The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-19
.M|LLERS ALLEGE
EXCESSIVE RATES.
Interstate Commerce Commission
Hearing Three Cases Against
Railroads.
FAVOR EASTERN M'LLERs
TIL. r. A11ooed Mijl-C)wncrs Of
FAVOR EASTERN MILLERs
This Is Alleged, Mill-Owncrs OF
soutl, Being Placed at Great
Disadvantage.

WASHINGTON, D. Co.. April 49,
Three cases involving charges. OF cx-
ccssiye rates and discrimination on
the part OF about thirty railroad COM
ppnies against cotton manufacturers OF
the South were heard to-day by the In
tcrstatc Commerce Commission, Chair
man Knapp and Commissioners Glenn
ents Cockrell and Learner hearing the
cages. It Is likely the hearings VIII
continue for two days.
Tho cases, which practically arc iden-5
teal. we're brought by the Enterprise
Manufacturing Company. Of Augusta.
Ga; the Monroe Cotton Mills. OF Mon
roe, Ca. and the Granitcvillc. S. c..
Manufacturing Company against the
Georgia Railroad Company and others;
the same complainants against yet
other railroads on similar charges. and
the China and Japan Trading Company,
of Augusta, against the Southern Rail-
way and others, all OF the complain
ants alleging that the defendant COM
panics charge unjust and discrimina-
tory rates on cotton goods and cotton
waste shipped by the complainants to
China and japan.
II is alleged that the railroads favor
INC TsdSttTT CoLtOu IuIIlS III AtCit AAS1s"s
rates to Pacific coast terminals on goods
offended for the Oriental trade. They
say they arc compelled to pay a rate OF
$i.25 per hundred pounds on such goods
from points In Virginia. North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mis-
sissIpp Louisiana and Texas, whereas
the Eastern manufacturers obtain much
lower rate, to the great disadvantage OF
the mill-owners OF the South.
r. j. southall. OF Augusta. represented
the compliments. and the railroads d.
rectly involved arc represented by their
counsel
Big Difference in Rates.
The testimony OF the manufacturers and
shippers OF cotton goods In the South to-
day showed that the difference in the
freight rate given them by the railroads
and the steamship lines from the rate
given to Eastern manufacturers and ship
pers. amounted substantially to forty-t three
cents bale to China. They contendcd
that this WAS sufficient to affect seriously
the trade OF the Southern manufacturers
in the Orient, where the consumers OF
their goods were largely coolies receiving
a wage Of not exceeding ten cents a
day. on which the coolie was Obliged to
maintain himself and his family.
1t was shown also that prior to July.
1906. the freight rate on cotton piece
goods from the South to the Orient,
both by the Suez line and by the Pa
eitic lines, was much~ lower than Il is
row. In the summer OF 1906 the steam
ship lines. through their representa-
tives. held several conferences. at
which the general subject OF freight
rates on cotton goods to China and
Japan was discussed. Finally the mat
ter was referred to a committee APP
pointed with power to Increase the
rate, IL that action should be deemed
desirable. So far as the evidence thus
FAR adduced shows, that committee did
not make report of its determination
hut the Individual members OF It, who
were tho traffic representatives OF the
several steamship lines. announced that
The rate thereafter, on cotton goods
from Southern points to China and
Japan. either by the Pacific or by the
suez route, would be {1.s5 per hundred
pounds.
Agreement Is Denied.
1t was denied by representatives OF
the steamship lines that anything
approSimating a definite agreement as
to rates was made among them. but
each line did announce rate of 312G
hundred pounds on cotton goods,
which is the rate to-day. It was
stated that competition among the va
rious steamship lines for the carrying
OF cotton goods is still active, but no
specific instance was given OF cutting
of the prevailing rate.
Representatives. OF the steamship
companies stated that prior to the
adoption of the S1.25 rate. they had
carried cotton goods to China and ia
pan at an absolute loss; and that they
were operating their lines to-day at q
loss, although the loss had been de-
creased by the raising OF the rate or
cotton goods.
The cases probably Will occupy the
commission tomorrow.
Peach Crop Severely Injured.