The age-herald., 1900-08-30
SOUTHERN FREIGHT
 RATES DISCUSSED Railway Commissioners in SeS-
 sion at Chattanooga. FOUR PRINCIPAL MATTERS Resolutions Prepared Memoraiizing
Resolutions Prepared Memoraiizing Congress to Pass Laws Affecting
 Railroad Rates Ben%fcial to the Whole South.

Chattanooga, Tenn, August 2e.-The rail way commissioners of the Southern States met today at Lookout Inn, on Lookout Mountain, for conference purposes persu- ant to call issued by J. D. McInnis, oi Mississippi, and others, for a conference as to railroad rates and classifications
 Judge J. Reagan, of Texas, was elected chairman. of the meeting, but declined, when J. D. McInnis, of Mississippi, was duly chosen, and John A. Webb, of Missis- sippi, was made secretary.
 On call of the States the following com missioners were present:
 Tennessee-N. W. Baptist, Thomas L. Williams and John L. Mckenzie.
 Louisiana-R N. Sims, w. L. Foster and ". M. Barrow.
 Kentucky-Hon. V. .. McChord, chair man
 BIississippi-,J. D. McInnis. A. o. May, J. c. Kincannon and J. A. Webb, secretary of the commission.
 Florida-Hon. H. E. Day.
 Texas-J. H. Reagan and L. J. Storey.
 Arkansas-F. M. Hanlin.
 Other Southern States were not repre- sented The following representatives of COfnIneTCldl DOuleS WeIS pISSShl'
 F. B. Thurber, of New York, chairman of the committee on railroad transportation of the National Board of Trade.
 J. M. Langley, of the Merchants Asso citation of New York.
 N. B. Kelley, secretary and commissioner of transportation of the Trades League, Philadelphia
 E. s. Thompson, of the St. Louis Traffic Bureau.
 J. J. Wait, of the Hardware League, Chi cago.
 B. B. Conner, of the Commercial Club, Birmingham, Ala.
 T. B. Barr, Merchants Association, Jack son, Miss.
 Railroad Officials Present
 Several railroad officials were present, but not participating. Judge Mclnnis in taking the chair, said, among other things, that nearly all the railroads are owned and managed by East and North, and that the business from the East and North to the South and from South to the East and North was fairly adjusted, but between any two Southern States the rates are all most prohibitory $ . for the simple reason that the needs of the contiguous States have never been properly considered To effect such change and give the Southern States the power to trade witt each other should be one of the main mis sions of this organization"
 He called attention to the four principal matters to come before the meeting. as follows:
 l. Sh4-. the organization endorse the "Cul- lom amendment" to the interstate com merce law?
 2 Uniform classification for all the South ern States
 3. Rates that do not discriminate against nearby States, and
 4. A system of joint freight tariffs be- tween the different roads in each of the Southern States.
 At the conclusion of Judge McInnins address a committee was appointed of which Judge Began of Texas was made chairman, to prepare resolutions memorial iZing Congress to pass laws affecting rail- road rates beneficial to the South. This committee, after retiring, reported the fol lowing:
 Resolved, By this convention of Rail road Commissioners, That we hereby me morialize the Congress or the United States to pass laws as folliws, to-wit: Such laws as will,
 "First-Enable the railroad commissioners Of the United States to fix and determ inc reasonable and just rates of freight and passenger fares on all interstate freight and passengers.
 "Second-To provide in cases in which the federal courts enjoin the making and en- forcing of freight rates by any railroad commissioner of a State and enforcement of such rate pending said injunction, suit nor until by the judgment of the proper court it is determined that the law and the facts under such injunction are proper.
 'Third-To provide that in any suit ol proceeding by which the rate of freight be. tween points in the same State shall bt brought in question as to whether they fur. nish just compensation to the railroads, tht State shall be credited with the amount oi freight due and payable on account of the freight carried over such railroad whether the same be derivable from State or inter- state shipments"
 Adopted.
 Moved and carried that the chairman of the committee prepare and forward copies of this resolution to the members of the Senate and House of Representatives of Congress and urge it's adoption.
 The resolution provoked considerable dis cuSsion.
 N. w. w. Baptist of Tennessee and oth- CTS opposed the second clause of the res olution, but upon being put to a vote il was carried by a large majority.
 MT. F. B. Thurber of New York then ad- dressed the meeting on Railway Rates and Classifications" after which the meeting adjourned until tomorrow.