The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-31

to take effect Jan. l. 1900. At the con-
clusion of the testimony taken at the
hearing on the 21St and 22nd inStantS, ceF,
tain protesting shippers requested that a
transcript of the proceedings be trans
mitted to the attorney general, claiming
that violation of the antitrust law had
been shown. Accordingly. you have
transmitted copies of official classical
tiOnS numbers 19 and 20, a copy of the
order for the hearing, a transcript of the
proceedings, and copy of the resolution
and petition of certain shippers. You ex-
press no opinion upon the matter, but
properly leave me to determine whether
the facts show warrant for me in apply
ing for an injunction to restrain the oper-
tion of the new classification on the
ground that inf adopting it the railroad
companies violated the antitrust law.
The interstate cOmmerc &c act went into
effect in 1887. To comply with it's pro-
visions it was necessary for the railroad
companies operating in the same terri
tory to simplify their freight cIassifica-
ton. Accordingly, a a convention of the
railroads, a committee was appointed to
prepare an official classification and sub
nit it to the companies for their adop-
ton. This was done and an official classi-
tication was adopted which was filed
with the interstate commerce commission
and went into effect April J. 1881 Since
that time nineteen official classifications
have been prepared, submitted to the rail-
road companies, adopted and filed
CLASsIFICATIONS FILED.
during the current year two ella SSifi-
cations were filed, No. Is on Feb. l, 1899,
and No, 1e moW in force on July l. 1899
It appears from the testimony taken be-
fore you that this official classification is
used substantially by the carriers Operat-
ing in that part of the United States
north of the Ohio and Potomac rivers
and east of the Mississippi river. There
is an official classification committee.
composed of some fourteen railroad Off
GERS from different sections. This com
mittee meets on the call of it's chairman.
or upon the request Of three members
At its meetings suggested changes are
considered, such changes as the commit
tee, with substantial unanimity recon-
mend, are noted by the chairman and in
cOrporated into new official classifica-
ton. which is then submitted to each
company for its individual action. Some
sixty railroad companies thus 1ndepend-
emily pass upon the classification They
signify their adoption to the chairman
who after the official classification has
thus been adopted, files 1t with the inter
state commerce commission in compli-
ance with the law.
''Fhe legality of the method of prepar-
ing, adopting and fling the official classi-
tication has never before been questioned
ror, indeed, was it questioned in the
complaints. leading to your order of the
Sth inst, which were that the changes
made are discriminating and wrongful ,
and will subject shippers and shipments
in the territory affected to unrea Sonabe
charges and unjust discrimination and
undue prejudice and disadVantage.' The
hearing had to permit the carriers to
explain to the shippers the reasons for
the proposed changes with a view to an
amicable adjustment Of the differences.
During the course of the testimony it
was repeatedly suggested that your com
mission had no power to take official ac-
tien atl that time, but that after The
classified tion had gone into effect it
would be open to shippers to make
formal complaint invoking the remedy
provided for unreasonable rates and un-
just discrimination by the interstate COM
merce law. During the course of the
hearing the shippers who were present
protesting against the changes requested
the carriers to postpone the time for
the official classification to take effect