Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-09-04
ATTACHED TO DECISION IN MEN,
PHlS-cOTTON BELT
CASE.
Believe Grounds Furnished by Which
City May Be Enjoined From For
feiting Roads Charters.

Railroad men attach particular sig
nificance to the general findings of the
Interstate Commerce commission in
the matter of freight rates between
Memphis and points in Arkansas, says
the St. Louis Republic Involved in
the decision is not only the commerce
ial rivalry between Little Rock and
Pine Bluff on one side and Memphis
on the other. but also the scope of the
power which may be exercised by
state or municipal bodies IN regulat-
ing local freight rates. The findings
appear to be advantageous TO Little
Rock and Pine Bluff. as we'll as to the
railroads. and somewhat unsatisfac-
tory to James s Davant, as commits
sioner of the Memphis freight bu-
-reau.
The Inference drawn from the fnd-
ing by railroad men is that the freight
bureau and the city council of Mem
phis have relinonished a large meas
ure Ct authority over the companies
which enter Memphis The road, when
in dispute with the local freight bu-
reau or municipal officials. nav take
their causes before the Interstate
commerce, commission and. in so do.
ing have some legal security against
the city's annulling any franchise
rights or privileges.
The case in question was brought
by the Memphis freight bureau agains:
the Cotton Belt route. but i was a de-
parture from the bureaus policy.
Railroads entering Memp's nave.
been required to contract with the
city. upon receiving franchises. to
specify rates satisfactory 10 the bu-
reau. Should the rates be or become
unsatisfactory. the bureau may.
through its commissioner. prefer
charges with the city cOuncil and ask
to have the franchises annulled and
the privileges withdrawn
Legal points contained in the agree
ment have never been tested. except
indirectly in the present case. The
bureau had, however, compelled the
Iron Mountain. the Frisco ard the
Choctaw Oklahoma and Gulf roads
to decrease local freight rates. Sim
liar action was directed against the
Cotton Belt route, but this line operat.
ed in Memphis ovel be Iron Mountain
tracks. from Fair CATS. Ark. and
could moi be attacked with the same
force.
When the bureau reQuesed reduc-
tions of the Cotton Relt and threaten
ed procedure against the Iron Noun
tain. the Cotton Belt began TO disman-
tie its station and prepared 10 ahan-
oon Memphis. The bureau preferred
not 70 lose a railroad from Memphis,
and Commissioner Dayant suggested
that the matter be taken before the
Interstate Commerce commission for
arbitration The road cons MED to
this and continued operating its trains
into Memphis
The dispute beween the Cotton Belt
and the Memphis freight bureau was
over freight rates TO and from Arkan-
sas points. The road refused to re-
duce the rates declaring that it was
rot responsible for the low rates pre-
vailing locally in Arkansas, and these
rates had been imposed by the Arkan-
sas commission: that it would he un-
fair to reduce interstate rates to cor
respond with local Arkansas rates as
fixed by the Arkansas commission
ard furthermore that the rates in
effect between Memphis and point
in Arkansas Were fair and could sot
be reduced without iinparsne The rev
enues of the road.
The Interstate Commerce commits
sion decided broadly that the road is
not required to reduce rates on cotton
from local points in Arkansas to Mem