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SMITH DISCUSSES FREIGHT RATES
AXI) DISFRANCHISEMENT OF NEGRO
AND REPLIES TO HO WELL'S A TTA CKS
' -
'THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN.
r ~ : ” P7 "V - ; ■ v i- — r -
SATURDAY JUNE f, »0A
i, \vh#»n th#*y
<'onre«8lonn
/'iKht. a coin
the
Only Hope of Relief
a Return to Popu
lar Government.
SAYS RATES HAVE GONE UP;
SHOULD HAVE GONE DOWN
Time
V
Tells Audience for Firet
Where Money From Piedmont
Bar Went—Scores Ring.
) In till opening «|»«h In tha joint
llacueslon with Clark Hawaii at tha
l*eachtree auditorium Friday night, the
H--n. Hoka Smith aald:
“Mr. Chairman, Uidlaa and Gentlemen:
"I have lived In Atlanta 36 yearn;
thla la the first time I aver naked your
support for office. Two weeka before I
announced my rai.dldacy for governor I
had no Idea of entering a contest for
at high And honorable position. I
waa Induced to become a candidate
hlefly because eo many of my fellow
dtlzena throughout the state expressed
^pdealre that I should lead a fight for
: ruler government against railroad
rand corporate rule, but I cannot deny
.that the threats of exposures by Mr.
1 link .Howell, made through the col
umns of The Atlanta Constitution,
stimulated me to the task.
' i believe In popular government. I
pellove thnt the free and unrestrained
i ile of a majority of the voters butldk
ihe character of our cltleens and brings
i he beat government
► "It can be easily shown that an alll
an" of men. largely Influenced by the
i illtlcal attorneys and agents of great
< "i i■orations owned outside the stale,
directs the machinery of the Democrat-
i< party, and, to a great extent, controls
the policies of. Georgia.
For twelve months past I have been
m sing the people to throw ofr thla yoke
a ml to take charge of their own af
fair*. The necessity for such action Is
Mj made clear when you ronstder the bur-
d< ns placed upon the people of Geor-
i-io. I only ask you to consider with
me tonight those burdens which grow
■ nit of tne unjust charges for carrying
■ -'■engers and freight made by the
railroad companies.
Entitled te Only Fair Profit.
“The supreme court of the United
Pistes has declared that a railroad
company Is a public render, a public
highway, and only entitled to charge
such rates for carrying passengers and
freight as are necessary to earn a rea
r-noble profit upon the money actually
put Into their properties. They should
not be permitted to make excessive
i barges to enable them to pay Interest
and dividends upon stocks and bonds
Irmed In excess of the money put Into
their properties.
“If we make a conservative estimate
of the real value of the properties con
trolled by the five great railroad sys
tems doing business In this state and
compare this with the net earnings of
tb. systems In Georgia, we win find
that ihey are collecting between three
rod four million dollars annually rrom
no people In Georgia In excess of a
f.iir Interest upon their Investments.
"High freight rates are a tax upon
tbs Inanstrles of the msesee of the peo
ple A merchant or shipper may drat
puy the freight, but he adds what he
bus paid to the price of hla goods and
Ihe consumers return the money lo him
In the Increased charges he must make
for what he aells. It Is the duty of the
railroad commission to reduce the rates
mid the duty of the governor to see
tb.it It la dona.
"Tor tha purposa of determining
V bother Ihe rales are excessive let us
iim the charges which the railroad
< ommtaelnn haa permitted the South-
ern Railroad Company and the Cen-
' I of Georgia Railroad Company to
irge the people of the state. If we
npare the rules for hauling freight
L on these two roads with rates charged
by roada similarly situated In Houth
Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia
will find that the Georgia roada
m.tko charges which average It per
■ nit higher than those of the other
Mates named.
‘ ’ ■ •Twenty-live years ago n standard
ui-iir for freight rales was adopted by
tbo railroad commission. It wot a
regular schedule of rates which rail-
rmula ware permitted to charge for car-
r> log different claaaee of freight. The
rates on the Central and the Houthern
were advanced until In 1893 they were
permitted to charge the standard tariff
and 36 per cant added.
The Commission’s Reason.
^ “In permitting this Increase the rail-
road commission gave as a reason for
sranting It:
“That Ihe great financial depression
ail over the country, that has affected
every branch' of trade, has been ee-
! verely felt by the railroad companies of
Ge.-i*la.’
f "While thlt may hnve been true In
]«!■- fra number of years past the
i allroad companies have been doing the
lurr- at business in their history.
K “The business of the Central railroad
has Increased since IMS over 1ft# per
cent. Its net earnings have also -lg-
cren-wd over 1M per cent, while Its
mil* ge has Increased leas than 40 per
ion. During this lime It haa also In-
\(*tcd from net profits In addition to
HON. HOKE SMITH.
„„„„ ^ Jo, bring relief.
of a million dollars a year In **“•““5
practically without substantial value
and merely speculative stock. Tha high
rates the road has charged have given
tq thla stock now a market value of
eighty million of dollars more than It
had ten years ago. The railroads were
vigilant to obtain an increased price on
account of hard times, but no one was
watching the Interest of the public and
giving you a reduction as a cones
nuance of prosperous times.
“As an illustration of tbe way In
which the people ore being unjustly
burdened by high freight rates, the
Houthern railroad purchased the At
lanta and Florida railroad, built by
Atlanta capitalists, running from At
lanta to Fort Valley, for 8176,#00. I
has capitalised this property at 13.
683,683, and la undertaking to make
the people, by high freight rates, pay
on this capitalisation.
“It la easy to understand from the
tacts I have mentioned how Ihe people
of Georgia are being taxed by the five
great railroad systems on local busi
ness alone, between three and four
million dollars a year In exoaaalva
charges for carrying freight and paa-
aengera. The unjust charges placed
upon the people of our state are not
limited to local rates. Georgia distrib
uting points In comparison with places
similarly situated In other state! auffar
from severe discriminations.
Comparison of Rates.
Let us compare the rates charged
from the mast and the West to At
lanta with those charged to Nashville.
Tennessee, -*ii In thla connection yon
must hear In mind that what Is true of
Atlanta la true of tha balance of Geor
gia. The distance from New York to
Atlanta la IK miles. The distance from
New York to Nashville Is MS miles.
Yet the rates per car load of 30,00ft
pounds era higher to Atlanta than to
Nashville on first-class goods per car,
373; on second-class goods par car,
876; on third-claaa goods per car, 3*6;
on fourih-daaa goods per car, 3103; on
fifth-claaa goods par car, 371; on sixth-
class goods per car 364. If you make
the comparison from New York to Cin
cinnati or Louisville the discrimination
against Atlanta la even greater.
“Different charges are made ner 100
pounda for different classes of freight.
By a change of classification, moving
articles from cheaper classifications
Into higher-priced class Idea lions, a
heavy Increase In freight rate* all over
the Houth waa made six years ago.
About the same time an Increase was
made In the charges for freight on
cool of lu rents per ton. This was
done at a time when, by every rea
sonable rule, a decrease In the freight
charges of not Isas than 10 cents per
ton should have been made Atlanta
handles :«000 cars of coal annually,
thus making an Increase of about 360.-
000 to the coat of hauling thla coal,
when there ought to have been a de
crease of over 110,000. It Is, easy for
•very man to understand how tha cost
of hla fuel lias been Increased by the
Improper conduct of the railroad com
panies.
Applies to Many Georgia Points,
Although I have uaed Atlanta as tha
point for this discussion. It can ba
made with equal or more force. If I
should usa Griffin, or Macon, or Cor-
dele, or Valdosta. or Rome, or Colum
bus or Amerlcua, or Albany, or many
other points In Georgia. It Is a plain
proposition that railroad companies
have not given to Georgia tbe benefit
of her harbors or her rivers In furnish
ing water transportation while they
have done so for other states, when
fixing freight rates. It may be sug
gested that It Is not a question which
can be Involved In a elate campaign,
ae slate house officers have no power
With such a view I
where the steamboat line Is one named
by the Cthtral railroad.
Effects of Reduction Asked For.
“The money, therefore, which the
railroads would have received would
have been practically the same ax that
which ,th#y now receive as their pro
rata for shipments from the Bast by
water and rail. Tho benefit to At
lanta and to other Georgia points
would have come from the free Use
of any vessels they desired upon the
ocean, and It was conceded that ocean
rates could be obtained nt very much
leas than the pro rata of charges now
paid on through shipments to the
steamers named by the Central rail
road. The effect, ae a whole, of tide
reduction of rates from Georgia points
to Atlanta and to other Interior points
would have been to make the rate from
the Bast to Georgia points about 36 per
cent less than the present rates.
“Another benefit of this reduction of
Eastern rates would have been that
Western rates would have come doA-n
In proportion, and the all-rail haul,
both East ana West, would have been
reduced to men water ami
rail haul. Two of the commissioner*.
Messrs. Joseph M. Brown and Warner
Hill, voted agnlnst the port rat# reduc
tion. Mr. I’opo Brown voted for It,
ftxpreeely stating that lie, ut the same
time, voted'to make similar reductions
of rates throughout the state. Mr.
Joseph M. Brown gave as his principal
reason for refusing to vote for tho
reductions, not that tbe proposed rates
would fall to be remunerative to the
Georgia railroads, but that the com
bined rail and water rates to tho East
would be eo much reduced that the all-
rail lines, East and West, would be
compelled to reduco their rates to' meet
the competition: In other words, that
tho unreasonably high rates now being
permitted by tha Georgia i “
mission from the porta o
Interior points In Georgia furnished the
real opportunity for the r
i
aekcl
As a final result
nltteo was nppolnj
led to negotiate with the railroad
readjustment of rates was thereby ob-
talned which will save to Georgians
| several hundred thousand dollars each
! years. It must always be borne In
■ mind that having won a fight for re
adjustment to Atlanta, the readjust.
! ment fiecessarlly followed to other
points In Georgia, and all over tho
, slate the reduction was made, as well
j as to Atlanta. The fight was made prt
! marlly for Atlanta, but Incidentally for
| the whole state.
Twelve months ago. I began calling
| the attention of the people of the state
to the Inexcusable 26 per cent which
, the .Southern and Central railroads
were charging In excess of the stand
ard tariff I also called attention to
the 20 per cent excess beyond the
standard tariff which the Atlantic
Coast Line was permitted to charge.
I also have called attention to the 26
per rent In excess of the standard
tariff which the Georgia Houthern and
Florida railroad waa permitted
charge. These excess charges had
been without- excuse for years, but
nothing had been done to reduce them.
I told the people that the agitation of
the subject alone would help them. I
said In my Elbert,m speech last fall
that before the. gubernatorial election,
the railroad commissioners would find
I that they could no longer afford to
contlnuo In office without doing any
thing at all for the people. - As a con
sequence of the agitation alone, the rail?
road commissioners. In the early part
of the present year, reduced the 36 per'
cent extra chnrges allowed the South
era and Central to 15 per cent, and the
20 per cent allowed the Atlantic Coast
Line to 10 per cent, but they refused
to moke the reduction on the Georgia
Southern and Florida.
What Honest Commission Can Do*
“I have shown that a proper reduc
tlo.i of rates from Ihft ports to In
terior points will largely overcome the
present unjust through rates to Geor
gia points. Give the people of Georgia
railroad commissioner* with all the
power of the state to regulate local
freight rates; give them full power to
Investigate Interstate freight rates,
betterments.
I "In the past ten years the Houthern
Hallway Company haa Increased Its net
earnings from five million doliare per
, -or to twelve million dollars per year,
'i lia te true, although, according to a
circular Issued for the sale of bonds
mUrn Houthern, It te declared:
“That the bookkeeping force of Ihe
.- (u t hern haa literally been obliged to
work overtime In order to conceal the
- indue which haa been piling up.’
Should Hava Bean a Reduction.
!•' “The same rule which gave theee
i ada an Increase of chargee for carry-
lac freight In 1133, If proper vigilance
• .td been uaed by your public officers,
would have long ago brought to tbe
i -opts of tha state a reduction of
f eight chargee. The net Income of
■ • Central of Georgia railroad fur the
year IM6 waa ll.tW.o##, In addition te
the net profits spent for betterment*.
This railroad company last year, attar
Ing Interest on fifteen mill on dol-
of income boode. a large part of
" ten years ago, were worth about
■ on the dollar, bad a surplus ef
from Its net Income
Houthern railroad ten years ago
■lily millions of preferred Mock
“Georgia has two splendid harbors.
With but little expense
can be placed upon the ocean, tailing
from these harbors lo Eastern ports.
Sailing vessels come from Eastern
ports lo these harbors. Excessive
freight rates from the ports to Interior
points In Georgia prevent the Interior
points from receiving their proper ad
vantage by Ihe use of transportation
from the East through tha ports of
Georgia.
“With thla question la Involved what
te now’eommonly known In Georgia ae
the port rale fight, made by Ihe At
lanta freight bureau for lower raise to
Atlanta, and It te Atlanta, then to other
Georgia points, from Savannah and
from Brunswick. Tha Atlanta freight
bureau petitioned the railroad com
mission for a redaction of charges from
Savannah to Atlanta. So strong a
case waa mads that at on# time tha
officers of tbe rallroida conceded IU
justice and undertook to give tha re
duction. but finally they failed to do
so. The redactions asked for would
not have brought the chargee substan
tially below what u now charged In
■oath Carolina. North Carolina and
Virginia. It would not have brought
tha rates lower than the chargee volun
tarily made by the Central railroad on
9
l
t
I
r
hundred and twenty millions a through haul from New York, Bos
panics lo give cities of
much lower through rate
given lo Georgia points,
tha reduction) demanded
would Interfere with the
Ing through rata system, I
grant a reasonable redact
ports of Georgia to Intarii
la hard lo estimate bow ra
pie of our state are taxi __ _
on account of thla Inexcusable decision.
Asks Full Dues for 1
“It may be argued that Georgia la
prosperous. This Is undoubtedly true.
No living man hea greater confidence
In the future of Georgia than I. But 1
ask that all be given to
which It Is entitled. I believe that
Osorgla has opportunities lo become a
manufacturing stale and a commercial
state, scarcely rivaled, not excelled, by
any state In the Union. Because the
state te growing rapidly, because the
people are prospering 1s no excuse for
preventing, by unequal freight rates,
the growth to which she Is entitled.
"The traveling men of Georgia build
up Ihe business of the state and con
tribute Immensely tu the prosperity of
the railroad companies. They have
been pleading for yeara lo obtain
thousand-mile books, good on ah rail
road systems sand their connections In
the state, and they have asked tor a
3-cent rata. The traveling men not
only serve those who employ them, but
they serve the local merchants, and
they serve the whole people, by the
Information which they distribute
throughout the whole state with ref
erence to the commodities
•ell. Their demand has bt
ble; tlm railroad companta
ni a deaf ear to It. Tha 8<
road, the Cehtrat of oeor
company, and the Oeorgl
and Florida Railroad Co
cltned even to participate
of the Interchangeable th
books. The railroad cot
Georgia haa had the pow
to fix this rate for the tra
and to make the books ■
Southern, Central and Get;
ern and Florida railroads.
•d to do eo, and In fating
ed to discharge a duty w»
Ihe people of Georgaia.
fact, a fiat 3-cent per mile
passengetk on tha big ays
be sufficient, after free pas
not entitled to them are elli
•The freight chargee vol
the people of Georgia on
through business In excess
able charges, and, therel
amounts to over five mlllli
year. The Georgia rallroi
•Ion, If It were organised
who really desired to eer
pie, and backed by a governor who
was really in sympathy with the
movement, has tha absolute authority
to reduce the local rates
Something Can be Dene.
“Can anything be done In Georgia lo
protect our profile from the unjust In
terstate freight rates 7 There Is no
doubt that something can be done.
Tbe Atlanta freight bureau made a
long fight against exceealva Interstate
rates. It carried the fight even Into a
am). If norcssary, In behalf of the state
to fight before the Interstate' railroad
commission for just through rates;
bock your railroad commission with a
governor who knows the evils, believes
they cun be remedied, and Is willing to
fight to remody them; arouse alt the
local commercial bodies In Georgia to
tho support of the railroad commis
sion and tlio governor, and you will
find that the railroad companies can be
made to respect the rights of the peo
ple. but the state must carry the light,
and not the Individual shipper.
“There is an unmistakable Issue be
tween tbe peoplo of Georgia and tha
railroads, and It must be fought out
until the people win their rights. I
would not do the railroads an Injustice,
but I demand for the people a square
deal, and J declare that they are not
now getting It.
“And the same Issue which exists
between the- people and the railroads
exists between Mr. Howall and myself.
I have championed the cause of the
people; he has done all that he could
to support tha other aide.. In his for
mal announcement. In his speeches, In
editorials published In hla paper,
through letters by Joseph M, Brown,
and published In hto paper, he has en
deavored to show that my contentions
are unfounded, and he has defended
the railroad commission and the gov
ernor. In his announcement ha con
demned what he termed ‘assaults pub
licly directed against tho railroad com
missioners.’ Anil he declared, that ’the
local rates, ni|lch are .under the Juris
diction of the Georgia railroad, com-
mission, are Jess .than thoile of our
etoter states of Alabama nnd Houth
Carolina.' He declared also against
any power of the railroad commission
to bring relief from unjust Interstate
rates. All over the state he has de
fended the railroad commission and
vllllfled me for criticising them.
8ays Howell Defends Reads,
"According to tbe published report
In hto paper of a speech he made at
Mabelton, In Cobb county, he defends
the railroad rommtstoh, aa now organ-
teed. by declaring: ‘Your railroad
commission stands ready to rectify any
dlacrimnatlon In rates in the state,
and these are the only rates over which
It has any power.* And he added that
•thff fact to that few discriminations In
local rates are now complained of.‘ He
put himself clearly In the attitude of
not only Indorsing the railroad com
mission, but indorsing the existing lo
cal rates.
•in an editorial In Tha Atlanta Con
stltutlon on August I. IMi. he elabor.
ately defended the railroad commission
and termed my campaign one of ‘gen
eral vinification of tho officials of this
elate.' He terms my crltlcsms as ’sin
ister’ and ‘misrepresentation!.’ He
then declared that 'back of It all there
Is nothing more substantial than the
desire of other men to hold office.' Ho
closes hto editorial defending the rail
road commission with the statement
that ’the campaign of misrepresenta
tion and vlUlflcatlon against them must
and will prove an utter failure.*
• “Now, I Invite Mr. Clark Howell to
meet the facta of unjust local freight
rales that 1 have brought to Ms atten
tion. I Invite him to dlacuks my
criticism of the railroad commission
ers with reference to Interchangeable
mileage and reduction of passenger
rates. In- what respect have I mads a
S lsstatement? In what respect am I
accurate?
Not long ago the point waa made
e th. ..Mlt.llwatlnn n* ttiM I’tnlrll
sA*d
he railroad I yo
.. ry that thelcoi
railroad commission forced thiH great | err
saving for tin- i-'-'-*.!*-. 1 deny that any
such having lias been made by any
body. I ahk Mr. Howell for his proof,
but whatever It amounts to, was ac
complished by your own fellow clti-
sens and In spite of the blunders and
faults of the railroad commission.
Repeated Eight Out of Nine.
"The railroad commission refused the
port rates reduction. They passed nine
orders on freight charges in over
twelve months' time and repealed eight
of them. The only order they had left
nt the close of last year reducing
freight rates was one with reference
toves. which may have . possibly
mode a redaction In freight rates of
less than 110,000 a year. It was dur*
ing thin j.«rl'*d Mar Mi If«*v\*-11 was
extolling the commission. Local rales
then w4re excessive to such an extent
’ hat Mw > ought t'. l..i% *■ !»• «-n r«-du- ••«;
14,000,000 a year. His railroad commis
sion, with the valuable work It was
then doing, having made a reduction
of $10,000 In over a year, at the same
rate of I, u mild hav i»*'|i:lred
years to give the people the local re
ductions to which they were entitled.
"I call on Mr. Howell to show the
order of the commission which saved
the $1,000,000 he had talked about. He
can show none
T ask Mr. Howell to show what ex-
cuuo he has for saying that the rail
road commission secured the reduction
In Interstate rates • that tva.* obtained
about twelve months ago. I call his
attention to the fact that In his own
xiper In mentioning these reductions
te has said: 'Hoads make concessions
Atlanta committee.' Again in the
wtme article his paper publishes: 'It
was only after a hard struggle • •
that Atlanta’s committee was able to
secure- from the railroad officials the
reduction.’ This wns his account of the
reductions when the agreement to make
them waa reached.
"How Inconsistent la the position
Mr. Howell! In one breath he de.
dares that the railroad commission of
Georgia obtained these Interstate re
ductions, and In the next breath he
declares that the Georgia railroad
commtaslon can do nothing toward rec
tifying excessive Interstate rates.
meant by domesticating foreign
orations? Will you tell this audl
what you meant when you said
you were opposed to permitting foreign
corporation* to remove their caset
the United States court? I will at
your discussion of this subject v
great Interest, and I will, furthermore,
be prepared, in.my concluding remarks,
to furnish my own position with refer-
to It.
your claim that the railroad com-
mission secured the reduction to which
I have referred. I call upon you to
explain your claim that the reductions
amounted to a million dollars a/year,
t call upon you to tell the people of
Atlanta why you published nt the time
that the committee,representing the city
of Atlanta, secured the reduction that
the committee secured them, and then,
subsequently, you changed your poll
tlon and gave tbe credit to the rail
road commission you were seeking to
defend.
"The truth about It to you cannot
successfully defend the attitude of your
allies on the railroad commission, and
not being able to defend them you can
not success fully defend yourself.
Refers to Copied Editorial.
"But I ask you, Mr. Howell, to turn
to your paper under date of Febru
ary II, 1906. There you have copied
on your editorial page on editorial
from The Macon Telegraph. You copy
It without censure. You give It In a
sense your editorial approval. By
copying It without criticism you have
carried to the peoplo of Georgia on
unjust criticism upon the cltlxcns of
Atlanta.
That editorial charged Atlanta with
aeqklng an undue advantage In freight
rates over the other cities In Georgia.
It charged that Atlanta was seeking
the port rate reduction for Atlanta
alone, and npt for Interior points In
Georgia. It charged that os soon as
Thla stock waa ton or Philadelphia, vis Savannah, local temporary hold-up of the rall-
UatadtaetoEJMI
that the capitalisation of the Central
of Georgia railroad today waa exces
sive. and that Its charges for carrying
freight and passengers wars sufficient
ly. high to enable It to earn dividends
on an over-capltalltatlon. Mr. Howell
promptly sprang Into the arena with
hla paper and declared that the capi
talisation at the Central today waa
not aa great per mile aa It waa before
Ihe war. I pointed out to him In my
columbua speech that by the reports
of the Central Itself 'la capitalisation
before the war waa IIMH per mil*,
and It to now I1M40. He haa left bta
Inaccurate statement In defense of the
road without explanation or apology.
Challenges a Reply.
“We are supposed to have come her*
tonight for a debate. I show that he
haa defended the railroad comlmaeton
and has defended the present local
rates. 1 call on him to discuss them
In detail and show In what regard my
criticisms are incorrect Mark what I
tell you, fellow cltleens, ha will not
undertake to discuss them; he can
not do It.
• I have already called your atten
tion to the fact that the Atlanta freight
bureau and tb! chamber of commerce
of the city, aa a result of tbe fight they
made and the negotiations they held
•nth railroad efftclals. Induced a reduc
tion of interstate freight rates over a
year ago, which wlU ears the people
of Georgia. K to hoped several hundred
thousand dollars a year, the exact
amount It Is Impossible to tall. Mr.
Howell. In hto earnest effort to back up
hie friends on tbe railroad commission,
appointed by hto friend. Governor Ter
rell. has told the people of Georgia
both la hto formal announcement sad
In hto speeches all over the state, and
in hto editorials, that tbe railroad com
mission through lu orders obtained
this reduction of Interstate rates. Ha
put tha figures showing the
amount saved annually at from S*oa.-
### to 11,000,000. and ha has sought to
make the people of the state feet eat-
Hon. Pops Brown rendered hto decision
favoring the port rates for Atlanta, and
other points In Georgia as well, he was
promptly displaced as a candidate.
“You well know thdt the Atlanta
freight bureau In Its fight for port rates
took the position before the railroad
commission that the reduction should
ba made to Atlanta, and also to other
mints In Georgia. You well know that
this attack upon Atlanta was simply
an Inexcusable effort to array other
>«rt» of Georgia against me In my race
for governor, upon the theory that I
would give special privileges to Atlan
ta nnd antagonise other cities In the
state. You know that the attack upon
the Atlanta freight bureau by The Ma
con Telegraph waa Inexcusable, and
yet you copied the editorial and never
lifted your voice or your pen to defend
the conduct of your fellow dtliens
from the false charge. You actually
circulated the false charge through
your paper. I want you to tell your
fellow cltlxcns tonight how you expect
them to support you for governor with
such a present record, during the pres-
•nt year, as a part of your present can
dldacy.
Support ef Railroads. '
"I can well understand how your
course will give .you the support of Ihe
officers of railroads located In Atlanta,
ahd of the political attorneys located In
Atlanta, and of those whom they can
control, but there yottr support will
stop. You are not meriting by your
conduct the support of your fellow dtl
sens at large.
“It to true that In general language
justice to
you say you are In favor of JustL
the people, but when you come to ape-
elite expressions you tine yourself up
on the railroad side, and you naturally
and logically today are receiving their
support.
“In the editorials In your paper you
have declared In favor of domeeticat-
Ing all the railroads doing business In
this state. In your formal announce
ment you said: 'I believe that they
should be compelled to litigate In the
courts of this state all questions aris
ing between them and the people.'
“Now, I ask you to tell your fellow
cltlxens how you propose to domesti
cate foreign railroad corporations, and
how you propose to prevent suits
against foreign corporations from be
ing removed to the United Stales court
When you made this declaration surely
you meant something, and knew what
you were talking about. I Invite you
In this joint discussion, face to face,
to speak out. so that our fellow cltlsena
may know for what wa really stand.
"I pointed out In my Madison speech
that the only way to prevent foreign
corporations from removing their caeca
to the United States court waa to re
quire them to organise local corpora
tions In Georgia, and to transfer their
property to these local corporations,
and to operate their properties through
their local corporations.
"In your Tococa speech you said that
I hod persistently taken tbe position
that I would take every railroad In
Georgia operated by foreign capital out
of the hands of lu owners and force
them lo place the roads on tbe block
and sell them out. You declared, re
ferring to me; ‘He said he would not
termlt a road owned or operated by
orelgn capital to serve the people of
Georgia. This to confiscation pure and
simple.’
Demands Howell'e Authority.
Now, Mr. Howell, I want you to
show your authority for any such
statement ever having been made by
me. The real benefit to be derived
from joint dtocuaelons can come from
ratting propositions to each other and
lading out tha real truth. I say to you
that I never took such a position, and
you are utterly Inexcusable for charg-
'nsmi with It.
Tlut to come back to what you aald
with reference to your own position.
* repeat will you tell tills audience what
"I have declared time and again that
today an alliance exists between the
leading attorney* and hired political
agents of the big railroad systems In
Georgia and the ring In charge of the
Democratic state machinery.
"Let u- |.c historical. Eight year*
ago a chairman of the state Demo
cratic Executive committee was chosen,
and Hon. Fleming duBIgnon was
selected for the postllon. He was at
torney for the Plant System and tho
Southern Express Company. Two
years later, Hon. E. T. Brown wa*
made chairman. He wa* attorney for
the Seaboard Air Line railroad. Four
year* later, Hon. M. J. Yeomans was
made chairman, and Hon. J. J. Spald
ing vice chairman. Mr. Spalding was
nttorney for the Loulavllle and Nash
ville railroad, and his firm waa con
stantly engaged In heavy litigation for
other railroad companies. Mr. Yeo
mans appointed Judge Hamilton Me
Whorter from the state at large i
member of the state Democratic Ex
ecutlve committee.
McWhorter and Supreme Bonch,
’The Urn startling evidence if the
influence of the polltcal attorney came
to the people of Georgia trher. It was
learned that Governor Terrell tinder
place on the, supreme court
bench to Judge Hamilton McWhorter.
His position, as political at.orney of
the Southern Railroad Company I* too
well understood to need discussion.
For years he had not Oeen practicing
law, but had been practicing politics.
Ills appointment route only have been
made for the purpise of permitting
hint to show to the officer* of the
Southern railroad hi* Influence with
tit# MM of the Democratic party
Osorgla. White this niny have been
valuable for him. It I* olso Important
that the people of Georgia should un
derstand thto Influence, us well as the
railroad ufficera.^^^^^^^H^^^H
“Startled by the Influence of Judge
Hamilton McWhorter with the govern
or, wt! look back and And that n rail
road attorney has been practically at
the heud of the slate Democratic Ex
ecutive commtttu j ever since Govern
or Candler was elected governor, and
that Mr. Yeomans, two years ago, put
the political arent of the Southern
railroad, aide by side with one of your
railroad commissioners, as members
of the executive committee from the
state at large.
"What business has a man who runs
politics In the interest >f a great rail
road company managing tho affairs of
the Democratic party? The Demo
cratic party la supposed to servo the
great masses of tho people. There to a
conflict of Interests between the people
and the railroad companies', on tho one
side, the railroad companies are seek
ing to tax the people with high frelgnt
and passenger rates to the full extent
of their ability; on the other side, Ihe
people an demanding their just rights.
The (tower of the state alone can pro
tect the people. Tbe railroad com
pantos are certainly strong tnough to
take care of themselves.
“The whole organisation of the
Democratic party should be with the
state officer* In the struggle for the
rights of the people. When you trans-
BAGWELL'S PUPILS
REMARKABLE DEMONSTRA-
TION IN SHORTHAND.
Convincing Argument That High
Rate of Speed with New Meth
ods Discounts All Systems.
far that organization to the control of
the hired political agents, or the regu
lar attorneys of the great roUroad com-
panlrs, you give up that Instrument
which alone enn be used to protect the
people from unjust taxation In high
freight nnd passenger rates.
Criticizes Committee's Action.
Let us turn to the state Democratic
Executlvo committee which met here
the last day of April. Instead of wait
ing until the open meeting and dis
cussing all matters publicly In the In
terests of the people, a caucus waa held
to shape things In the dark. The
three leading spirts of that caucus
were Judge Hamilton McWhorter, po
litical agent of the Southern railroad;
Judge Enoch Callaway, a corporation
attorney, at times representing clients
Mlltlcally as well ae In the court
louse, and Hon. Warner Hill, your
railroad commissioner. There you sec
the close Identification of your rail
road commissioner and tha railroad
jolltlclana. Thera you see the al
ienee Inside the Democratic organisa
tion controlling it
“Now, what relation do these men
bear to the candidacy' of Mr. Howell?
I do not know one who -to foiling to
support him. True, Judge Hamilton
McWhorter says Jhat he to for Colo
nel Jim Smith, huCmay be that this Is
tha best way to help Clark Howell.
To be entirely candid, however, I be
lieve there are others Judge McWhor -
ter would rather see governor than
Clark Howell. He naturally feare If
Clark Howell to governor, Albert How
ell may supplant Hemp McWhorter.
"But let ue come down to, the fight
over the Democratic executive commit
tee of Fulton county. The merchants,
manufacturers and workingmen went
to the court-house and elected there an
executive committee, taken fresh from
their ranks. They Intentionally .
upon that committee a number
friends of Mr. Clark Howell. These
friends of Mr. Clark Howell were in
duced to withdraw from the committee
and Mr. Clark Howell threw all hto In
fluence behind what to called the
“Felder committee.”
Personnel of Committee.
Let ua see who some of the men
are upon this committee—Mr. Howell's
friends, whom he wishes to manage the
affaire of tbe Democratic party In Ful
ton county. The chairman to Mr. Tom
Felder. He to the attorney for Ar
mour h Company. He to attorney for
Armour A Company In their refriger
ating car business. In the struggle that
to going on by the nation and state to
put an end to the exorbitant charges
which they make for handling fruit In
refrigerating cars. Tbe vice chairman
of this committee to Mr. Robert Alston,
one of the attorneys for the Atlantic
Coast Line and the Southern Express
Company. Upon this committee Is
found Mr. John D. Little, one of the
attorney* of the Central railroad and
one of the counsel In Georgia of the
Louisville and Nashville railroad.
“Upon the committee to also found
Sir. Albert Howell, one of the attor
neys for the Southern railroad, the At
lanta and West Point railroad, the
Western Union Telegraph Company
and the Pullman Palace Car Company,
and the attorney In Georgia (If not
still, certainly last year) of the New
York Mutual, New York Life and
Equitable Life Assurance Companies.
Also Mr. Hollins Randolph, attorney
for the 8eaboard Air Line. Mr. How
ell te trying to put Into authority this
committee with a representative on It
of nearly every big railroad corpora
tion In the state.
Now, I have not criticised any of
these gentlemen discourteously, but I
have called attention to a condition
that exists—the controlling presence
and Influence of the railroad lawyers
and hired politicians in the Demo
cratic organisation In Georgia.
-And I have called upon the people
to free the state from this Influence.
They are active factors In that part of
the Democratic party In Georgia with
which M£ Howell te allied. They are
a part of what may be properly called
In Ihe n*sembly hall of Baeneir.
Business College, at Its Peaehtre.
street, wa* K lven last night one of the
most remarkable short hand demon!
stratlons ever witnessed In Atlanta it
was attended by a large audience ,1
disinterested people, many of whn „
are highly educated and compe em
stenographer.*, who have had years of
experience In Graham, Pittman and
Munson short hand. All werTagre!d
that the result* obtained In the one
weeka study of Chartler Shorthand
surpassed any record ever made In from
four to six weeks' study In the svs-
terns with which they are acquainted
Nek students who had never studied
any system of shorthand took up this
system Monday morning, and after five
daya’ study, wrote from dictation ordi-
nary business letters (practice matter)
at the rate of more than 100 words per
minute. Professor Spe.icer then wrote
on the board any matter handed him
from the audience, which they read
without the slightest hesitation.
Wo claim that the system to marvel-
ous, and it it marvelous. We do nut
claim that students can make high-
class stenographers In ten or fifteen
day*. That to Impossible. We do not
claim that It can be mastered In less
than one-half the time required for
Graham, Munson, or Pittman, written
with a greater rate of speed and read
three times aa rest.
We guarantee that all students who
are prepared for the course will be
able to write 100 words per minute
and read their notes with perfetc ease
In from six to twevle weeks' time. Stu
dents who are not able to do this can
call at the office and have their money
refunded. As to our ability and willing
ness to do this; we refer to Maddox-
Rucker Banking Company.
The Reigning Dynasty In Georgia,’ nr,
In common Anglo-Saxon, 'The Con
trolling Political Ring.’
Paoplo Must Take Control.
■If the people of Georgia are te
really take control of their own af
fairs, If they are to really obtain pro-
tectlon from exorbitant freight and
passenger rates. If we are to really
have a government by the people and
not by the corporations, then the cor
porations must bo beaten by first de
feating their agents who seek to con
trol, and you must beat the political
allies of their agents as well as the
agents themselves.
•The danger from the control of the
state by the railroad companies and
their allied corporations Is not limited
to the power which their agents and
attorneys exercise In political affairs.
It culminates with the contribution of
money to political campaigns.
“I charge that railroads In Georgia
have sought to control tha state sen
ate and that money haa been contribut
ed to the campaigns of members of the
legislature and of those even higher
In authority.
"The old-time system of presenting
matters to the legislature, when the
general counsel and the superintendent
of the road would go to the capital and
argue a question upon Its merits before
a committee and then go home, ha*
passed away. In Its place the political
attorney and subordinate agents, gath
ered from different parts of the state,
undertake, through political Influence,
to prevent legislation which the cor
porations oppose, and to pass legisla
tion which they desire. Political pull
haa taken the place of an appeal to the
real merits of questions being consid
ered. Let the political attorney b«
backed by funds of the corporations to
help elect or defeat a member and hi*
power to enormously Increased.
Attacks Entire System.
"I attack the entire system *s dan
gerous and hurtrul. I call for legisla
tion which will make It a crime for
any corporation or association lo con
tribute money to elections of members
of tho legislature or state house of
ficer*. I believe that the entire use
of money either to buy voters or to
hire men at the polls ehould be for
bidden by statute. I favor legt»l»<> 1>n
which will limit the right of an em
ployed attorney, or agent, to appear
before a committee and make an ar
gument In public. I would make It a
crime for them to undertake to con
fer In private with legislators, and i
would require every man who
an employment to at once register me
fact of hto employment with the sec
retary of state. ...
"I believe thnt every candidate tor
n state house office, or for the legwa
ture, should be required to file, un
der oath, a statement of iu»t whet n«
•pends In connection with hto canm
dacy, what he spends for It, ana
whan ha gets the money from.
“I am opposed to convention no™
nations. I favor not only a resolud "
to be passed at the next *
convention, requiring that fntun romb
nations shnll be at the hallot box. »
I also favor legislation which
the time for our primaries and reqn
that our nominations for togtoj**?..
and state house officers shall be at
ballot box. • . .....
“Our state senate I* composed of <
ty-flve men, twenty-three being *
Jority. Under our P«“ n { ’f’l <,n*
rotating senators, first
rountr and then another m tne * ,
torlal district, name the ** n » , ' > 1 r ' 1 rtng
under the further system of requifi
the other counties of the •* n “. ft,,
district to accept tbe itltctlon of m
county from which the eenat^ tot
come. It It really only n * c f , f*.7„,t*
tha corporations and special
to control twenty-three counts* in t
state. It gives them the P°« e , r A'n c x
to control the state (Mate and
any legislation to which the) are r
posed.
Favors an End te It .
This te far from being
by the people, and I favor action ej
Continued on Pago Eleven-
To Drive Out Melsrit
And Build Up
Take the Old Stands!*), G""'
TASTELESS CHILL TOMt. _
know what yon are taking-
mute I* plainly rrlnted Iron
showing It i* "imply
In a tastelef* form. Tbe 9 u * n . n ,.|,u up
out the mnlar'.n and the Iron bxt jj
the system. Sold by all dealers f*
years. Price SO cents.
m