The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-12
RAILROADS GIVEN SOLAR PLEXUS BLOW Excluded From Councils of
 the Stockmen HACKERS ARE ADMITTED Question Precipitates Hot Debate In Executive Committee Sessions. cowan Wants No Changes
 In Commerce Law.
HACKERS ARE ADMITTED

Denver, Colo, January 1.-The reorgan- ization plan of President J. N. Hagen barth by which the National Livestock association was to be remodeled and It's control vested in a board composed of representatives of the trades and inter- ests allied to the raising of livestock, has been torn to pieces as far as the railroads are concerned.
 For two days an executive committee composed of three representatives of each industry has been working on the pro- posed reorganization, and 1t will re- quire at least one more day to finish It's works. No report will be made to the convention before Friday morning.
 Before it was definitely concluded to prevent the railroads from acquiring membership in the association a bitter fight was waged in the committee room. The Texas and Colorado cattlemen be- came so wrought up over the possibility of the railroads having a voice in tf> management of the Livestock association that they announced their intention to withdraw from the association if the measure was carried. Other western or ganizations gave evidence of a desire to take similar action, and the adoption of the plan to admit the railroads would probably have resulted in the disruption of the National Livestock association.
 Packers Are Admitted.
 There was lively debate over the packers but 1t was finally decided to permit them to herd with the elect and they will be admitted into the association. All of the branches of the live stock industry will also be allowed to have representatives in the organization. only the railroads re- main outside
 The roads are at a disadvantage as far as a hearing Is concerned. They have no representation In the convention. and are unable to make reply when speeches attacking them are made. Their cause has been upheld before the va rious committees by men who believe that they should be admitted. but they are not trained traffic officials.
 The general committee today compiled a new set of bylaws for the organiza- tion which are to be presented tonight, considered anew by the committee to- morrow morning. referred to the various organizations tomorrow, considered by the committees and finally presented 10 the conference action on Friday morn ing
 sGovernmental regulation of interstate transnortation" was the subject of an exhaustive address by s. H. Cowan of Fort Worth, Texas. at today's session He prefaced his address proper by say ing that the stockmen wer> continually re- minded that they should live In harmony with those with whom they did business, and particularly witt the railroads. The roads in Texas, ne asserted, had increas- cd their rates on cattle within the past two years by from 20 to 30 per cent. Dur ing that period, he said the prices for cattle had gone up but 10 per cent. There was small chance for harmony, he thought, under these circumstances, un- less a few concessions were made by those on the other side of the question.
 Opposes New Statute.
 The existing interstate commerce law had been of great value, he declared, and he was opposed to the enactment of a new statue which might possibly de- stroy the benefits derived from the pres ent law without compensating benefits. The speaker insisted that the present law was adequate when some of it's im- perfections had been eradicated, and he proceeded to point out some of it's de- fects, among the chief of which he cited the wording of the long and short haul" clause, and he suggested alterations which would make it more effective than at present.
 The claim made by the railroads that he law would tend to make freight rates ,,nproftable to them, he declared to be unfounded.
 The vital fault with the interstate com