The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-22
RAILROAD MUST
 N0T DISCRIMINATE Order Issued Against the Gen.
 traI of Georgia UNION SPRINGS COMPRESS Alabama Railroad Commission Reviews Complaint of People of Union Sprines-Part of the Order of
 the Commission.
UNION SPRINGS COMPRESS

Montgomery. October 2l-(speeial) 1.-The Alabama railroad commission today or dered that the Central of Georgia desist from discrimination against the Union Springs compress, that it compress cotton there as at all other places and treat the place in this respect as it does others that have congresses.
 The commission made an order, of which the following is a part:
 "1he complainant is an association composed of citizens of Union Springs They petition to the commission that the defendant railways be required
 T. To publish rate on compressed as well as uncompressed cotton from Union Springs to all intra-state points, and
 .'2. That said defendant railways be re- quired to desist from discrimination against the compress located at Union
 Springs. and thereby discriminating against that locality
 The evidence shows that each of the different railways concentrate cotton at Union Springs, and while the Union Springs Northern and Seaboard Air Line, and their connections, perform the busi- ness at the Union Springs compress in the manner as described in the foregoing, the Central of Georgia Railway company. though concentrating cotton at Union Springs, declines to receive from the compress cotton in compressed state. In other words the Central of Georgia will carry cotton from smaller points to Union Springs, but refuses to have such cotton
 compressed at the press located there, thereby declining to avail itself of the
 benefits to be derived from the custom of concentration, when carried out as de-
 signed or intended. It ships such cotton as it has hauled to Union Springs away
 uncompressed and has it compressed at other and competing congresses.
 "The defendant, Central of Georgia rail- road, declined to offer any testimony, or participate in this hearing, presenting the following reason therefor: That if the relief be granted in any respect what
 soever, prayed for. the result will neces-
 sarily be to decrease the net revenue
 which the Central of Georgia Railway company now enjoys from hauling cot ton out of Union Springs, and if that be true the commission is enjoined by the terms of certain injunction issued by the United States district court from granting any relief sought in the petition. "The defendant central of Georgia l Railway company would not the com
 mission feels sure. after mature refec-
 ton, seriously urge the objection as pre- sented. and the commission will not here ha of ;l
 junction to the subject matter of the complaint at issue. IL Is sufficient if
 their orders steer clear of any viola
 ton of it's restrictions.
 The commission will not at this time give consideration to that part of the petition which asks for differential in rates on compressed cotton as there Is before the commission a like petition in which all railroads within the state are joined at which hearing the question can be more fully gone into.
 As to the discrlminative feature of the petition, there are two practices as dis closed by the evidence subject to com plaints:
 l. Concentrating from Union Springs to other compress points, and not permitting concentration from such points to Union Springs.
 ?. While under the semblance of allow ing concentration privileges the cotton in fact Is not permitted to take the usual course, at other concentrating points. The framers of our present law realized the great benefits accruing to the mer- chants located at the small station, of tine producer remotely located from the larger mark in the concentrating sys- tenn, by making special provisions for it's operation, but with the reservation, how ever. that all shall enjoy the same priv ieges and advantages under similar con ditions. It is now generally recognized a violation of public duty for common carriers in the conduct of their business to show preference, or partially to one customer, or place. Neither should a locality be deprived, through the caprice of the carriers practices of advantages resulting from their favorable location, or secured by the enterprise of it's citizens. It is clear to the commission that the Central of Georgia Railway company IS violating this principle by discriminating against the compress at Union Springs, thereby discriminating against the town of Union Springs in it's practice of handling cotton, which not only works great In-
 convenience and hardship to the business
 interest of said town but results in actual loss of net revenue to the defendant rail-
 way company; therefore,
 Tt is ordered that the Central of Geor- gia Railway company desist and discon- tinue it's practice of discriminating against Union Springs by withholding equivalent privileges in concentrating and compress
 ing cotton as granted to other compress or concentrating points.
 This order shall be effective five days
 from date.
 "The Seaboard Air Line Railway com pany and Union Springs and Northern are cA6 az tn of mi in a tion, but as to differential rates on com pressed cotton 1t will be considered in later decision as 10 all the defendants to this petition"