The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-03-24
LONG AND SHORT HAULS.
AN IMPORTANT HEARING ON TIE
DOCKET AT ATLANTA.

The Interstate Commerce Commission
to Sit There Today to Hear the Case.
Many OF the Roads of the State H.
volved IN the Proceedings and the
Merchants OF Several Towns Flnan-
cially Interested in the Outcome.
ATLANTA, GA, March 23.-Hou. Judson
C. Clements. with the other members Of the
interstate commerce commission, arrived
In Atlanta this afternoon. Tomorrow
the commission will sit in the United States
court room TO hear cases made by the
Georgia railroad commission under the long
and short haul clause Of the interstate
commerce commission act. The places
directly concerned in these cases are
Gainesville, Marietta, West Point, Albany.
Dawson, Cuthbert. Thomson, COvington.
Madison and Social Circle. Towns on the
Western and Atlantic, Central Southwest
ern. Atlanta and West Point and Georgia
railroads complained that the companies
operating these lines were violating the
fourth section Of the interstate commerce.
act. Marietta complains that the rate TO
that point is larger than the rate to At
Ianta- Social Circle has complained that
the rate from Cincinnati there was higher
than the rateto Augusta, and other towns
have had similar complaints.
ACTION OF THE COMMISSION.
Acting under a law passed by the last
general assembly, the Georgia railroad COM
mission took up those complaints. investi-
gated them, gave the railroads a hearing
and came to the conclusion that the law had
been violated. Pursuant to the state law
their next duty was to make cases against
these railroads before the interstate COM
merce commission, which was done, and
the hearing set for tomorrow, A
week ago the railroads endeavored to have
the cases postponed but the Georgia
commission refused to grant any further
delay. The cases will be watched with great
interest all over the country. The creation
of the interstate commerce commission so
far has failed to regulate the matter OF
freight rates between competing centers of
distribution and the smaller intermediate
towns.
SMALL MERCHANTS HOPELESS.
Small merchants who have all along been
the parties Disseminated against could not
afford to undertake the prosecution Of the
railroads for refusing to comply with the
rules laid down. and the big merchants who
enjoyed the discrimination, of course did
not want to interfere, but now the state OF
Georgia appears as the prosecutor and the
great point will be decided, as the cases will
be carried to the last ditch.
A case now pending in Judge Newman's
court was made against the railroad by
Social Circle merchants because the rate
from Cincinnati to Social Circle was higher
than from Cincinnati TO Augusta. The
interstate commerce commission decided in
favor of the plaintiff. but the Georgia rail-
road took the case into the United States
court. A great deal depends upon Judge
Newman's decision. II he sustains
the finding Of the interstate commerce
commission it will have the effect of decid-
ing in advance the possible appeal from the
decision of the interstate commission In
the other cases. The decision to be heard
Tomorrow will probably be followed by an
appeal to the supreme court of the United
States, for both seem determined TO fight
to the last point