads were on navi
gable waters and rates between those
termini were from the beginning de
pressed because of tills water compe
tition. When, subsequently, railways
were extended to the interior, distrib
uting points were thereby created,
where there arose competition of two
or more markets, or of two or more
carriers, resulting in depressions in
rates, even when there was no direct
water competition.
“These conditions undoubtedly con
tributed to the commercial and indus
trial development of the interior
South, and, while they resulted in
more frequent departures from the
long and short haul principle of the
law, the carriers had every reason to
believe that their practice had the
approval of the public, even when it
was not directly the result of public
demand.
“Now, the Interstate Commerce
Commission, pursuant to the require
ments of an amended law, has conclud
ed an enquiry into rates from the East
ern Seaboard, including the Virginia
Cities, from Soutli Atlantic and Gulf
Ports, and from Ohio and Mississippi
River Crossings, into the Southeast and
Mississippi Valley territory. Asa re
sult the Commission has in large meas
ure condemned existing departures
from the long and short haul require
ment, except where justified by com
petition beyond the control of the rail
carriers, a phrase which came to be re
stricted to mean direct or indirect
water competition.
Must Raise Some Rates
“Obviously, the removal of inequali
ties condemned by the Commission, by
reductions only, would result in disas
ter to the carriers. This fact is rec
ognized by the Commission, which, in
its review of the situation, stated:
“ ‘it is entirely clear that the reve
nues of a large percentage of the lines
iu the Southeastern territory would be
so impaired by such a procedure as to
make it impossible for them to meet
their operating expenses, taxes and
fixed charges and leave their stock
holders even a moderate return.’
“It is equally obvious that it would
be unfair to punish the carriers, in con
forming to a changed public policy, for
acts which at the time of commission
were approved by public opinion.
“Hence in working out the Order of
the Commission such elevation of rates
to the depressed points must accompa
ny reductions to the much larger num
ber of intermediate points as will at
least preserve the revenues of the
carriers.
“The task of revision is no easy
one. It has been undertaken in loyal
efTort to conform to the law, as now
interpreted, and to be fair to all.
“Departures from the long and
short haul principle In the South are
not confined to interstate traffic. There
are in the South a great many intra
state rates that do not conform to
the principle. If undue discriminations
are to be avoided, these intrastate
rates must be brought into harmony
with the revised interstate adjustment
being made under the direction of the
Interstate Commerce Commission. It
Is the purpose of the railways of the
South to take up each intrastate revis
ion with the Several State Railroad
Commissions.”
A QUEER EASTER CUSTOM.
In Warwickshire, England. Shake
speare’s home county, there was ob
served from ancient times a queer Eas
ter custom known as “dipping the
churches.” It Is described by an old
time writer as follows:
“When I was a child, a* sure as
Easter Monday came, I was taken to
see the children ‘clip the churches.’
This ceremony was performed amid
crowds of people and shouts of joy by
the children of the different charity
schools, who at a certain hour flocked
together for the purpose. The lirsl
comers placed themselves hand in hand
with tiieir backs against the church
and were joined by their companions,
who gradually increased in number till
at last the chain was of sufficient
length completely to surround the sa
cred edifice. As soon as thq band of
the last of the train had grasped that
of the first the party broke up and
walked in procession to the other
church (for In those days Birmingham
boasted of but two), where the cerem<#
ny was repeated.”
Easter formerly witnessed many
quaint customs in England, but most
of them have died out In recent years
FIREWORKS AT EASTER.
Religious Festival at Florence Reminds
American of Fourth of July.
Many strange Faster customs are
found in Latin countries. In Florence
it Is the custom to extinguish the lights
in all the churches on Good Friday as
a symbol of the death of Jesus, the
extinction of life. That this custom
goes back to some Roman festival con
nected with the vestal virgins who
kept careful guard over the sacred
flames at the altars of their divinity is
now believed by some historical au
thorities.
The lights having been extinguished,
all is darkness and gloom until Easter
Sunday. On that day the task of re
kindling the flames is inffrusted to one
ancient family, the Pazzi, members of
which carry flints brought from the
holy land with which they strike the
new spark. Lanterns are lighted and
in this way the lamps are relighted in
all the churches of Florence.
This, however, is not spectacular
enough for the multitude. Therefore
an enormous car is loaded with harm
less explosives and hauled through the
principal streets of the city. It is
drawn by two milk white oxen es
pecially bred for this purpose and re
served for It from year to year.
Finally the great car, looking like
an enormous [>agoda, is stopped la the
square in front of the Cathedral of
Florence. The car has been followed,
of course, by an enormous crowd,
which stands around It in the great
square waiting Impatiently for the
“Scoppio del Cano” (Explosion of the
Car).
Arrived on tbe square, a wire is led
from the car up to the chief altar of
the cathedral, and when the lamp is
lighted on the altar a “dove,” a travel
ing pyrotechnieal device shaped like
the bird of peace. Is released. Its foae
aflame. Swiftly it speeds down the
wire, and as It strikes the car the dove
explodes, setting all the fireworks In
the car afire. Then comes the grand
explosion amid the huzzas of the multi
tude. and Easter Sunday la ushered
in to all Florence. There Is little doubt
that In this ceremony is a reminder of
the ancient celebrations of the return
of the sun to power, the real spring
festival of the Romans.
Eastsr Day and Lifs.
It Is characteristic of human life that
Its greatest day should be Its saddest,
full of suffering and sorrow. It show
ed how life in Its essential nature was
sad. but 1t was a day of hope, its sor
row full of promise, and this, too, is
characteristic of human life. —Phillips
Brooks.
Tax Receivers’ Notice
I will be at the following nam
ed places for the purpose of re
ceiving tax returns for the year
1915 on the days given below:
Jenkinsburg, April 2nd.
Flovilla, April sth.
Cork. April 6th.
Stark. April 7th.
Worthville, April Bth.
Towaliga, April 12.
Elgin. April 13.
Luther L. Greer.
3-26-2 t Tax Receive .
Whenever You Need a General Toole
Take Grove's
The Old Standard Grove’s Tasteless
chill Tonic is equally valuable as a
General Tonic because it contains the
I weU known tonic properties of QUININE
and IRON. It acts on the Liver, Drives
out Malaria, Enriches the Blood and
Builds up the Whole System. 50 cents.
Home Coming, Columbus, Ga.,
April 14 to 17
Round Trip Fare From
$3.20 Jackson $3.20
Via
SOUTHERN RAILWAY
Premier Carrier of the South
Tickets on sale April 12th to 16th, Good returning
until April 19th, 1915.
April 14th: Formal opening. Baby Parade. Reception ol
Visitors and Local-Field-Fun Events. Street Dancing
April 15th: Diversified Farming School. Base Ball. Street
Dancing.
April 16th: Celebration Fiftieth Anniversary of the Last
Battle of War Between the States, etc. Base Ball.
Street Dancing.
April 17th: Floral Parade. Base Ball. Many otherattractions
J. C. Beam, A. G. P. A, J. S. Bloodworth, T. P. A,
Atlanta, Ga. Macon, Ga.
What Are You
Going to Read
In 1915?
The Progress has arrange
ments with many of the leading
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Below are some of our best
clubbing offers. Make your se
lections and give us your orders
and be supplied with plenty of
good reading matter in 1915.
Ttie Progress and
Macon Telegraph (Daily) $4.00
Macon Telegraph (Sunday] 5.00
Atlanta Constitution (on R. F. D.) 3.50
Atlanta Journal 5.00
Atlanta Georgian 5.20
’Semi-Weekly Journal 1.50
Tri-Weekly Constitution 1.75
Southern Cultivator 1.50
Home and Farm 1.25
Southern
Thrice-a-Week World 1.65
Progressive Farmer . 1.50
If you do not see what you want in this list
call for it and we will get it and at the same time
save you money.
All of the above offers are
STRICTLY cash in advance.
Address all orders to
Butts County Progress,
Jackson, Georgia.