New-York tribune., 1899-12-29
FREIGHT CLASSlFlCAIlo1>' "
rv1pENcE LAID BEFORE Aiioi'i'D'
GENERAL GRIGGs.
rur INTERSTATE COMMERCE. COMMISSION ''''
p,Jrs n PART WITH THE REQUEST oF
SHIPPERS. But MAKES no RECON-
,rxn.r,ox As TO PROCEEDINGS
AGAINST RAILRoAps.


AGAINST RAILRoMDs
. Noe 2s-The Inte=tate Commerce
",, d, counliance with tise request Vi 'he
49,, SINNERS and representatives OF
,,,o-oe,e transmitted to Attorney oe"V'" 10
a ,ranscriDt Of the evidence taken az -" r~,ah,
1ssi week respecting the new cassn'ca'o..o Tsho
,,ade by the OHcal Classification Commune
nroposcd classification IS to be ntiue en- -,
January by all railroads using rle on'.a .
e~ation These include more than sixty 'lheS cas-
~ the Nississippi and north OF tine ono anu ~
tomac rivers The petition OF the smpper""As '"a'
,he Commission should tratsmit the evidence 'aA'
before Il to the Attorney General WIN ie'0'-
rneudation that he institute leSds Woceeui"s7' DS
,ntupction or otherwise. to restrain the raiiroduS
from putting tae classification INTO ene's. WIN
,he re1nest OF the shippers the C0Innlsfio" " pa
complies Tho evidence and argum nts are trans
,rited 10 IN, Attorney General hut without recom-
1nendaiion -
The letter of transmlttal Is long ttse Commission
desiring TO place the fully before Ihe ATTORNEY
General. After reviewing the proceedings "hich
led up to the hearing. the letter. which Is signed
for me commission b, Martin a. Knapp as'chair-
man. reads
In the oursc Of This hearing the Commission took
the testimony o. =. +. Gn. cnarinaa Of the Otcial
InansCer Of the New-York Central ana Hudson
Rive Rar9ad Gompany aea e e'9H who
il also the general freight trafhc manager OF the
A. the concusion Of the testimony given by these
witnesses an application was madS in writing 10y
many oi Ih% 20 tb Attorney General Of the
T-pited states ;he claim being made by them that
spess Commonly known as the Sherman Antitrust
law In compliance with this request. the Com
mission herewith transmits to you copy or . Ihe
entire proceedings had al the hearing on the Zsi
and 22d inst There is also sent WITH Hsd this copy copy
Mr.. GIN. above stated. together with copy OF
the Official classification heretofore and now in use
Since the order made the Sth inst, large
number of petitions and protests nave 3een III IT,
ceived from shippers in various parts OF nhe terri
tory above described and such petitions nave con-
tfnued to be received down to the present tune
These petitions and protests will be transmltted 10
you at any time upon your request. and the Com
mission will promptly furnish any further iniorna
tion which can be supphed from 'he Ieco'uS 'i'"
While it is not the province of this Commission ss
TO shows a violation OF the Antitrust law ana no
certain features Of the case TO which we deem it
proper TO call your attention.
fact appears to be that the class rates at present
in force and which will presumably be applied to
hisher Than they We're in 1851 when the act to
late commerce was passed Almost all the chanses
higher ssher Classes. The result viii be- if the present
class rates are continued that charges on any art ~
Gle advanced to higher class VIII be lncresseo & Ps
the difference between the rates appned 10 inc
s fasf brbr m %h Ta ne of be Class to Which, 4 has been
advanced This increase is considerable in all cases
and very great IN many cases. amounting IN some
Instances TO 100 per cent or more
These changes in classification are 10 be made
om the ne Tces and thereby
the revenue derived by the carriers from the trans
portation OF such articles. The number and variety
if articles advanced are shown by list Of the same
annexed hereto.
The protesting shippers assert that increases IN
rates. to the extent effected by these changes ~
classification. are without justification, and will
result in excessive charges upon most Il not all
OF the articles in ouestior They also allege that
hardship and injustice will further result from the
changes which will be made in relation OF rates
and especially from the increases in the difference
between carload and less than carload charges. "
their contention IN these respects is well founded
es TO which express opinion, wrong y
about 10 be accomplished which the Commission
l. powerless TO prevent and for which the act 10
regulate commerce affords adequate redress.
The facts above set forth are submitted +for your
consideration.
Attorney General Griggs. who is III to-day has
given. OF course. intimation yet as 10 what
action. II any he may take IN the premises Neces-
sarily he will have 10 review the testimony before
he can reach an intelligent conclusion. In any
event It is said IT will be several days before the
matter be determined.