The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-21
FIGHTING FOR A CUT
ATLANTA BUSINESS MEN COMPLAIN
 or FREIGHT RATES.
They Contend that the Railroads are Discriminating Against Their City to the Favor of Other
 Places,

Places.
 Atlanta. Ga, Oct. 20 .--The fight of Atlanta business men for lower inter- State freight rates Is becoming more heated. The Southern Railways ef- forts to obtain consent from the City Council to remove it's freight depot to another site has been met with a de- mand that lower rates be offered as a consideration, and the battle waxes fierce.
 For some time contention has been made that the Gate City is being dis criminated against in favor of other towns. The business men have be- come aroused and are using every ef- fort to secure lowering of tariffs. It is set forth that many firms havc been compelled to go out of business be- cause of interstate freight rates. The ultimatnm of the railroads to the city of Atlanta and the Atlanta freight bureau was presented yester- day afternoon by T. s. B. Thompson. general agent of the Southern Rail- way, during the session of the special committee. of which Councilman Mar tin F. Amorous is Chairman.
 '"The Southern Railway does not in- tend going into discussion of the freight rate question with either this or any other committee of the General Council" declared General Agent Thompson, in giving the ultimatum. .So far as Nelson Street is concerned we were trying merely to move our freight depot a quarter of a mile near ar the city. If Council proposes to put into the grant any such conditions as Is proposed by the Atlanta freight bureau, tell you right now that the Southern Railway will not move an inch and will remain where 1t Is now" The ultimatum of the railroads did not disturb the eauanimity of the mem- bers of the committee and, it Is said it served only to increase the zeal oi the business men and strengthen theii statements.
 At the mammoth meeting of busi. ness men at the Piedmont Hotel reso. Iutions were adopted pledgIng the sup. port of the Chamber of Commerce and the business interests of the city tc the fight for fair freight rates which the Atlanta freight bureau is now con- ducting.
 The resolutions follow.
 "whereas, the question of just and equitable freight rates. is the most vital question that has ever confronted the people of Atlanta. affecting as it does the commercial life of the city, the growth and expansion of manufac- turing, and tho ability to meet compe- titiori from distant cities upon even terms:
 "And, whereas for many years unjust and excessive discriminations upon the part of the railroads have existed against the commercial interests of Att lanta and in favor of cities in other States and the merchants and manu- lecturers of this city have endeavored 1 ka xxrov oY.I r. innate channel, to induce the various railroad corporations entering this city and deriving a large and profitable business therefrom to yield to the dic- tates of common justice, by removing inequalities admitted to be wrong, and the promulgation of tariffs acknowl- edged to be just. and all such efforts have been fruitless. although prom ises of adjustment have been frequent ly made but never fulfilled. and such oppressive tariffs have either remained stationary for a long period of years or from time to time have become more and more oppressive, by changes In classification of freights and other in- genious methods, all tending to in crease the burdens laid upon our mer- chants and manufacturers for the pur- pose of swelling the revenues of the railroads. placing shippers at an enor- nous disadvantage fin comparison with the rates accorded to other cities. simi- larly situated and entitled to no ad- vantage over this city. either by req son of location or tonnage:
 N And. whereas, after exhausting all reasonable efforts and making appeal 10 the railroad authorities. from the high est officials of many of the railroad systems, to the lowest official having Jurisdiction in such matters, to remedy the injustice acknowledged to exist and to correct the wrongs which are patent to all, all such appeals have met with either peremptory refusal in the first instance or promises of adjustment which have never been fulfilled:
 And, whereas, the Atlanta freight bureau has appealed to the Railway Commission of Georgia. and that body. after a patient and exhaustive hear ing and mature consideration, has found the fact that unjust and oppres- sive disc criminations do exist. and has undertaken, by suitable and proper orders to put in force a more equitable scale of commodity rates within this State, all of which orders have been met with injunctions from the federal courts, issued at the instance and in behalf of every railroad system enter ing this city. such railroads having for
 
 association or pool. for the purpose of prescribing and enforcing oppressive freight rates and destroying all natural competition. thereby evidenc- ing their fixed determination to con- tinue indefinitely and for all time. If they are permitted to do so. the present system of discrimination against this city and against the people of Georgia;
 Now, therefore, in view of these we'll known facts and the great hard ship wrought upon the commercial and manufacturing interests of this city and State:
 Be 1t resolved. by the Atlanta Cham Der of Commerce. in convention assem- bled. That we deprecate the situation which is known to exist, whereby the railroad corporations of this State have for many years and are now enforc- Ing such rates for the transportation of freight as are burdensome, oppressive and discriminatory against the shippers of Atlanta and the shippers through out the State. and in favor of cities in