The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-06-17
RESUMED l B. B. Conner Spoke Six
 Hours. MEETS AGAIN TODAY Railroad Officials from All Over Country are Here. Representative of Merchants Assoeia- tion Declares That Demand for Reduction Is to Be Carried
 to Supreme Court, If
 Necessary.

The organized, systematic fight for a general revision of railroad freight rates in Alabama was resumed yesterday be- fore the Alabama Railr oad Commission by the representatives of the Wholesale Merchants Association. The brunt of the fighting was borne by B. B. Conner of Birmingham, who spoke for six hours be- fore the Commission.
 In his address MT. Conner presented a startling array of figures comparing the freight rates charged in Alabama with those charged by the railroads in States figures presented by Mir. Conner showed that the freight rates were from 20 per cent to 100 per cent higher In Alabama than the same railroads charged in States where the law regulated the rates.
 The meeting attracted some of the high est and ablest railroad men in the South to Montgomery. The fight of the Mer- chants Association Is regarded as the most important movement affecting rail- roads in recent years in Alabama. The leaders in the present 6ght have declared 1t their purpose to revise the freight rates in Alabama until they shall correspond with the Georgia rates.
 The presence of the large party of rail. road officials at /the meeting of the Com mission yesterday was evidence of their appreciation of the importance of the is- sue now pending before the Commission. They will fight the proposition of gen. eral revision of freight rates to the last. The defense of the railroad men has not yet been outlined. They have not so Tar shown their hands.
 On the part of the Merchants Aspocia- tion the declaration was made yesterday that the fight would be kept up until equitable and just freight rates were ob' tained if the matter had to be carried to the Supreme Court of Alabama and the Supreme Court of the United States.
 Railroad oficials Here.
 The following prominent railroad of- ficials were present at yesterdays hear ing:
 From the Western of Alabama-c. A. Wickersham, President and General Manager, Atlanta; R. E. Lutz, Traffic Manager. Montgomery.
 From the Southern Railway-J. M. Culp. Fourth Vice-Presdent Washing ton: T. C.fPowell, Freight Traffic Man ager. Washington: R. C. Northrup Coun- sel, Washington.
 From the Cincinnati. New Orleans and Texas Pacifc-W. J. Murphy. Vice-Pres- ident. Cincinnati
 Alabama Great Southern--L Sevier. General Agent. Birmingham.
 From the Atlantic Coast Liner. M. emerson, nlTQ NlCe-HTeSluenI, W WlinllnB- ton N. C.; H. M. Emerson. Traf1c Marager, Wilmington. N. C.: James Menzies. General Freight Agent. Savan- nah. Ga; s. H. Dare, General Western Freight Agent. Cincinnati and St. Louis.
 From the Louisville and Nashville First Vice-President Walker D. Hines, Louisville. Ky; J. NJ. Falkner, Dis trict Attorney, Montgomery; George W. Jones, Assistant District Attorney. Mont gomery; F. C. Shepard, General Freight Agent Montgomery; c. B. Compton, Traffic Manager, Louisville. Ky
 From the Nashville Chattanooga and St. Louis-G. R. Knox, General Freight Agent Nashville. Tenn.
 From the Mobile and Ohio-E. l.. Rus sell. General Counsel, Mobile; J. T. Poe, General Traffic Manager. Mobile; Hai- den Miller, General Freight Agent, St Louis; c. P. Jackson. General Agent, Montgomery.
 From the Illinois Central-w, NJ 'Rhett General Freight Agent. New Orleans.
 From the Alabama Car Service Asso- ciation-Major W. A. Moody, Manager Birmingham.
 From the Seaboard Air Line and repre- senting the East and West Railroao-A Pope, Assistant General Freight Agent Savannah, Ga; c. D. TllIman Counsel, Birmingham.
 From the Central of Georgia-w. A. W,nburn. Vice-President and Freight Agent. Savannah: Major J. F. Hanson,