The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-09
Decatur Meeting Also Acts on
 immigration Question
MITCHELL ENTERS PROTEST
James H. Patton Wants Moro Re- stricted Immigration-Offlcers Elected for Coming
 Year.
BY SEYMOUR RANSOM.


 Decatur. November S.-(Special.)--The Alabama Commercial and Industrial asso- citation in the closing hours of it's eleventh annual convention, held today protested indirectly against President Roosevelts | policy of federal regulation of railways' characterized railways as the greatest developers of the country, and defeateo by a decisive majority the passage or a resolution that condemned alleged dis- criminations in Alabama freight rates. l Discussion of railway regulation and railway freight rates came up In the last hour of the convention when the re- port of the committee on resolutions wal submitted Sensational developments had 1 been expected. however and throughout yesterday and today the hall was filled l with atmospheric action. The committee reported number of resolutions which were adopted and read.
 Among them was one, which. referring l to railway regulation by federal author l ity, expressed appreciation of the patriotic stand taken by the vast majority of the delegates at the recent interstate com meree law convention, held in Chicago in declining to become parties to such means as were contemplated to lessen the pos sbility of the natural growth of the coun- try and minimize the power of the great est of developers, the railroads of our country.
 Mitchell on His Feet. The moment this resolution adopted R. A. Mitchell of Alabama City, manager l of the Dwight Manufacturing company. was on his feet asking what had become of the resolution introduced by him yes terday regarding alleged diseriminations in railway freight rates in Alabama l A. l. Forbes of Montgomery chair man of the committee, said that the,con mittee had decided to postpone indefinitely action on MT. Mltchells resolution.
 Mir. Mitchell then moved that the resolu- ton be taken from the committee and
 placed before the convention for adop- tion The Mitchell resolution was as fol- | lows:
 Offers Resolution.
 | "Whereas, this association in its dis
 cussions and resolutions has given prominent place to the consideration of 1 cotton and cotton manufacturing and to l the desirabllity of extending our mar l kets for textiles; and,
 l "Whereas, cotton brings to the people | of Alabama more money than any otheu one of the states products of field. for est or mine, and Is one of the products in l Alabama in which there is not one of the | sixty-seven counties of the state but which has citizens interested in 1t; and. 1 Whereas, 1t Is of great importance to | the farmers and other citizens of the state that cotton manufacturing in Alabama be I encouraged; now, therefore, be 1t
 Resolved, that this association wishes I to request of the railroads of Alabama
 that they discontinue their dlscrimina- l tions material, cotton, fuel, etc.. as against the cotton mills if any such 1 discrimination exist in order that thia | great industry may have a fair and | equal chance with other industries. and | may grow and develop.
 | Resolved, further, that the farming and cotton manufacturing interests of Alabama are entitled to an equal chance for development with any other indus try of Alabama, however meritorious. and this association would consider greater charge than a similar haul coal for | cotton manufacturing as an injustice and tax which must ultimately be borne by the agriculturists of Alabama.
 Resolved further, That this associa- 1 ton requests the earnest cooperation of our railroads along these lines In order that we may all work together for | the upbulding of our farms and our man | ufactories of all kinds and our raII- | roads,
 Lane opposes Hesolutlon. | Charles P. Lane of Huntsville, presi- | dent of the association, took the position | that the Mitchell resolution did not come | properly within the scope of the con- | vention's business. MT Mitchell reminded l MT. Lane that MT. Lane had yesterday. in his opening address, dwelt at length l upon the subject of the railways present. | ing 1t squarely and prominently to the consideration of the association. Mir. Nit l chell also pointed out that the resolution l already adopted by the association re- l earding the interstate commerce law convention at Chicago, that had to do with the same subject. Mir Lane resisted l MT. Mitchells attempt to speak to tho resolution. but MT. Mitchell persisted, and at length got the floor. He read tha resolution, sentence by sentence and ask ed he went along whether there was anything in 1t to which any patriotic man in Alabama could reasonably object.
 'It Is sorry day when Alabama cit izens." said he, 'cannot attempt to do | justice to industry that covers every ] county in the state There Is not a county in Alabama that is not interested in tho production of cotton. The railways of Alabama in their freight rates discrimi- nate against this great industry.
 For eight years I have been com l pelled to buy my coal in Georgia and I have been compelled to do so because the railways of this state charge ma on coal shipped from Birmingham a rate l of 300 per cent higher than the rate they charge other industries in my vicinity l "The rate from Birmingham to Ala 1 bama City for me is 50 cents. for another | industry right across the street from me the rate Is only 121z cents. Do you mean to tell me that this is a free country when an American dollar in the hands of one citizen of the state cannot buy as much from a common carrier as an l American dollar in the hands of another citizen? This discrimination In freight rates against the cotton industry, the greatest industry in the state. Is throt- ling the development of textile industries l in Alabama. do not wish to be egotisti- cal, but I challenge the man who has brought more money into Alabama for investment than have. This dscrimina- | tion is fundamentally unjust and ought