The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-07-12
OF RAILROADS
AND OF RAILROAD MEN

Not satisfied with the charges already
pending against the railroads, the
Planters Compress Company has fled
two more complaints with the Inter
state Commerce Commission. Thirty
four of the largest roads in the country
are involved in the first troubles, and
now all Of these. with a number not
heretofore mentioned, must answer in
two matters which contain certain legal
points so abstruse that the Supreme
Court OF the United States may have to
be called upon after the Commission is
done with them.
The new complaints deal with the
distress rates" offered at odd times
by the steamship and railroad COM
panies, and with the sale Of expense
bills in the South.
The Compress Company alleges that
the distress rates" are a hardship 20
1t. and to all Of the smaller shippers
who do not happen to be ready to dis
pose of their crops Just at the time 4
steamship comes into port, and offers
TO take cotton to England at a lower
rate than usual, because the officers are
in hurry to get away and desire TO
make up a cargo at almost any price.
When two or more ships are Offering
these rates at Southern ports the rail-
roads cut their freight rates to meet
those of the steamship companies, and,
consequently, for few days at a time
it is possible to ship to Liverpool or
London at from one-third to one-half
the regular rates.
The larger compress companies Of the
South usually have a quantity of cotton
on hand, and when these rates are Of
fered they take advantage of them. The
square bale congresses have been bene-
fitting by the condition more than the
Planters Compress and it's round bale,
hence the complaint. The Boston com
pany is determined, apparently, that
now the square bale companies have
Joined the railroads in the first fight, TO
make things lively for them. The round
bale companies get a much lower rate on
steamships than do the square bale com
presses, but because Il has to buy all Of
the cotton il congresses, it cannot take
advantage as often OF the distress rates
as do its rivals. The Planters Com
pany alleges that these rates are a vio-
lation of the Elkins law.
In the sales of expense bills the
Planters Company alleges direct viola
ton and evasion OF the Elkins law II
asserts that in a case where a shipper
sent his cotton from Salem, N c., to
Raleigh, y. c., he was given what was
called an expense bill for the amount of
freight paid. This bill was later, It is
alleged accepted in payment for the
freight on cotton shipped to New York,
the shipper thus getting his cotton to
Raleigh for nothing, the railroad being
satisfied with the money made on the
New York shipment. 1t is also stated
that substitutions are allowed by which
the shipper can take any cotton at a
point to which be has made a ship
ment, and send it North on the bill OF
expense, keeping his own cotton at 2ny
POINT he may desire. In the complaint
II is alleged that the persons who bene-
ht most by this alleged violation Of the
law are the big cotton mills
The new complaints were fled yester-
day. and they are to be taken up for
consideration by the Interstate Com
merce Commission with the earlier com
pIriu4e this fall