The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-07
Commission AdjOurnS to
 May }. RAILROAD MEN . LEAVE MT. Sanders Explains His Position in Premises. No Action Taken as to Tariff on Fer tilizers-OmciaIs of Corporations
 Were Willing to Contin-
 ue the eHaring.

 which consumed over three days or strenuous examinations of traffic ex- perts, the Alabama Railroad Commis- sion yesterday morning at 10:30 o'clock adjourned until Wednesday. May 3.
 The Commission reserved it's decis- ion on the adjustment of fertilizer rates in this State which has been the subject of investigation practically all the time that the Commission was in session.
 Adjournment was taken on account of the illness of President Conner who left yesterday afternon for his plan tation at Conner, Barbour County. The consideration of a general revis- ion of the rates in Alabama was inter rupted. having been begun "Wednesday night The freight traffic managers returned yesterday to their respective headquarters.
 The eighth session of the meeting yesterday morning was scarcely an hour long and was devoid of the live " brushes between the chairman and the railroad men which marked prev ious session. There was an echo or the differences, however. between Pres tdent Conner and his associates. Com missioner w. T. Sanders and w. C. Tunstan, which were made evident Wednesday.
 MT. Sanders Explains.
 When the meeting opened In the morning Commissioner Sanders arose and expressed regret that false i'm pressions had been created by the reports of his debate with the Chairman Wednesday, in which he insisted on entering at the night session following into the gen eral revision of Alabama rates. He denied that 1t was his intention to hurry the proposition of general revision and that his claim of alert ness on the part of the chairman was made in a sarcastic spirit, as was re- ported.
 The Chairman answered Mir. San ders tartly, saying that he believed his associate Commissioners did wrong in insisting on the general investiga- ton and declared he received the i'm pression that the allusion to his alert ness" Wednesday was made in sar- castle spirit.
 The remarks of MT. sanders Tn tuli were as follows:
 My sole purpose was to subserve the convenience of the witnesses that we had before us and of this Com mission. It was not my purpose to proceed to the determination Of this question without a full. careful pa t,ent. exhaustive and extended exami- nation of the whole question. It did seem to me proper, 1t did seem to me an economy of time, when we had all the witnesses that there were pres ent here before us. that 1t was proper to get so far as we could from them all the evidence that they could give rs .. Ii was not my idea to determine thlS investigation until the roses bloomed in the summer if 1t was necessary to examine every witness on the part or the State, or on the part of the deten- dants, or on the part of any interest that we could get before us.
 No Intention to Hurry.
 Now. 1t was not my intention, as Is reported. to have night session for a hurried revision of freight rates in Alabama. and I Should thank the gentlemen of the press to quote me correctly, where I am quoted at all, in reference to anything that l shall say or do in this Commission. NOW. I say in kindness, and l do not mean any reflection upon the disposition or these gentelmen: I do not believe have the pleasure of the personal &C., nuaintance of more than two of them' I do not feel that they have any desire to de me any personal injustice. but some reports that have gone out Tn reference to the proceedings neIors this Commission, do put things In an unfavorable light. and in light Which was never intended by me in the slight est degree.
 ''Now. let me make perfectly plain. Mir. President, my attitude, and IL IS this that I think we should go hto the entire question of the adjustment and revision of rates in the state or Alabama. I merely desired to start that investigation yesterday because IL seemed to me we had as many, or per haps more witnesses than we would ever be able to get back here In reasonable length of time. It was not intended to shut off the Investigation and to reach a speedy, nasty determl- nation and judgment upon the ques- ton without a patient examination. The reference that l made yesterday to the fact that, so far as l could see' there was no authority under the law for the Commission to employ an at torney, and, furthermore, that so Tar as I colud see, the alertness of the Chairman obviated the necessity or employing an attorney on the part or this Commission ,o,,,
 MT. Conner: Qnterrupting) "Oh!'
 MT. Sanders: twas not made sar- casticalIy. as Is reported. The state ment was made in sincerity, the statemenf was made in earnestness.
 Did Not Mean Sarcasm.
 Tt seemed to me that Knew oI n" attorney of my acquaintance who pos sessod the information in regard 10 tbese matters, and the ability and the nareaverance necessary to bring out dll tbe testimony and evidence that we should require on these matters. Was that sarcasm? Was that acrimonlouS debate between the president Of the board and the associate commissioner
 Uas that an evidence of friction that bad arisen between us here whlch n1i9ht indicate to the people of Ala hama that there was such state or Feeling here that this matter would IT'' not he proceeded with in a calm, judi rIal manner according to the evidence and under the law?
 MT. President, s0 far as | am con cerned if you put the motion to con = tinue this matter upon the ground Of your sickness or indisposition, l never refused in a court. and 1 neVerf refused elsewhere, to agree to continuance of any cause in which was interested or engaged. when the parties were not in fiji condition, or when the conditions of any character or nature, were not such as made it proper or right for them to proceed. As far as l am con cerned. I say if you base your request for A continuance of this hearing upon inc ground of your physical condition, this hearing, why I am willing that we shall adjourn it until such day AS may suit our convenience to go ahead VIII Ut would be desirable. if we can. to go ahead here for the rest of the day and ger such evidence as possible from the gentlemen who are before us. that I desired in justice to this com mission. in justice to, my associate and in justice to myself, to make"
 Conner Defends Reporters.
 President Conner in reply 60 his as- sociate said that he had not read the