The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-07
COTTON RATE NOT TO BE CUT.
STATE COMMISSION WON'T ORDER A
REDUCTION.

Commissioners Fort Disscnts FrOnn
the Decision and Thinks some Re-
duction should Have Been Ordered.
The other Commissioners Base
Their Decision on the Financial
Condition of the RaIIronds-Text OF
the Dissenting OpiniOn-A Big VIC
tory for the Roads.
Atlanta, Ga. Aug. 6.--With a prompts
tude hardly expected by either side the
state railroad commission this. afternoon
announced its decision in the cotton rate
case. refusing to grant the petition for a
reduction Of twenty-five per cent. No re-
duction at all was conceded, tho commits
sion baslng It's action upon the ground
that the present rate is just and reason
able considered in connection with the
condition in connection with the condition
Of the railroads as ascertained by the
commission from the showlngs made by
the roads.
Commissioner Allen Fort filed a dis
senting opinion. He takes the view, tha6
while It might not have been just to grant
the twenty-five per cent. reduction, still
the present rates are not fair TO the far
mer and should have been lowered. 1t has
been known for some time that Commls-
sloner Fort was of this opinion, as hes
intlmated as much months ago when tha
fertilizer rate was before the commis-
sion.
The decision is a clean victory for the
railroads The reduction asked for would
have meant a heavy loss to them in rev.
enue. a loss which they declared they
could not have stood without going to the
verge Of bankruptcy in some instances.
The fact that the commission bases it's
refusal to grant the reduction upon the
ground that the condition of the roads
Will not admit Of sucAsa a reduction In rev.
enue win probably have the effect, at
least the railroad men say they hope it
WILL of keeping down similar adverse
movements for a while at least.
Here is what Commissioner Fort says in
dissenting from the action of Commis-
sioners Trammel and Crenshaw: Il cam
not agree with my esteemed and able as
sociates in the conclusion at which they
have arrived In the cotton rate case.
While being utterly unwilling to give my
vote In favor of any rate that / did not
believe to be just and reasonable to the
ldHIbdh6f am ttludllN lucdDdDie OF nav
ing my vote recorded in favor Of a rate
that did not believe to be just and rea-
| sOnable to the public. After much consid-
| Grafton In relation to this cotton rate
| question, the evidence and argument sub
mitted, and such other Information as
have been able to secure, ! am clearly Of
the opinion that the present rate on cotton
is unjust and unreasonable and should be
reduced, ana that in doing so no
wrong would accrue to the railroads.
nor injustice done them. The increased
production of cotton, the decreased price
the economy In transportation the condl-
ton of the railroads # the state, ALL in
my judgment, justify substantial reduc-
tiOn OF the rate. II the present rate was
just and reasonable when It was fixed
under existing changed conditions, the
rate il certainly unjust and unreasonable.
and while / am not prepard to say that
the reduction should have been as great
as was asked for by the petitioners, L
am fully convinced that a substantial re-
duction should have been made.
II cannot now file a fun statement of
the reasons which have led me to this con-
clusion for want Of time. / reserve the
right to fle within thirty days from this
date full dissenting opinion, giving in
detail the reason which led me to the
above conclusion.
There has been a good deal OF gossip
about Commissioner Forts attitude to-
Wdtu the Ialifodds OF late, aSCrlDlng MS
views 20 his possible candidacy for gov
ernor next year. Judge Fort has not,
however, said that he intended to run for
governor, and the talk Of his possible can
didacy affecting his views as railroad
commissioner is unjust to him. It Is true
that Judge Fort is not an applicant for
reappointment to the commission, but this
Is only because he knows that some one
else Is slated for the position and his ap-
plication would be useless. From one OF
his friends it Is learned that instead of
laying pipes for the governorship, he is
thinking a good deal more about another
race for congress against Mr. Lewis, who
defeated him last fall