The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-06
New Turn in the Railroad
 Investigation. SHARP WORDS USED
President Smith of L. & N.
 CriticiSeS MT. Conner.
Chairman of Railroad Commission De. clares He VIII Employ Lawyer Out of His Own Pocket to
 Represent People

The Alabama Railroad Commission yesterday held morning, afternoon and night sessions in its examination of the railroad officials of lines operating in this State, the night session having been determined upon to start hurried ly the question of a general revision of tariff other than those on fertilizers There were numerous clashes De- tween the railroad representatives and President B. B. Conner of the Commis- sion. but the climax in the vfgor With which the president is catchising the high officials that appeared before that body was not reached until the pro- ceedings turned into an acrimonious debate among the memoers of the com- mission themselves.
 Toward the end of the afternoon session, President Milton H. Smith of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad stating that he represented the freignt traffic managers of all railroads in Ala bama announced that they were pre- pared to remain for further examina- tion or were willing to leave with the commission the testimony that had been already brought out, to consider a revision of the general tarifs of the roads. Testimony on the question of readjusting the fertilizer rates had closed at the morning session.
 Associate Commissioner w. T. San ders made a motion that the commits sion forthwith proceed with testimony bearing on the general revision of tariffs in accordance with the decision of the commission on the first day of the meeting. President Conner, after MT. Sanders's motion had been second- ed by Commissioner Wiley c. Tunstall, objected to going at once into such a
 m ment to take 1t up next week as early as possible.
 Mir. Conner Not Prepared.
 President Conner gave as his reason for postponing the general revision that 1t was so sudden that he, as the representative of the people," had had no time for preparation and proposed that an attorney be sought of the Gov ernor to present the side of the State. q think that with such an alert chairman as you have shown yourself Do be-" replied Commissioner Sanders sarcastically. "the people or the State would need no attorney"
 The president thanked the associate commissioner for the remark and said that if time was not given him to con- Ter with the Governor for authority for an attorney to represent the com mission in such an emergency he would pay the expenses of one out of his own pockets.
 The President in defense of his lack of preparation reminded Commissioner Sanders that at the last regular meet ing his associates had stated they would not have time to consider at this meeting anything more than fer tilizer rates. He said that for this reason the proposition to make a gem eral revision came to him like clap of thunder out of the clear sky"
 MT. Sanders replied that he thought the fertilizer question enough to take up at one time but since there was such a representative assemblase of traffic officials present he saw no req son why the general revision should not be considered.
 After an extended colloquy, the as soeiate commissioners carried, over the Presidents head motion to adjourn until 8 o'clock last night when testi- mony began bearing on general tar1ns in the State.
 Accusation of Mfr. smith.
 President Smith of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company. en- gagged the Chairman in more vehe- ment and sensational tilt yesterday af- ternoon than even on Tuesday. MT. Smith made the accusation that Chair man Conner has been trying to create friction between the railroads and the  Investigations had apparently consti- tuted himself judge, prosecuting at torney, witness and complainant" He questioned justice to the railroads from the Commission under such a combination.
 These and several other insinudtions against the President of the COmmis- sion were made yesterday afternoon in a speech of over an hour by MT. Smith. They were caustically an- swered by the Chairman in tirade almost as long. in which respect for the managerial ability of the high railroad official was expressed and the official was told of common report in this State that Louisville and Nash vile Railroad agent has sat between these two halls and practically dictat- ed for a number of years the lesisla- tion of Alabama"
 President Smith of the Louisville and Nashville. who has been in Montgom- cry since the opening of the meeting Monday, left last night for Atlantl, Ga. where he goes to attend meet ing of the Georgia Railroad Commis- sion.
 The Alabama Commission has not yet taken a vote on the question of a fertilizer rate reduction although all the testimony on that issue has been closed. It is supposed that a decision will not be made until the tariff peo- pie complete their testimony on gen eral revision of rates and classifca- tions.
 It Is conceded by both the Commis- sion and the railroad officials that the Investigations into the fertilizer ques- ton were so broad as to have adduced evidence which will apply to the gen. eral revision proposition. On this ac- count it is not believed that each class of tariff will demand as full an in- yestigatton as has the fertilizer ques- tion.
 MIR. SMITHS ADDRESS.