The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-11
COMMISSIONERS AND THE CUT.
A LARGE ATTENDANCE AT THE
CONFERENCE AT ATLANTA.

An Adjournment Follows the An
nOuncement of the Granting of an
Injunction by Judge speer-The
COnferees to RecOnvene If the In
junction Is DissOlved-A Demand
That Local Rates BE Reduced to
the Through Rate Basis If the War
Keeps Up.
Atlanta, Ga, Sept. 10-The conference
before the state railroad commission to-
day over the rate war situation, brought
to the city prominent railroad men repre-
senting all the lines at interest, and dele
cations from the commercial bodies of
all the principal cities of the state.
As far as the conference had proceeded,
when 1t was declared off, on account of
the receipt of kilograms announcing the
granting of the injunction by Judge speer,
1t seemed that the railroad commissioners
were disposed to favor an order that
would compel the lines to carry the rate
slashing into effect on local rates as well
as on through rates. The interruption
caused by this injunction, however. leaves
the policy of the state commission just
where it was at the beginning II the in
junction does not hold good and stop the
rate war, the matter viii be taken up
again, and Judging from the temper of
the commissioners, the result would be as
indicated above.
Commissioner Wilson of the North Car
olna railroad commission, and one OF the
South Carolina railroad commissioners,
were present at the conference, for the
purpose of getting information that might
be valuable to their states in following
whatever line of policy is adopted by the
Georgia commission. SO that If the rate
war is not settled by the courts, there
will likely be concert of action by all the
states through which the Seaboard and
the Southern pass, in the matter of en-
forcing reductions on local rates in the
same proportion that the through rates
may be cut.
The cities represented by delegations of
citizens and members OF their CONNER
cial bodies, all of whom Joined In urging
that the railroads be forced to grant
uniform rate sheet throughout the state,
We're Savannah, Macon, Augusta, Colum-
bus. Albany, Americus, Brunswick and
Griffin.
The merchants and shippers all de-
clared that they would prefer TO see the
regular rates re-established and the gate
war averted because of the demoraliza-
tion that 1t would bring about In the COM
mercial world, but If there was going
to be war, that no one city should have
the advantage Of the other.
Capt. Purse, representing the Savannah
Freight Bureau and the Savannah Board
of Trade, made the chief address before
the commission on behalf of the shipping
interests.
President Conner, General Counsel Cum
ningha and General Freight Agent Win
burn of the Central were present, and
represented that line.
Traffic Manager Culp Of the Southern
and Assistant General Superintendent
Thompson of the Southern were present
for that road; General Manager t. X.
Scott for the Georgia; General Freight
Agent Stone and and Counsel Hardeman
for the Georgia Southern and Florida; j..
NJ. Brown for the Western and Atlantic,
and General Freight Agent Roberts for
the Wrightsvile and Tennille.
President Hoffman and Vice President
st. John of the Seaboard were both in
the city, but neither appeared before tne
commission, the Seaboard being repre-
sented at the conference by General Su-
perintendent MacBee and Messrs. Glover
and Cheatham. General Agent Papy OF
the Plant system was also present.
Commissioner II. s. Hajnes of the South
ern Traffic Association was called upon by
the commission for a statement and said
that the Seaboard had begun the cut, and
that the associated lines had to cut
through, and competitive rates in order TO
meet the cut made by the Seaboard, and
that they had to protect themselves by
holding up the local rates to points where
they had no competition He said he
would like 10 see the rates restored, but
that seemed to be beyond the power of
anybody to do. The Seaboard he said,
reaches Macon over its connections, and
that made Macon a competitive point. Ma
con will have whatever benefit the through
rates to Atlanta amounts to, and all other
places in reach of Atlanta would get the
benefit of the through rate to Atlanta with
the local rate added.
Capt d. @. Purse wanted to know from
Col Haines II any arrangement had been
made whereby Savannah was not to suf-
fer from any discrimination I'm rates. Col.
Haines said that Savannah as a port would
get the same rate as a port as Atlanta
gets In through rates to and from Norfolk.
He said the whole adjustment Of rates In
the south that had existed for years. had
been upset, and for any man or set of men
to readjust them In day, or many days,
was a matter of physical impossibility.
When asked what effect the discrimina-
tion would have on manufacturers, Col.
Haines answered that they would be ef-
fected, but to what extent he could not
tell He said, however, that rate for
those classes of Industries would be made
after the figures had been prepared giving
rates on general freight. He said each
road is Jealous OF protecting the indus
tries on its line and he had no idea, but
what a rate would be made favoring all
clagses of manufactures