The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-05
Railroad Men Were in Montgomery Captain White and MT. McElderry Want All Rates Reduced, But Railroad Commission rost-
 pones Matter Until
 June.

heated and somewhat bitter contro- versy yesterday between the representa- tives or the Merchants and Shippers As sociation of Alabama and ofhciais Of Ala bama railroads attended the first nearing by the Aiabma Railroad Commission, un- der the new law, of petitions for reduced freight rates.
 It was, perhaps the liveliest meeting ever held by the Commission. It devel- oped at the meeting that the strife be- tween the railroads and the shippers to secure reduced rates, under the new law, would be continued to the end and yes terday's meeting was d forecast of con troversies and agitation which bids fair to be very bitter.
 Capt. Frank s. White of Birmingham, attorney for the Merchants and Ship per's Association, fled with the Commis- sion a petition signed by l,000 citizens of Alabama, asking that the commission re- duce the Alabama freight rates to the level of the Georgia rates. The petition also asked for low river rates Tor points on the Tennessee River.
 In his remarks before the Commission. Captain White announced it as his in- tention and the intention of his associ- ates to pursue an aggressive and vigorous campaign for reduced freight rates. The Commission under the new law has the power to go into the courts and have it's orders enforced.
 The meeting of the Commission yester- day had been called for the purpose of
  hay and grain. but the discussion assumed so large a scope that the question was postponed until June l6, when reduction of alf freight rates will he considered. Matter Was Postponed. The meeting yesterday had lively start After a warm address from B. B. Conner. of Birmingham, c. T. McElderry of Talladega delivered heated speech which was perhaps the feature of the days proceeulngs. MT. McElderry de- t.l. 1c in, iul lNa m " violating the law 3S5 days out of the year.
 "The scalawags and carpet baggers of
 other days impoverish sd the State and | and although they were backed by Federal Judges and juries and Federal bayonets they had to go when the people | rose. Some of them went the rope route. ! but they went. I want to say that the people are not going to submit to con
 tinual violation of the States laws. They | are going to rise and put stop to 1t. l In the afternoon a heated coiloquy took place between B. B. Conner and | Vice-President Emmerson of the Atlantic | Coast Line. An exciting finish to the in- | cident was expected, but 1t passed of | with mutual explanations.
 | The meeting of the Commission was
 held in the Hall of the House of Repre- sentatives to accommodate the crowd. I The Merchants and Shippers Associa- l ton was represented by F. s. White and | E. B. Conner of Birmingham, Charles
 Henderson of Troy. and $. P. Rainer oi | Union Springs
 | Among Those Present.
 Among the railroad men present were C. A. Wickersham. President Of the Wes | tern of Alabama: W. A. Moody. Presi | dent of the Alabama Car Service Asso citation; J. NJ. Culp, Fourth Vice Presi
 eral Traffic Manager of the Southern; E A Neil, General Freight Agent of thu
 Southern; Walker D. Hines, Fourth Vice | President of the Louisville and Nashville | c. B. Compton. General Traffic Manager | of the Louisville and Nashville; r. c | Shepard General Freight Agent of tht | Louisville and Nashville: O. P. Bartlett | Chief Clerk to the General Freight Agen | of the Louisville and Nashville; Colone 1 A. A. Wiley. Attorney for the Atlantic | Coast Line; Colonel J. NJ. Falkner, At | torrey for the Louisville and Nashville | Railroad George w. Jones, Assistant At
 torney of the Louisville and Nashville | Major R. F. Steiner. Attorney for the
 Emmerson of the Atlantic Coast Line | Traffic Manager H. M. Emmerson of th'
 Atlantic Coast Line. James Menzies. Gen
 cral Freight Agent of the Atlantic Coas
 Line; R. E. Lutz. General Traffic Man | ager of the Western: s. B. Tyler Genera
 Freight Agent of the Western: George R | Browder, Division Freight Agent of thu l Southern: Jones c. Moore. President O
 the Birmingham Southern; E. K. Voor 1 hees. Traffic Manager of the Frisct l Route: General Agent Esten and Genera | Traffic Manager Wjuburn of the Central J. NJ. Denyven. Assistant General Freigh | Agent of the Mobile and Ohio; Charles P
 Jackson. General Agent for the Mobi
 and Ohio; Julian Fleetwood. Auditor O
 the Birmingham and Atlantic; A. Pope
 General Freight Agent of the East an'
 West: L. Sevier Traffic Manager of tn
 Alabama Great Southern; Seth Mabry O