The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-22
RAILROAD RATES
 ON COTTON GOODS
Hearing Before Interstate Com merCeConmlSsion Interesting
SOME OF THE TESTIMONY
Question Relates to ReasonabIeness of Rates From Southern Cotton Mills to West as Compared
 With New England.

lhe recent hearing before the inter- state commerce commission at Atlanta with reference to the rates on cottton piece goods from southern mill points to western points was of much interest to cotton manufacturers and the railroads. me question involved relates to tine req condolences of freight rates from south ern cotton mills to the west, as com pared with the rates from New England territory.
 What brought up the question was the complaint on the part of the Reliance Textile and Dye Works company of Cincinnati and Covington, which insisted that the rates to these points were unfav- orable as compared with the proportional rates that the various southern lines named to Ohio river crossings. These rates form the basis for all rates to the west, the southern lines recognizing the competition from New England.
 The following Is taken from the Atlanta Constitutions report of the hearing:
 Northern and New England mills claim that they are discriminated against in this matter and want the freight rates from southern mills increased On the other hand, the southern mills state that the rates prevailing in the south at pres ent do not discriminate against the mills of New England and the north. More than this, they claim that the rates are equitable and also that as the output of the southern mills is directly in com tI,a 70 ,1 New England, the raising of rates in the south for southern mills would make 1t impossible for the southern mills to com pete with those of the north for western trade as they do at present.
 E. P. Wilson and J. J. Hooker of Cin- cinnati are counsel for the Covington company and during the late afternoon officials were such as brought out some rather abrupt answers that were most pertinent.
 Traffic Manager T. c. Powell of the Southern railway, was on the stand, and was asked, after he had given much tes- timony to the effect that rates on cotton goods to the west from the mills were Just and equable. where he had secured this information, and If he was an expert. This question was in regard to the state- ment made by MT. Powell to the effect that the products of the southern mills was of the kind that was in direct com petition with those of the New England mills in the western market.
 T am in possession of expert testimony which receive from those in a position to know'' replied MT. Powell.
 State from whom you secured thir information" said MT. Wilson of Gin cinnati.
 q secured this information confden- tally" replied Mr.. Powell,
 "Can you give or can you secure a statement giving the statistics of tonnage of the various kinds of cotton goods shipped from the various southern mills and of the New England mills such as would show that the southern mills are In direct competition with the products Of the New England mills In the west?'
 T have not that information. I could get 1t If you would pay the expenses should say that it would require the work of a dozen or more men for month" answered MT. Powell.
 Then it was that the counsel from Gin cihnat stated to the commissioner thai he thought the burden of responsibility of proving this competition between the southern and the New England mills rest ed on the railroads.
 "Tell me what you want and just what you want" replied MT. Powell. The matter was settled by the counsel deciding to prepare statement of just what they wanted in the way of statis- tics which would be presented at the hearing today.
 Thomas Barrett, president of the Clear water Bleachery and Dye works, was the first witness. In straightforward and impressive way, he testified with facts and figures that so far as the freight rates on cotton goods were concerned. the south ern mills enjoyed only such rates as were just and equitable and that there was no discrimination in their favor over that of the northern and New England mills in rates to the west. Superintendent P, J. McNamara of the Lanette Bleachery and Dye works, followed with practically the same testimony.