The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-08-31

washington, August 2S.-Flve men,
DeFs Of the Interstate commerce com
mission, Chairman Knapp and Com
mlsioners Clements, Cockrell and Lane
were present today at the initial hear
ing under the new railroad freight
rate law.
The law recently enacted b. congress
became effective today. Under its
terms the carriers Of the country were
expected TO be prepared today TO meet
Its requirements and to comply as far
as possible with its essential p1ovis-
IONS. Already tons of tariff-rate scnet-
ules have been filed with the commits
sion by the various railroads and COM
mon carrier lines of the countr-. and
additional tariffs are being received by
the commission in every mail. They
nave indicated to the commission their
desire TO meet the provisions of The
law without Unnecessary obstruction
or opposition, although they have IN
dicated that, in some respects, it viii
be impossible for them 20 comply with
the letter Of the law until such time
as the commission shall rule As u
certain phases of the act.
The commission today begins its
work under the operation of the law
which increases the salary of it's mem
bers from $500 to s10,O per annum.
na f01,a rom NJ iSSinrorc uI~ ON, -,
Washington conducted the hearing in
the o Of the commission. The
trunk lines and the New England and
Central railroads were heard through
their representatives as to some phases
of the operation Of the new rate Law.
Thirty-fOur representatives of these
railroads including traffic officials and
counsel, and eight representatives OF
various shipping organizations were
in attendance upon the hearing. Every
speaker, representing the railroads, in
formed the commission that the rail-
roads of the country had no DISPOSE
ton to lay obstacles in the way Of It's
enforcement of the act, and the speak
ers WED with each other in assuring
the commission of their intention to
comply with the provisions Of the law
in every substantial particular.
B. D. Caldwell, vice president OF the
Delaware, Lackawana and Western
road told the commission that, through
conferences with traflc officials and
attorneys of various lines of railroad.
they had sought to reach an under
standing of the new law, to the end
that they might be in a position prop
erly to observe it. He indicated. how
ever. that so many questions had arisen
particularly concerning the publication
and filing of tariffs, they felt they
ought to have al exchange of views
with the commission. He suggested
that it would be necessary to have an
extension of the time in which the
carriers would have an opportunity to
file their tariffs with the commission,
and he requested that the commission
continue the present method OF post
ing railroad tariffs now generally il
effect. He discussed at length he
technical features of the rates, as pre-
scrtbed by the new law, and in con-
nection with the suggestion that the
commission suspend or modify import
or export rates, he urged that no
change be made in the law until the
fullest hearing shall have been held.
He also held that a Joint rate TN
which two or more carriers are inter
ested) should be the subject Of con-
ference. He insisted, as did all the
other speakers, hat absolute concur
renee in joint rates Of all the carriers
interested should be had before the
rates were established.
G. J. Grammer, vice president Of the
New York Central lines discussed at
length some technical phases Of The
law. He said there was absolutely no
excuse for the making of changes IN
export and import rates with less