A national magazine can do no better work than to take a hand in a local
fight, when the issues involved are national.
As explained in previous articles, the state of Georgia has been
completely conquered by a Wall Street combination. Morgan, Belmont and
Ryan are our masters. They rule Georgia through the Democratic party
just as they rule New Jersey through the Republican party, and New York
through both the old parties.
In New York, the tools of this Wall Street combination are such men as
Murphy, Pat McCarren, Judge Parker, and Bill Sheehan. In Georgia the
tools are such men as Hamp McWhorter, Joe Terrell, Clark Howell.
These men call themselves Democrats, but they work for Morgan the
Republican as earnestly as they work for Belmont the Democrat. The Wall
Street Railroad Kings rule and rob our state, and they do it by means of
the men who control the machinery of the Democratic party.
Hoke Smith is leading a great revolt against this Wall Street domination,
and he is doing it superbly. He is going to win, because the people know
he is right. He is going to win, because the people know that they are
being foully mistreated by the railroads. He is going to win because the
people can no longer be driven by the party lash. He is going to win
because the people have at last determined to vote for _what they want_.
In the January number of this magazine, I specified the wrongs which the
people of Georgia suffer at the hands of the railroads. Mr. Clark Howell,
the Corporation Candidate for Governor, tried to answer me, and probably
flatters himself that he did so.
Let us see.
I made the statement that the railroads had violated our Constitution by
“a joint ownership of competing lines, thus establishing the monopoly
which the Constitution forbids.”
That is a serious charge. If it be true that the railroads have trampled
the Constitution under foot and established a monopoly in defiance
of law, that fact alone should damn them. No man, no set of men, no
corporation, no combination of corporations, should be allowed _to make
law for themselves_ in Georgia. We should compel all persons, natural and
artificial, to respect and obey our laws.
Does Clark Howell deny the accusation brought by me against the railroads?
Does he deny that the Morgan-Ryan-Belmont interests work together in
beautiful harmony in Georgia?
By no means. On the contrary, he parries the blow by saying that if any
unlawful combination exists, Hoke Smith was the lawyer who represented
the law-breakers in court.
That’s a pretty defense for the railroads, isn’t it?
According to that kind of logic we must not enforce the law against
people who steal because Hoke Smith, as a lawyer, has actually defended
thieves. Logic of that sort would compel me to antagonize the law against
murder because as a lawyer, I defended dozens of men charged with that
crime.
Hoke Smith’s position as a candidate for governor is one thing; his
position as attorney in law cases is another; and there is no use trying
to fool the people about it. If the railroads have made an illegal
combination we must smash it, no matter who the lawyers were that
represented the railroads at that time.
* * * * *
My editorial states that the railroads treated our Railroad Commission
with contempt by refusing to obey its rules, its decisions, its orders.
As an example, I cited the case of the town of Flovilla, Georgia, where
the railroads had for two years refused to provide the accommodations for
passengers on their way to the Indian Spring.
Mr. Howell jumped on this statement with the triumphant crow of a bantam
rooster.
He had caught me telling what was not true. No wonder the little rooster
crowed. Not many men have upset statements made by me.
Like many another little rooster, Clark crowed too soon.
Listen:
Clark says: “The truth of the matter is, the Railroad Commission _ordered
the building of a new depot at_ Flovilla, and the records of the
commission show that THE ORDER WAS COMPLIED WITH.”
If the records of the commission show that, _Somebody_ has fooled the
Commission cruelly, for _there has been no new depot built at Flovilla_!
Crow again, little rooster.
* * * * *
In 1904 the railroad made an addition _to its freight room_, at Flovilla,
and stopped.
Hon. Pope Brown, Chairman of the Railroad Commission, had his talk with
me after we came back from the New Orleans Cotton Convention. I think
it was in the last week in January, 1905. It was not later than Feb.,
1905. At that time the railroads had done nothing for _the passengers_
at Flovilla. For a number of years the people of the community had been
clamoring for decent accommodations without success. The Mayor had tried,
and failed. The Railroad Commission had issued orders, and had been
treated with contempt.
[Illustration: “Crow again, little rooster.”]
Then what happened?
The thunder of the Anti-Corporation Campaign began to rumble. Hoke
Smith’s stern voice began to be heard calling the Railroads to judgment.
The Corporation law-breakers and Commission-Scorners began to tremble in
their boots.
And _in the Spring of 1905_, AFTER BROWN’S TALK WITH ME, the railroad
men got a move on and ran down to Flovilla, built a little shed for
passengers _near the old depot_ and put some water-closets in the old
depot.
_Crow again, little rooster._