The Saint Paul globe., 1905-02-08
DEBATE is PUNCFNT
IN RATE HEARING
Root and LOTUS Exchange
Vigorous Assertions and
Denials

The hearing of the railroad rate in
vestigating committee yesterday at the
capitol was enlivened by several sharp
passage at arms between F. w. Root,
the Minneapolis attorney of the Chi
cago, Milwaukee & st. Paul railroad,
and George S. LOTUS, the ST. Paul
man, who is leading the committee in
its inquiry as to freight rates on Min
nesota roads. 1t was Mr.. Lotus who
yesterday insisted that the witnesses
who appeared before the committee
should be sworn before testifying. Mr..
Root said that he and the two officials
who accompanied him before the hear
ing, were willing to be sworn, but they
believed that the investigation should
be conducted by the committee and not
by any one man. Several times during
the session the men exchanged pun
gent side remarks, and considerable
feeling was evidenced.
Milwaukee Accused
road with. giving rebates to certain
shippers of coal from Chicago. Il
charge the Milwaukee road with carry
ing coal from Chicago to st. Paul and
to Red Wing at less rate than the
published. tariffs" he told the commit
tee. j. 7. Conley, assistant general
freight agent of the Milwaukee, denied
the accusation without a moments s
hesitation. Mr.. LOTUS reiterated his
charge. He said that the Milwaukee
had transported coal from Chicago to
Red Wing for S1.20 a ton, whereas the
tariff rate was $3.50. Pressed for the
names of parties to whom coal had
been delivered, he named the j. H.
Rich Sewer Pipe company and the
Union Stone Ware works, of Red Wing.
Mr.. Conley again denied that the road
had underbid its tariffs, and Mr.. LOTUS
said that the tariff might have been a
midnight tariff designed to cover the
contract for the delivery of the coal.
Mr.. Lotus was urged to name the ST.
Paul men who had enjoyed the rebates,
but said that he understood" that GER
tain men had been favored. He prom
ised the committee that he would have
these men before the committee in a
day or two to substantiate his state
ments, unless the other fellows saw
them first"
There was further consideration of
the Milwaukee rates to Duluth inter-
mediate points, and Mr.. Lotus cited
the rate on hay from Hastings to Du-
luth as 10 cents, while the rate from
Hastings to Harris was, he said, 121R
cents. Mr.. Conley replied that the
OuiuIn IaflH appned to intermediate
points, and that the rate had been
changed and kept in force since last
October; that it had been discriminat-
ing before was due to an oversight. Mr..
Conley also showed a 10-cent rate on
grain from Hastings to Harris, which
Mr.. Lotus had contended was 1212
cent tariff
Mr.. Root Objects
Mr.. Root counseled the committee to
restrict its inquiry to state rates, which
it and the legislature had the power to
correct. I'VE have no objection to
coming here and spending our time
and energies in any inquiry of state
rates." Mr.. Root said, but any in
vestigation of interstate rates cannot
be effective of results"
1t was decided by the committee to
consider interstate freight tariffs only
as they may be used for purposes of
comparison.
Thomas Hughes and F. NJ. Curryer,
representing the Mankato Board of
Trade, submitted a statement of al
legged determinations sustained by
Mankato as against the Twin Cities and
some other points in the state. Thomas
Wilson, general counsel of the Chicago,
st. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha rail-
road, was present at the hearing, and
was given time in which to reply to
the charge of the Mankato representa-
uves. The committee will meet again
Thursday.