Newspaper Page Text
THE AUGUSTA DAILY HERALD
VOLUME XIV., No. 51.
Governor Hoke Smith Replies To
Critics of His Railroad Statement
Major Hanson Why
Figures Are Apparently
Discrepant. Unnecessary
Hardship on Employes. A
Shot at Mr. Clark Howell
ATLANTA, Ga.—Governor Hoke
Smith today gave to the press a state
ment answering the criticism which
have been made in regard to the
statments which he gave out a week
ago, showing how well the principal
railroads of Georgia withstood the
general depression of the panic year.
Governor Smith’s answer is direct
ed at Major Hanson, President of the
Central of Georgia Railroad, and he
takes a shot at Clark Howell, Editor
of the Constitution.
The Governor shows that the net
earnings of the Central for the year
ending July 1, 1908, were as he stat
ed, $2,485,429, and he says Major Han
son does not deny the accuracy of
these figures which were filed with
the Railroad Commissin. It seeijis
that it has been the custom of the
Central Railroad prior to the panic
year, to charge as operating expenses
expeditures for bettermens. This is
the explanation of the difference be
tween Governor’s figures and those
of Major Hanson.
Governor Smith, in commenting on
Major Hanson’s statement that the
Central had discharged more than a
thousand men, calls attention to the
fact that while the Central’s gross
income fell off only $430,118 it re
trenched to the extent of $808,228
which was putting an unnecessary
hardship upon its employees.
Governor Smith’s Statement.
"Last Saturday I furnished a state
ment to the press giving the returns
to the railroad commission made T}y
eight of the principal railroad compa
nies of their net earnings in Georgia
for the year ending July 1. 1908.
“I compared their net earnings for
their last fiscal year their net earn
ings for the year ending July 1, 1908,
and showed their net losses in Geor
gia were only one-tenth as large as
those of the railroad companies of
the United States as a whole.
“My purpose was to show first, that
the railroads of Georgia stood the
panic better than the railroads of the
country at large and second that the
railroads of Georgia were in a pros
perous condition. My desire was to ;
opose the effort to build a sentiment
in Georgia against railroad supervis
ion and regulation, and to correct any
false impression as to lack of pros
perity by the railroads of the state.
•Answer to Hanson
“President Hanson of the Central
railroad among others has undertaken
to do so. His answer was published
under headlines ‘No net income for
the Central’ He began his answer with
‘I regret the necessity for calling at
tention to the errors'contained in the
statement of Governor Smith.
"President Hanson discussed the fi
nancial reports of the Central railroad
alone. My statement with reference
to the Central railroad was an exact
presentation of the report by that rail
road to the railroad commission. The
report to tlhe railroad commission
shows the following business of that
company in Georgia.
1807
Gross Earnings, 99,375,316.17.
Operating Expenses, $7,108,961.01.
Net earnings, $2,266,555.16.
1-908.
Gross Earnings, $8,939,397.56,
Operating expenses, $6,453,968.44.
Net earnings 2,485,429/12.
Decrease, Gross Earnings, $436,118.-
61.
Decrease, Operating Expenses, $054.-
994,57.
“Increase, Net earnings, $218,873.96
"President Hanson does not deny
tuat these are the figures furnished
by the Central to the railroad com
hiselon.
“He claims that the rules of the
inter state railroad commission requlr
ed a change of bookkeeping for 1908
and that therefore it is idle to com
pare 1908 with 1907.
Figures Were Hanson's Own.
Concede tnls to be true. Still he
does not and cannot deny that hia
road reported to the railroad com
mission net earnings for the year end
ing July 1, 1908, $3,485,429.12, and
that this amount of net was earned
by the Central.
President Hanson then uses the
same books to compare what he calls
net Income’ of Central railroad for
1907 and 1908. If a comparison made
from these books by me Is ’ldle’ as
to net earnings, why did he make
one from the same books as to net
incoqie?
“He gives ‘net income’ of the Cen
tral as follows:
1907. .$461,062.00
1908..$ 5,426.00 deficit.
"As he gives the figures to correct
errors in my statement he should
have explained that his figures did
not refer to the same subject which I
discussed.
■ l have the net profits derived by
tt,. Central Vilroad from operating
rcr.d i- ,*>]Hrgia. He dwelt with
■ • in Georgia and out
.. . ■ oi Georgia, and deducted from
he net profits payments of interest
, n bonds and other liabilities. He
jven deducted $324,767.75 spent for
ichat is called betterments, that is
GOVERNOR HOKE SMITH
WHO TODAY REPLIES TO HIS RAILROAD
AND NEWSPAPER CRITICS
Vto say, permanent improvements
classed as investments. I know this
to be true, because I have examined
his printed report to the stockhold
ers, and I found there the calcula
tion upon which he based his claim
iof a deficit in income.
I Put More Than Loss on Employes.
“Deficit in income as he treats it
gives no correct information as to net
profits of operation unless accompa
nied with an explanation of what the
railroad did with its net profits from
operation.
"President Hanson then declares
that large economies in operating ex
penses were effected by a reduction
in the force, and that the pay rolls
in 1908' compared with 1907 showed
a decrease of $808,228, while the Cen
tral employed In 1908 an average of
1,044 less men than In 1907.
“The railroad company had a de
crease of gross earnings for the fiscal
year 1908 amounting to $436,118.61.
This, as shown by its report, was its
entire loss of revenue and was only
about five per cent on its gross reve
nue. Why then was the pay roll cut
$808,228, nearly twice as much as the
entire loss of revenue?
‘‘The panic was affecting the entire
country. While Georgia was less af
fected than other states, It suffered
necessarily to some extent.
Why Was the Cut Made?
“The gross income of the Central
in Georgia for the fiscal year ending
July Ist, 1907. was $9,375,516.17. In
1908 it was $8,939,397.56. Its loss In
gross income was $486,118.61. * Its
gross Income was larger in 1908 than
it was in 1906. The ioss of gross in
come for 1908 from that of 1907 if
distributed partly on owners, partly
on improvements, partly on operators,
would not have been serious any
where.
"It was only $436,118.16 and yet
President Hanson admits that his em
ployes were discharged to the extent
of $808,228. The inquiry is natural,
why did the Central cut its men
$808,228. when its gross Income was
lessened only $436,118.16? What, be
came of the $472,110 in excess of the
entire loss in business which the Cen
tral saved by discharging Its men?”
"President Hanson declares that the
-net income of his companv has fallen
off over one million dollars since
1905, when I began my first campaign
for governor, and yet he declares In
effect that scarcely anything the road
has done for the benefit of the pub
lic has been required as a result, of
my administration. He should give
the principles I have advocated credit
for the benefits the public have re
ceived or he should not hold them
and me responsible for his loss of net
income.
Reduction of Rates.
"I concede that the fight of the At-1
Forecast for Augusta and Vicinity— Fair tonight, Sunday fair and warmer.
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, SATURDAY AFTERNOON, FEBRUARY 20, 1909.
lanta Freight Bureau for fair inter
| state rates for Georgia, and the pol
icies which I have advocated caused
a reduction of the net profits of the
Central Railroad company and this
| reduction has shown In the state
ment of the company since 1906. Thq
reduction has been accomplished part
ly through concessions by the rail
road company and partly by the di
rect action of the railroad commis
sion.
"During the year 1904 a fight began
upon the railroad companies of Geor
gia growing out of the fact that the
interstate rates were higher to Geor
gia points than they were in neigh
boring states. Georgia was on the
pinqacle of high rates. The Atlanta
Freight Bureau led In this fight. In
the spring of 1905 a concession was
made by the railroads and many In
terstate rates were reduced. This re
duction has been variously estimated
at a saving to the people of Georgia
of from one million to two millions
of dollars annually.
Increase Followed Smith’s Defeat.
"The reduction began near the close
of the fiscal year ending July 1, 1905,
and therefore showed In the state
ments for 1906, 1907 and 1908, aB
compared with the statements by the
road for 1905.
‘‘Just after my defeat last June the
railroad companies put back to their
former high prices most of these in
terstate freight rates. The Georgia
railroad commission has condemned
this advance of rates and is now con
ducting a fight, before the Interstate
commerce commission to secure a re
storation of the lower rates.
“It is difficult to say juat what this
reduction of rates saved to the people
of the state while it continued. It
has been placed by my opponents at
two millions of dollars annually. I
never believed it to be so large an
amount. Whatever it was affected
net profits after the statement of
1905, except insofar as an increase of
business caused by the reduction con
tributed to maintain former profits.
"During my first race for governor
I used as a basis for discussion the
financial statements of the railroads
made for the year ending July 1, 1905,
and used also their tax returns and
the values of their properties named
by them in liffgation over freight
rates. Accepting the true value of
their properties to be somewhere be
tween the low valuation they placed
upon their properties when they were
seeking to avoid paying taxes to the
state, and the high values they placed
upon them when seeking to sustain
high freight rates to tax the public,
I insisted that they were keeping too
great a portion of their earnings as
net profits. I insisted that the pub-
Continued on Page 3.
STRIPS POLITICAL
MACHINE OP
PAIR
NASHVILLE.—Governor Patterson
Friday vetoed the compulsory legal
ized primary law', and two other bills
taking the naming of the election
commissioners out of the hands of
the governor. These bills, it is be
lieved. will be passed over the gov
ernor’s veto Friday afternoon. They
strip the so-called “machine” of all
its power.
THE BOLL WEEVIL
WILL BEJERE SOON
It Will Be Necessary To
Find Some Variety of
Cotton That Can Resist
the Pest.
ATLANTA, Ga.—“ The boll weevil
we believe will be in Georgia in four
years in spite aS. all we can do and
we are now working to produce if
possible a variety of cotton that will
not only resist the black rot preval
ent in many counties in Georgia but
will mature sufficiently early to re
sist. the ravages’ of the boll weevil. ’
This is the statement of State Ento
mologist E. L. Worsham who has just
made a careful study of the reports
concerning the progress of the boll
weevil across the cotton states. These
reports show that this ravaging in
sect is traveling towards Georgia at
the rate of about sixty-five miles a
year and is already half way across
the state of Mississippi. The au
thorities who have been studying
this insect believe that it will reach
the Alabama line during the present
season. It will .only take a short
time then for it to cross this state
and enter the cotton fields of Geor
gia. In order to forestall it if pos
sible Prof. Worsham is going to es
tablish experiment fields near Vienna
and Americus this year and plant it
with a variety of cotton which he
hopes will develop sufficiently early
to throw off the attack of the boll
weevil which generally does its dam
age in the late summer. In view of
the great number of cotton mills and
cotton oil mills in the state of Geor
gia any appreciable curtailment of
the cotton crop in this state would
prove disastrous to the planters.
Within recent years Georgia has been
greatly enriched by the operation of
over two hundred cotton oil mills
which are consuming all of the cot
ton seed produced in Georgia paying
the farmers handsomely for them and
in turn giving to the farmers his best,
and cheapest cattle feed and ingre
dient for his principal fertilizer and
table oil which surpasses in point of
palatablenoss tnd healthfulness any
olive oil to be secured in this coun
try. The various branches of the
department of agriculture are keeping
a rigid watch to see that no seed from
the boll weevil district are being
shipped into Georgia.
WANT AUGUSTANS
FORU.S._PfISITIBNS
Local Examiner Ei. w. Carroll of
the U. S. civil service commission has
received notice of a number of com
petitive examinations to be held in
Augusta during the month of March.
On March 10 and 11 will bo held
an examination from which to secure
ellglbles for appointment to the posi
tion of civil engineer In the Philip
pine service. The entrance salary is
usually $1,400 per annum. There
are, however, similar positions In jhat
service paying higher salaries, and it
is desired to secure from this exam
ination, ellglbles who are qualified to
fill the higher salaried positions in
the event that vacancies therein oc
cur. It Is especially desired to se
cure ellglbles who have had experi
ence in river or harbor work to fill
two positions, one at SI,BOO and the
other at $2,000 per annum.
An assistant superintendent of con
struction is wanted at the TJ. S.
penitentiary, Atlanta, Ga. The pay
Is $1,600 a year. A library catalo
guer is needed in the bureau of edu
cation, department of the interior,
Washington, D. C., the pay being
SBOO, an examination for which is an
nounced to take place In Augusta
March 17th. On the same date will
be held an examination for the posi
tion of roller maker, bureau of en
graving and printing, at a salary of
$l,lOO. At the Winnebago agency,
Nebraska, a blacksmith and engineer
is wanted. Salary S9OO per annum.
Examination March 17.
Numerous other examinations are
•to be held, information about which
can be gained by seeing Mr. Carroll.
Chief among these is ah examination
to be held on May 15 for clerks for
the railway mail service. Great in
terest has been manifested in this ex
amination and it is expected that at
least fifty applicants will be examin
ed. The government, is specially anx
ous to have southern young men try
for these various posts in the service.
INTEREST IN TRE
COOPER TRIAL
INCREASES
Throngs Crowd Court
Room When Trial Was
Resumed Saturday Morn
ing.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. —The adjourn
ment. of a day seemed only to whet
the appetite of tin 1 curious public in
terest in the trial of Colonel Duncan
B. Cooper, Itob'n .1. Cooper and John
D. Sharp.
When the court opened Saturday
one of the largest crowds ever seen
around the Nashville court house
awaited the arrival of the deputies.
One reason was that, it was rumored
that Colonel Cooper would be the first
witness for the defense. Another
story had it that a mysterious wit
ness from Missouri, who saw the
shooting and who had been threat
ened with death If he testified for the
state. As a result the deputies had
no easy time In handling the throng.
Although the attorneys on both
sides had promised to bo ready to
proceed promptly Saturday morning
there was a tedious delay of nearly
an hour. Tito counsel for the stale
appeared first. Then came Judge
Anderson, who asked the further in
dulgence of the court for hair an
hour.
LINCOLN'S HEAD
ON ONE CENT
PIECES
PHILADELPHIA. The United
States mint will fn a few days de
stroy the dies from which the pres
ent one cent pieces are made and
will sink new dies with a bronze
medal design of the head of Abra
ham Lincoln as ordered by the treas
ury department.
sHomir
NINE-HOUR DAT
Southern Railway An
nounces Agreement Be
tween Officials and Em
ployes.
SPENCER, is
made of an agreement reached bo
tween officials of the Southern rail
way and the shopmen concerning the
wage soale. The employes get a
nine-hour day instead of ten at the
scale heretofore in effect. Those af
fected include machinists, boiler mnk.
era, blacksmiths, curmen ar,d pipe
men. General satisfaction is express
ed that the mattor has been amica
bly settled.
1. HARSH GAVE
BONDJOR OATS
Mr. Alexander Harsh, of Alexan
rde, Harsh & Co., of Nashville,
whose earload of adulterated oats
was seised by the government in
spectors here several days ago, ar
rived In the city Friday morning and
gave bond for the oats. Before the
oats were released under bond how
ever Mr. Harsh was compelled to
stamp the sacks "Barley mixed white
oats.” They have been shipped t a
Athens where they have been sold.
The matter now rests with the de
partment of justice, in Washington.
It Is rfbt known 'Whether they will
take any further steps In the caHe,
which is a violation of the pure food
laws. This is the first case of Its
kind made in this district, and it has
excited considerable attention.
NEGROES TO GIVE
FORAKER A SEND OFF
Will Tender Him a Recep
tion and Present Loving
Cup.
WASHINGTON -The negroes of
Washington will tender Senator For
aker a reception before he leaves the
seriate. They will present him a sit
ver loving cup which was purchased
by popular subscriptlou.
DAILY AND SUNDAY, $6.00 PER YEAR.
808 BILL ATTACK
TOE FREEBOAJ OF
THEPRESS?
Some Think Bill to Sup
press Names of Assault
Victims is Move in That
Direction.
Special lo The Jleraid.
COLUMBIA, S. C.- The house was
in an ugly mood on assembling Satur
day morning, over the matter of non
adjournment, because of the tie up
in the senate.
Mr. Dixon proposed a recess until
Wednesday at 1 o'clock. Mr. Sawyer
insisted upon the passage of his reso
lution for adjournment Saturday.
Mr. Rucker wanted to put the respon
sibility for the extra cost on the sen
ate. After considerable acrimonious
debate the previous question wns or
dered with Mr. Ashley's amendment
to make it 8 o’clock.
On the roll call the vote stood 02
to 30. The house agreed to the prop
osition and clinched it. This means
the death of most senate second read
ing bills.
Factory Inspection Bill.
A sharp fight arose over the pas
sage of the factory inspection bill,
through Mr. McMahan’s statement
I hat he luul unconsciously mlslod the
house In stating that the bill in its
present form had been passed upon
favorably by tlw liouso committee.
He had not been aware of the sen
ate amendment, making it a misde
meanor to discriminate against mem
bers of labor unions. Mr. Cothran
moved to recommit; Mr. Rucker mov
ed to table that, and on the roll call
■the house sustained its action of
Friday In passing the bill by a. vote
of 58 to 26.
Assault Victim Bill.
Mr. Ayer made an earnest protest
against the passage of the hill lo
make It a misdemeanor to publish
the name of a victim of rnpn, or at
tempt at rape, declaring it the first,
step in a dangerous direction, to
wards abridging the freedom of Ihe
press guaranteed by the constitution,
lie challenged, uny one to show when
the papers of South Carolina had ever
l abused their privileges.
Protect Women’s Names.
Mr. Dear, a former editor, Insisted
that. It was a bill to protect the good
name of the women of the state and
the motion to recommit wns laid on
the table.
Mental Anguish Bill,
Mr. Cothran sprung another fight
on Mr. Clifton’s mental anguish bill.
The senate Friday night agreed that
when adjournment was taken Satur
day it should he until Tuesday. This
means that Instead of ending tonight
with the close of the traditional forty
days, the session will continue for an
other week.
The prohibitionists, led by Sonalor
Otts, decline to allow the supply bill
to be considered until their state wide
prohibition blUs have been disposed
of, alleging that after the supply bills
have been handled It will be Impos
sible to keep a quorum.
111 STUBS PRETTE
61 i STREET
CHICAGO. —In the presence of the
throngs on the way to work yester
day a young tnan stabbed an un
identified girl apparently 17, in the
face and neck The girl, a pretty
brunette, was passing the corner of
Oak and Larrabee streets, when the
youth leaped at. her. Before the on
lookers could Interfere he plunged
his ktilfe Into her face and neck sev
eral times. The crowd pursued the
assailant and captured him. He was'
taken to the police station.
TWO WERE KILLED
111 I HOTEL EIRE
DETROIT, Mich.—ln the Detroit
News a special from Hheyboygan
says that two people wore killed In
a hotel fire at Tower, Mich., Satur
day.
SENATE WILL NOT
FOLLOW CUSTOM
WASHINGTON Contrary to the
usual custom the senate will not. ad
journ on Monday for Washington's
’birthday. Washington’s .farewell ad
dress will be read after which the
-regular business will be resumed.
This action Is caused by the Immense
volume of unfinished business before
the senate.
RAINS IN TEXAS
CAUSED COVERING
NEW YORK.—The cotton market
opened quite arid steady, considering
that the cables were 3 lower to 2
TERRIFIC GALE
SWEEPING THE
COAST
Worst Gale of the Winter.
Skips Prohakly Warned
in Time To Seek Shelter.
NEWPORT, R. 1. —"The worst gale
of the winter," was the message by
wireless from the Nantucket Shoals
lightship early Saturday. All along
the coast in this section the seas
were tremendous. The wind was
blowing 60 miles an hour early Sat
urday and appeared to be increasing
in strength. No wrecks have been
reported early In the day. It Is be
lieved that most of the coast-wise
shipping received warning of the ap
proaching storm In time to seek
shelter.
AIKEN PERSONAL NEWS
AIKEN, S. C.—Mrs. Miley Holley,
accompanied by her sister, Mrs. Theo
docla Turner, of North Augusta, is
on a visit to her son, Mr. Joseph H.
Holley, of this city.
Mrs. Lottie Johnson and children
returned to her home In Savannah,
Ga., after an extended visit to rela
tives hero.
The many friends of Mrs. R. W. Gil
liam will bo ploasod to learn that she
Is rapidly improving from her reoent
Illness, and will be out In a few days.
Miss Sadie Hines, of Nantuckot.,
Conn., has arrived, and is stopping
at Brunson and Gilliam's.
Oapt.. J. M. Richardson left, this
morning for Columbia to get more
equipment for the Aikon Military
company.
Mr. W. 11. Thomas, of Wards, was
hi the city Tuosdny.
Mr. and Mrs. John W. Cledenlng of
Augusta, spent Tuesday with Mr. and
Mrs. J. T. Cannon.
Mr. and M,rs. Thomas M. McConn
from St. Joseph, Mo., urrived Wudnes
day night to spend tho season here.
Mr. F. H. Lambert, supervisor of
the Singer Machine company, is hero
examining the Aiken office, he re
ports that ho finds tho books and ac
counts of the district manager, Mr.
E. C. Barrett In lino shape.
Messrs. J. L. McCarter, L. M. OM
veros and R. M. Hitt have boon elect
ed by the Aiken lodge of the Knight
of Pythias, and Messrs. J. M. Rich
ardson, R. W. Gilliam and Dr. G. A.
Milner as alternates, to attend the
district convention of the. Knights of
Pythlus, which will bo held with the
Blackville lodge, on Tuesday, Febru
ary 20th.
On this occasion the Aiken Third
Degree loam, will go to BlaofcvtUe,
and confer the third degree on sev
eral candidates. A large crowd Is
oxpeetod to go down to witness tho
conferlng of this degree. The Aiken
team have reached a degree of effi
ciency, and no doubt this win be an
Interesting meeting of tho Blackville
lodge after the district convention ad
journs.
Mr. O. w. Weeks, ehoirmnn of tbs
board of registration, report there la
very little work for the board to do
this year, this being an off yenr In
polltlos.
higher. After tho call the demand
for October caused that position to
advanoe 2 points. The room crowd
was deposed to cover shorts on the
continued absence of rain In Toxaa.
What Herald Wants
Do Daily .
Yestsrday’o Hsrald carried If
BEPARATE HELP WANTED and
SITUATION WANTED ADS.
Today most of these Wants are
filled, Help secured and People at
work In their new Jobs.
Why not let. Sunday’s Herald
fill your Wants for you? It Is
doing this for others and It will
do it for you.
The LOST AND FOUND col
umn of The Herald is read daily
by the people of Augusta. Use
It. for your needs in this line as
they arise.
Hundreds of BUSINESS OP
PORTUNITIES will be offered you
In Tho 3unday Herald’s Wants.
And many people will do their
trading In these opportunities.
Make them yours.
THE SUNDAY HERALD’*
WANT COLUMNS WILL BE
FILLED WITH LIVE BARGAIN*