The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-05
CHARGES OF GRAVE
 ERROR DESTROYED Interstate Commerce Reports on Hanks and Hartman PRESIDENTS SHARP LETTER Claimed That Freight and Passenger Rates Could Be Reduced 10 Per
 Cent Without Reducing
 Wages or Dividends.
PRESIDENTS SHARP LETTER

Washington, February 4-"That Messrs. Hanks and Hartman failed to substan- tiate their assertion that grave errors ap- peared in the statistical work of the ln- terstate commerce commissions that they failed to show in accordance with their claim that the freight and passenger rates of the country could be reduced an average of 10 per cent without reducing wages or dividends"
 The above substance is the conclusion of the interstate commerce commission in it's report to tha asenate in response to resolution of that body concerning the employment of Messrs. Chas. s. Hanks and George ". Hartman
 These gentlemen made an investigation of the interstate commerce commission after several conferences with the presi- dent and members of the commission, when it is stated that they assured the president that the most grave errors and shortcomings existed in the work of the commission, and that they could rev. olutionize the work of that body. The commissions report states that Messrs. Hanks and Hartman were afforded every facility in their investigation and that they were continued in that service
 
 criticisms were without merit, and that they had no suggestions to make which had not already been anticipated"
 Accompanying the commission's report is the report of Chas. P. Neill, commits sioner of labor; Jas. k. Garfield commis- sioner of corporations and Mir Starck, a bank examiner, who a the direction of the president made a thorough investiga- tion Of the charges preferred against the statistical work of the commission.
 Also appended to the commissions re- port is a sharp letter from President Roosevelt to MT. Hanks dated January 31 last, in which it is stated that their charges are completely disproved and the president adds that it would be simply folly for him to pay any further heed to any of the allegations in regard to the work of the interstate commerce commission by Hanks and Hartman.
 Claimed Merited Attention.
 The commission states that prior to their employment, Hanks and Hartman spent some time at the commissions of- flee for the understood purpose of eX amining the original reports of the rail roads on file. This opportunity was ac- corded them it is stated. at the request of the President and because of their claim that such examinations would er- able them to show that the freight and 
 reduced an average of 10 per cent with out reducing wages or dividends.
 "A claim of such great public impor- tance seemed 10 merit attention" says the report, and the persons making it were afforded every facility"
 The special committee appointed to eX- anime the charges made by Hanks and Hartman says in part in it's report to the President
 Tt was charged that the statistican If the commission had improperly altered the sworn returns as made by railroad com panies, and there was cited an instance where an item in the report of the Lake Superior Terminal company was changed from $I150 to $96,S26. We find that this charge was wholly unwarranted.
 Second, it was charged that the re- port published by the commission for 1904 does not give the real capitalization of the Seaboard Air Line We find that this charge is not true. The capitalization of s62, 900. as published, is the real eap- italization in the correct and accepted use of these terms.
 Third, it was charged that in many instances one road runs over the tracks of another. and that each road is credited by the statstioian with owning the track used in common. Hanks and Hartman failed to present any instance to sustain this charge The statement made by MT. Hartman before the commission and his utter failure to make good any of the above charges convinced us that we would not be justified in pursuing the inquiry further