Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-11-16
Chicago Hearing Expected to
Show Extent of Competition
With Dealers
FRUIT MEN FILE CHARGES
Accusations May Lead to Now Legsla-
ton Affecting Express Lines-com-
panies Have Commission Depart
ments, With Ono Exception-Buyers in
the Field.

Washington, Nov 16.-Interesting In
formation about the sale of commodi-
ties by express companies is expected
at hearing in Chicago beginning next
Monday. This Is likely to be the con-
GLIDING hearing for taking of testimony
in connection with the interstate COM
merce commissions investigation of
the express companies. and the outlook
Is that thru 1t the most of the whole
inquiry will be dug out. Thus far the
persons examined have known little
about the alleged sales, atho some fifty
persons have been sworn. They have
been chiefly growers Of fruit or jobbers
who felt that they had a grievance. or
general officials Of express companies
who, isolated in their New York offices,
for express business as 1t Is carried on
in the field.
But in Chicago. according to present
expectations, the route agents Of the
express companies will put in an APP
pcarance. They are the men who hustle
for business. and who know how 1t has
been secured. They know the methods
taken In the past to beat the game Of
the jobbers who ship by freight, and
they know whether the local express
agents in their territory have handled
fruit, oysters and vegetables on COM
mission. To be sure, they Will be
called as witnesses for the express
companies. as the Chicago hearing was
called to enable the companies to tell
more fully their side of the story. But
the jobbers will take advantage of the
agents presence to probe deep in cross
examination.
Have Commission Departments.
Thus far the investigation has de-
veloped the fact that each express COM
pany, with the single exception Of the
Adams. has what is known as an order
and commission department. This de-
partment exists for the purpose Of de-
veloping business. according to the
statements of the companies 1t
operates In every part Of the country.
That 1t devotes it's attention to Michi-
gan is shown by one Of the exhibits in
the case, which was produced by ]. H..
Bradley, the general traffic manager of
the American Express company. This
exhibit gives list of fruit growers IN
Michigan, and Mr.. Bradley testified
that 1t was issued by the company for
the convenience Of prospective pur-
chasers. The sole purpose of getting
out such circular. he says, was to
promote the business Of the express
companies by bringing growers and
purchasers together. And he said that.
so far as his knowledge went the
American has not bought or sold COM
modities on its own account for forty
years.
The testimony thus far taken shows
that the order and commission depart
ments Of the various companies have at
least been very obliging in their en-
couragement Of business. 1t is well
attested that the fruit growers In the
vicinity of Sparta, Wis, used to take
their product to the express agents
there and leave 1t without designating
the person to whom they wished it
sent They relied upon the express
company to ship it to some market,
find a purchaser and return them the
coin.
Express Buyers In Field.
The express company had all sorts
of latitude in disposing Of fruit, ac-
cording to this arrangement and when
the fruit growers settled with the COM
pany they were always charged COM
mission, as we'll as the regular fee for
transportation and for money orders.
TS II OF t1a
Fruit Growers association of Sparta,
did not know who received the COM
mission. He could not swear that it
did not go to some commission man at
the other end of the route, and the