The bee., 1905-11-16
DECLARE AGAINST
Rate Tinkerins Kentucky and
Y Tennessee Coal Operators
Go On Record.
DRAFT PETITION TO CONGRESS.

u ana portion OF lenneSsee,
which produce 100000 tons of
coal per annum, went on record
Tuesday against the Esch- Town
send bill at meeting held at
the Old Inn, In Louisville. Reso-
lutions were adopted and com
mittee was appointed to lay the
paper before Congress. .
John b. Atkinson, of Earling-
ton, president of the st. Bernard
Mining Company, presided and
Hywel Davies, of Kensee, acted
as secretary. Mr.. Atkinson, an
+, nounced that the purpose of the
meeting was to discus pending
legislation concerning railroad
rates and their possible effect on
the coal trade.
! The sch-Townsend bill was
I brought up by Mr.. w. II. Cole,
president of the Crescent Goal
Company, of Muhlenburg county,
who claimed that it would have
Z disastrous effect on the'rate of
coal. >" was followed by MIR.
M. $ FIBER. vice president of
the Straight Greek Coal Com
pany, of Bell county, who IN
dorsed Mr.. Coles views and said
n sibill provided for dangerous
Capitalization of power. Adj
1dresses were made by Messrs. j.
\Debrell and Hywell Davies. Mr..
pavies made a report on a meet
Ia}Dg held at Knoxville yesterday.
Me9srs. j. b. Atkinson, w. r..
Gee, NJ. S. Barber, III, Daviess
and j. Debrell were appointed a
committee TO draw up a suitable
petition TO Congress-. This petit
ton, which is as follows, was
unanimously adopted:
re respectfully petition the
United States Senate and House
of Representatives that we be
given an opportunity to be heard
on the Federal railroad rate leg
islation before the same is en-
acted into law.
1t is our belief that the de.
mand for rate legislation is the
outgrowth of failure Of some of
the common carriers to impartial
lyapply the published tariff to
all shippers by the granting of
rebates, or concessions from tariff
rates, either directly or indirect
lY.
TIE President of the United
States is right in demanding the
stoppage of all rebates, and we
believe that the Elkins law eff
fectively remedies the rebate
question W h en- properly en-
forced; aud we urge, in order to
enforce same, that such add.
tional steps be taken which are
necessary to provide the proper
machinery FOR the persistent and
affective stoppage of rebates Of
whatever character arising from
the failure to observe impartially
the published rates of railroads.
ANY legislation chat will radi-
call disturb the prevailing con
did BIS as to the making and
changing of tariff rates will in
IRE to our injury by destroying
the elasticity of present rate.
making methods; and so far as
coal rates are interfered with at
all by establishing rates depend
ing principally on mileage sue
cess will depend on geographical
relation to the points of con-
sumption, and local monopolies
will be created by law, which the
Dyesent elastic rate making meth
hdls make impossible.
A While we recognize that there
are evils to remedy, we do not
believe that the Esch- Townsend
Bill, or rany similar legislation
giving any commission the power
to make rates, will furnish any
relief, therefore we oppose the
!. passage Of same.
Z The coal industry furnishes the
largest tonnage of any one COM
modify, and any legislation af-
fecting its equilibrium in any
radical respect IS liable to cause
irreparable injury, not only to
the coal trade, but to all depend
ing employees and industries,