Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1907-11-18
COMMISSIONER LANE
TO RESUME INQUIRY
Claim Is Made That Small lnde-
pendent Enterprises Have Been
Ruined by FdvOritiSm In Rates
Within the State in
Late Months.

San Francisco, Cal, Nov. 1S.-The
organization of shippers who pro-
pose to bring the Southern Pacific to
book for its determinations and vio-
lations of the law in exactions of
freight rates will be perfected early
next week and il is said that the
state may look forward TO some sem
satioual revelations.
A thorough expose Of the COM
pany's unfairness is promised, how
it is alleged to have favored the
large shippers in a manner outrival-
ing the operations of John d. Rookie
feller, and how small Independent
enterprises have been ruined and
their owners in some cases driven to
the suicides grave. Franklin X.
Lane, interstate commerce commits
sloner. is authority for the state
ment that nowhere else In the United
States has there ever been such high
handed injustice worked by a rail-
road as by the Southern Pacific in
California.
Taking Judge Landis' $4,000, 600
fine and the recent penalty of $780,
600 imposed on the Santa Fe at Los
Angeles as extreme examples of the
attitude of the courts it may be that
the Southern Pacific company may
have millions to pay for its Illegal
rate exactions in California.
Evidence is Conclusive.
This statement Is made advisedly,
for the evidence taken at Comnis-
sioner Lanes recent hearing hove
was in the conclusive form of records
and letters, many of which were vir-
tually confessions. Lane regarded
the confessions as astounding and
when the public learns to appreciate
them in their full effect it must be
likewise convinced.
On no less than 200 commodities
f1,a taas 1,nft fl,f IL an "A
the San Joaquin valley been fixed in
defiance of the statutes These vio-
lations are said to have covered a
long period of years.
The shipper has taken on a new
hope at the present time because he
has the aid of the powerful arm of
the interstate commerce commission.
Furthermore. he sees the revolt in
progress throughout the state against
the railroad domination of the gov
ernment.
Actuated by Injustices.
The promoters of the new move
ment are actuated by the intustices
rhat they say they have themselves
suffered in having to compete with
rivals who enjoyed large rebates and
also in large degree by that new
spirit which is abroad among the
citizens of the land to do something
for its veal They have had II
brought home fOrclbly, there mus
be a halt in the ruthless disregard
of the laws by the corporations, OF
all industry will fall into their soul
less control.
The members of the new organiza-
ton are contributing literally and
with a goodly sum to go 10 work
and with Seth Mann as legal adviser
will go ahead in business-like fash
ion to bring about an Enforcement o
the statutes. The shippers declar
point blank that there is no use t,
appeal to the railroad commission
or to Attorney General Webb, 70
they We're elected as the represen
tatiVes of the railroad machine anC
not of the people.
Attorney Mann achieved his repu
tation in railroad litigation by com
peling the Southern Pacific to re
move its toll of 5 cents a ton OF
freight that came into San Francisc,
by the peninsula route, via San Jose
The state eXacts a scent toll for thi
use Of its wharves on all freight fer
ried across the bay from Oakland.
Commissioner Lane is to resum
his inquiries in this state In Febru
ary He will cooperate with tn
organization now in process OF for
nation and some big deYelopm ent
are to be looked for, apparently.