The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-17
Have Absolute Monopoly in
Georgia and Florida
SHIPPERS MUST STAND III
President Robbins Maintains His Con-
Germ Is a Private Company and
Not Subject to Such Ruth
less investigation.

Washington, May 16-Before the Senate
committee on interstate commerce. which
is investigating railroad rates, President
George Robbins of the Armour car line
company, today admitted that the COM
pany had twenty or thirty exclusive con
tracts with railroads for fruit transporta-
tion business, and acknowledges a monop-
oily of that traffic in parts of the west
and south.
Wherever these exclusive contracts APP
piled, he admitted the producers and
shippers of fruit had to accept the rate
laid down by the Armours. lie claimed
that his company was a Eivate one,
and therefore not subject to the inter-
state commerce laws. Mr.. Robbins, who
was the star witness of the day, and
appeared to continue his testimony of yes
terday, was closely examined by the COM
mittee regarding the operation of the
Armour interests These exclusive con-
tracts with railroads, he said. were gen.
orally private contracts, though exhibited
when requested. He asserted that the Ar
mours do not gel any advantage over
other shippers in these cars. Replying to
Chairman Elkins the witness said that
his company did not want to be subject
to the interstate commerce laws. "1t
seems" interjected Mr.. Ellkins, that you
have all the advantages and none of the
responsibilities of common carriers
Make Two Hundred Articles.
According to the witness the Armours
have two hundred articles known as
packing house products, which are trans
ported In Armour cars
you control the transportation of these
products in the private cars" remarked
Senator Kean.
Not control but the Armours ship
their products In these cases
Mr.. Roblrn Nted that ON roads
where they had Inclusive contracts like
the Pere Marquette Tine, the roads could
ducts covered in the contract in other
cars.
Those who complained on this matter,
he added were mostly receivers and COM
mission men, and not the producers and
shippers.
Senator Dolliver asked Mr. Robbins re-
garding the business of the Armour car
lines, and its earnings. Mr.. Robbins in
sisted that the company is a private one,
and ought not to be compelled to expose
its books or earnings any more than any
other private company.
UNLESS we should consider that you
are a public carrier, the same as a rail-
road company" remarked Senator Dol
liver.
Monopoly in Georgia.
Mr.. Robbins denied that the Armours
were Interested in any of the fruit COM
panies in California, or that the Armours
had a monopoly of the transportation of
California fruits, acknowledging, how
ever, that his company had monopoly Of
the fruit transportation in the Pere Mar
quette region and In Georgia and Flor
ida The Armours, he admitted, had ex-
elusive contracts with all the South At
lantic coast railways, exclusive contracts
in east Tennessee, and on certain roads
in Missouri and Arkansas, ana on the
Southern Pacific road. The Santa Fe was
a competing line In the fruit business in
California. Fruit producers and shippers
on these exclusive lines had to accept the
rates put in effect, but Mr.. Robbins said
they satisfied so per cent of the ship
pers.
Senator Clapp asked a number of ques-
tions as TO the position of Mr. Robbins in
an absolute monopoly, and
yet Withholding information as to their
business and claiming immunity from tho
interstate commerce laws.
Mr.. Clapp advocated enlarged powers
for the interstate commerce commission
William r. Kennett, ST. Louis. a broker
representing the Merchants Exchange
and the st. Louis Manufacturers associa-
tion, advocated the recommendations of
the President for law comforting power
on the interstate commerce commission TO
adjust and determine rates lie filed a
number of statements designed to show
that some rates were unjust against st.
Louis.