The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-04-23

Washington, April 1S--Thee cases
involving charges of excessive rates
and discrimination on the part Of
about thirty railroad companies
against cotton manufacturers of the
south were heard today by the inter-
state commerce commission. Chairman
Knapp. and commissioners Clements,
CockreIl and Lane are hearing the
cases. It is iikely the proceedings
will continue for two days.
The cases, which practically are
identical. were brought by the Enter
prise Manufacturing Company, Of Au-
gusta, Ga, the Monroe Cotton Mills,
Of Monroe, Georgia, and the Cratic
Vile, South Carolina, Manufacturing
Company against the Georgia Railroad
Company and others: the same COM
plants against yet other railroads on
similar charges, and the China and
Japan trading Company of Augusta,
against the Southern Railway and
others, all of the complaints alleging
that the defendant companies charge
unjust and discriminatory rates on
cotton goods m cotton waste shipped
by the compliments to China and ia
pan it is alleged that the railroads
favsr the eastern mills in their freight
rates to the Pacific terminals on goods
intended for the Orienal trade. The
say they are compelled to pay a rate
OF $1.25 per hundred pounds on such
goods from points in Virginia, North
Carolica, South Carolina, Georgia,
Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and
Texas, whereas the eastern manufac-
turers obtain a much lower rate to the
great disadvantage of the mill owners
of h south.
r. J. Southall, of Augusta, repre-
sented the complainants and the rail-
roads directly involved are represented
by their counsel.
The testimony of the manufactures
and shippers of cotton goods in the
south today showed that the difference
in the freight rate given them by the
railroads and the steamship lines
from the rate given to eastern man
ufactures AND shippers amounted
substantially to 43 cents a bale to
! China. They contended that this was
sufficient to affect seriously the trade
Of the southern manufacturers in the
Orient where the 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.
| IF woS shown oJc0 that rriny, +r
July, 1895, the freight rate on cotton
piece goods from the south to the
Orient. both by the Suez line n the
Pacific lines, was much lower h it
is now In the summer of 1905, the
steamship lines, through their repre-
| seltatives held several conferences at
which the general subject of freight
rates on cotton goods 30 China and
Japan was discussed. Finally the
matter was referred to a committee
appointed with power to increase the
rate, if that action should be deemed
desirable.
So far the evidence thus far ad-
duced shows. that the committee did
not make q report of it's deternina-
ton. but the Individual members Of it,
who were the traffic representatives Of
the severa! steamship lines, announced
that the rate. thereafter, on cotton
piece goods. IrCm southern points to
China and Japan, either by the Pacific
or by the Suez route. would be SIPS
per 100 pounds.
It was denied by representatives of
the steamship lines that anything APP
preaching apprOIimating a definite
agreement as to rates was made among
them, but each line did a
rate of S1.25 a hundred pounds, on
cotton goods, which is the ate today.
It was stated hat competition among
the various steamship lines for the
carrying Of cotton goods still is &C
tive, 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 SIPS rate, they had
carried cotton goods to China and
Japan at an absolute loss, although
the loss had been decreased by tbs
raising OF the rate OF cotton goods.
The cases probably will occupy thu
commission tomorrow.