The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-22
OF Complaints Of Alleged Discriminating
Changes In Rates.
Chairman Gill Of the Official Glass
ifcation Committee Maintains
That the Proposed Advances
Of Railroad Maintenance, and
Are Applied to Glasses Of
Freight That Can Pay Them

WASHINGTON, Dec. PA hearing
was begun to-day by the Interstate
Commerce Commission in the matter Of
changes in freight classification and adj
vances in freight rates by carriers using
the classification.
Many complaints have been filed with
the commission alleging that discrisn-
mating changes in freight classical
ton have been agreed upon to take eff
feet on January 1, 1900. To determine
this questiC.4, the hearing of to-day
was held. Many of the most prominent
railway officials of the Eastern part
of the country attended the hearing,
and representatives of large shipping
interests of the same section were also
present
At the opening of the hearing c. E.
Gill of New York, Chairman of the
Official Classification Committee" said
the railroads were without knowledge
of the persons who had requested the
hearing, and asked that they be called
on to state wherein the proposed
changes were unjust.
Mr. Gill maintained that the proposed
advances in freight rates were due to
the increased cost of railroad plants
and maintenance, and the advances had
been applied to classes of freights that
could pay them.
Mr.. Gilrs contention that the ship
pers be first interrogated was over
ruled. and he himself was put on the
stand.
He said that all protests would be
considered by the Classification Com
mittee, but the committee was satisfied
the proposed advances were necessary
on account of increased cost of rail-
way operations. He intimated that for
the same reason still further advances
probably would have to be made. Upon
many articles Mr.. Gill maintained
that existing rates of freight were ''un-
justifably low"
In the course of long examination
by w. A. Day, attorney for the COM
mittee, Mr.. Gill gave no reasons for
the proposed advances upon spe-
cial articles or classes of freight
except general reasons, which APP
piled to all freight. He maintained
that the proposed new classifications,
generally speaking, were reservations OF
freight rates which prevailed in times
past, when commercial and trade con-
ditions were similar to what they now
are His replies to a long series OF
questions indicated that his own belief
and that of his colleagues on the CLASH
fication Committee was the recent
marked advance in the price of railway
equipment and operating-in steel rails
and all forms of steel and iron, ETC.
rendered it necessary for the railroads
in a degree proportionately to advance
freight rates. He said freight rates
had been on a gradually descending
scale for twenty years, but he was
unable to say whether the proposed new
rates would be higher or lower than
the rates which prevailed in 1892.
In a statement to the commission At
torney Day said a comparison OF the
proposed rates on certain specific aru-
cles showed that the new rates would
be higher than ever had existed since
the commission was created.
Judge G. "A. Prouty, a member OF ina
commission, instituted line of inquiry,
the questions and answers indicating
that in 1887 the railroads paid more
for steel rails and other articles OF
equipment than they had to pay now
In view of these facts, he desired TO
know why the Classification Commit
tee deemed it necessary to increase the
rates.
! Mr.. Gill replied, as he had previously
done, that in the rates on articles which
had advanced they could well stand
them. and the railroads needed the
additional revenue which the advances
would give them He indicated by his
answers that the present prices of arti-
cles and the prices in 1887 had little.
if anything, to do with the action. or
the committee, except that, in general
way, the committee felt that the artl-
cles on which increases had been made
could afford to pay them. While pro-
tests against the proposed rates had
been received from shippers. the ship
pers had not been afforded an oppor-
tunity to be heard by the committee,
as it was not the practice of the COM
nittee to accord such hearings. AS
Chairman, he heard the protests ana
communicated their substance to the
committee. Protests against the pro-
posed classification had not been con-
sidered by the committee, and would
not be until after the classification mad
gone into effect.
The committee then took recess UNI
til 2 o'clock.
Revolt Suddenly Terminated.