The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-23
COCKRELL AND FIBER
COMMERCYA8.ttac tt e caMIssIoNERs RE-
 FORE SENATE COMMITTEE.
Other Witnesses Also Appear Before Body, Whose investigation of Railroad Rates Has About
 Drawn to Close.

Washington, May 22.-Interstate Commerce Commissioners Francis M. Cockrell and Joseph W. Fifer were among the witnesses today before the Senate committee on interstate conn merce, whose investigation of railroad rates has almost drawn to a close.
 Commissioner Fifer spoke of rebates and rate cutting and said they were induced by railroad men distrusting each other. Rates. he said. should be made by the railroads in the first place, but should be subject to re- vision. He said the commission would adjust a rate complained of in accord ance with rates on like commodities in other sections under like conditions. He thought the adjustment of the long and short haul difficulties should be left to the commission. He believed that the power of rate regulation, if given to the commission. would not be used very often, as the railroads would be more careful in that event about making rates. The commission, he said. should have power to prevent discrimination in rates.
 Former United States Senator Cock rell of Missouri, now a member of the commission, said he would leave the origination of rates to the railroads, giving the commission the power to condemn a rate found to be unreasona-
 
 take effect immediately. The rail roads, he contended. should have the right to appeal to the courts and the latter should determine whether tho railroad rate was unreasonable or the commissions rate unreasonable. He would make the railroads responsi- ble for icing and other charges of private car lines.
 s. H. Cowan, representing the live .f yauf al appeared today. He contrOverted statements by other witnesses as to satisfactory rate conditions and claimed that the cattle rates were too high. He asserted that the railroads had used diligence to bring men here to testify to satisfaction with rates. He charged that these witnesses may have come on passes and that 1t was possible that an intimation was given them that it was better for them to come.
 Chairman Elkins remarked that the committee had summoned all the men whose names had been furnished by Mir Bacon in the interest of the pro- posed Legislation and that expenses and per diem had been allowed all who appeared
 MT. Cowan maintained that live stock transportation was the most
 
 southwest He charac terized the Esch- Townsend bill as worse than no legis- lation.
 A delegation of eight citizens of Danville. Va, testified In favor of rate Legislation at tonights session of the committee The delegation consisted of Judge Aigen, Eugene Willis, W. P. Hodnott, C. Wemple, A. W. Taylor, n. Kaufman, E. T. Swayne and John Garter MT. Willis was spokesman. He said that Danville had appealed to inc Interstate commerce. commission and had eventually lost because the soutbern Railway took the case to the limited States court from which the cItv appealed to the circuit court of anneals Both courts decided in favor of the railroad and upheld the rates Tn question. MT. Willis filed with the committee a list of the rates wnicn he alleged were extOrtionate.
 E c Davis of Chicago who said he was shippers consignee. spoke against the private car lines. 1neiden- taIlv he charged all the express com nanies. railroad companies and private car lines with abuses and extortion. He said he had appealed to the inter state commerce commission and that nis case had been rejected.
 The committee will hold an execu- five meeting tomorrow morning to de- teruine whether to close the hearings.