Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-13
Accuses New Workers. of SHINING
Every One They Can.
REQUIRED THIRTY DAYS NOTICE
Argument Presented in Favor OF
Waving Provision of the New
Railway Law.

J ID. Moss of Athens. Ga. an exporter of
cotton, In favoring return to the old sys-
tenn of making through rates good for twen-
ty-four hours. said that 1t does away with
the feeling of unrest among shippers, who
feared that a larger competitor might get
some advantage over them. The witness
was unable to state, however. In reply to
questions by Chairman Knapp upon what
this fear was based. since the system re-
ferred Ito had been in vogue many years,
and Il was supposed that the equalization
of rates prevented just such a condition.
Notwithstanding, he urged the commission
to exercise the discretion given II and waive
the requirement of the thirty-day notice
''and thus prevent serious decentralization to
the cotton interest"
Charges Would Be Higher.
In the course of a discussion which fol-
lowed. participated in. among others. by
Mr.. Moss, Commissioners Lane and Cock
rell and Judge Edward Baxter of Nashville.
chief counsel for several roads traversing
the south. the last named declared the
ability of the roads he represents to give
notice of rates for thirty. sixty and ninety
days. for almost any time, but he want
ed it understood that in doing so they nee
essarily would be high. because of the I'M
certainty involved in the transaction on ac-
count of steamship rates. He made the lat
ter statement he said to show what Is to
tie expected where they are called upon to
make rates so far in advance.
The question of the fiexibility of steam
ship rates furnished the occasion for
lively colloquy among several of those
present representing different interests, the
fact being brought out that steamships do
not make infiexible quotations or meet the
marine insurance conditions, the insurance
differing between Georgia ports and
New Orleans. through which the rates are
made and equalzed by the railroads.
A Georgian's Complaint.
One of those who took part in the dis
cussion was Samuel Brown of Albany. Ca,
who yesterday urged the waving of the
thirty day provision. He was asked If New
York people skinned" the farmers, TO
which he replied: They skin everybody
they can. Any man who is fool enough to
put his money in the New York Cotton Elk
change ought to be skinned"
A. +. Churchill of Savannah, of the
Churchill line of steamers, announced that
he was prepared to give rates on cotton in
advance for every day in the year.
Hot Protest From the West.
Just before the usual recess for luncheon
was taken Chairman Knapp announced
that he had received letter from we'll
known president of a western railroad, pro-
testing against any waiver of the thirty
day rule, without exception, on export and
import traffic. Chairman Knapp pre-
missed the reading of the letter with the
statement that it was for the information
of those present and that his action should
not be construed lending approval to
the sentiments therein expressed. The
name of the author OF the letter was not
announced, but II appealed to the commits
sion to do its full duty and not permit it
self Ito be winked at, in order that ''se-
hi.
some favored shipper. One passage of the
letter is as follows:
Il protest against the letting down of
the bars. which will render the efforts of
the company to obey the law useless and
result in a flood of Illegal practices and
compel railway officers to again sit in the
shadow of the penitentiary the remainder
of their lives.
Judge Baxter. upon the closing of the
reading of the letter, declared that he be-
lieved he knew the name of its author.
Il think" said he. that he belongs to
a class of railroads that nominally pro-
fess obedience to the law and make what
profit they do make by secret midnight
bates. We are not here before this COM
mission to ask it to wink at anything"
At this juncture Chairman Knapp inter-
rupted the speaker with the statement that
the hour for a recess had arrived and that
the subject could be discussed this after
noon.
Samuel Browns Contention.
At yesterday afternoons session Samuel
Brown of Albany, Ga, banker. cotton
dealer and cotton grower, opposed the
thirty-day notice provision of the law. Its
enforcement, he declared, would not only
throw the ship brokers out of business. but
the old line steamers would soon have
charge of the trade, and he said they be-
ing comparatively few would increase the
rates and cause congestion at the ports.
They would also. he added. be unable to
handle the large cotton crop when it's move
ment was at it's height, and thereby the
handlers of cotton would suffer great loss.
He entertained toward the railroads, he
said. friendly feeling. because they dealt
fairly with the shippers.
E. W. Porter chairman of a committee
representing the Memphis Cotton Ex-
change, urged that the thirty-day notice be
not enforced.
Chairman Knapp's Statement.
Chairman Knapp. in response to query
by Mr.. Porter said he saw no reason in
the law or the commercial conditions why
a rail carrier from the interior may not
publish its export rate to the seaboard. ad-
here to that rate and change it only upon
such notice as the law permits or the COM
mission may decide, and at the same time
be perfectly free. as now, to give through
bills of lading to foreign destination.
Mr.. Porter, in support oil hIs argument
against the thirty-day requirements, de-
clared that If there was anything that
caused delay in the movement of the cot
ton crop 1t would affect other lines of bust
ness. and the banks would restrict their
loans to all other business. He said that
the commercial life of Memphis was in
volved in this question. Any change In the.
system of equalization of rate that will re-
suit in congestion in any way in Memphis.
Mr.. Porter said. would inevitably fall on
the farmer. who would have to pay extra
storage. interest and insurance charges
Those three items combined. he said, would
more than offset anything that might ac-
crue from the difference in freight rates.
Mr.. Porter expressed the belief that he
could do business in Memphis on one days
notice.
Others Heard.
]. ]. Davany of the Memphis cotton ex-
change and f. N. Terry of Memphis, rep
resenting the National Lumber Exporters
Association; A. r. Smith Of Louisville, rep
resenting the cotton department Of the
Louisville and Nashville railroad: w. B.
Nesbit of Birmingham, Ala. and F. c..
Strachan. Brunswick. Ga. also spoke in
favor of the adjustment of the thirty-day
notice,
Freight Traffic Manager C. Hale of the
Missouri Kansas and Texas railroad