The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-09-28

from Ohio river crossings into southern
territory. They did not conclude their
labors, but will be in session here next
week.
Interest has Jagged In the investigation
the latter part of the week because of the
fact that 1t brought out little more than
a mass of figures of all sorts and their
application, and there - nothing drler
than statistics. But the railroads were
given somewhat of a scare when the
hearing first began in the efforts of the
plaintiffs to SHOW that the freight associa-
tions, through which rates are tentatively
at least, agreed upon exist in violation
of the Sherman antitrust law. 1t is not
altogether certain that they have vet
heard the end of this feature, as there are
rumors about that this feature of the in
vestigation may be gone into by the legal
department of the federal government
The commission got little satisfactory
evidence on this score. Although it Or
dered the production of all letters, papers,
minutes, stenographer's notes and other
documents having any bearing on the
meetings of these freight associations, it
got next to nothing out of them. The
stenographer had burned his notes, and
neither he nor the officials could remem-
Der anything that transpired at these as
ISOLATION meetings and conferences other
than the mere formal statements con.
tanned in the minutes.
The Alabama railroad commission was
considerably more active in the fight
against the increased rates than that of
Georgia Governor Conner was here and
went on the witness stand, as did also
members of the Alabama commission The
Georgia commission had its attorneys
present, and they took part in the exam
ination of witnesses; it also filed a pro-
test and brief.
The oral testimony given against the
fraie increases was devoted largely to
showing that they were brought about by
illegal combination, and that they would
cost this or that community 100000 or
more, or this or that state 81, 900 900 or
more year in addition to what they were
already paying. Considerable other evil
dence was adduced largely in the shape
of tabulated statistics with a view to
showing that the increases were not just
and were not necessary for the mainten-
dHCe VI tuS IdiIOdu properties
The railroad officials had their innings
the last three days of the week. They
devoted their energies not to controvert-
ing the evidence relative to the Illegally
of the freight associations, but toward es-
tabishing the business of the rates in con-
troversy. Figures an infinitum were pre-
scented to the commission, covering every
imaginable rate and comparing it with
almost every other rate imaginable.
Then, too, the railroad officials pre-
scented figures showing the increased cost
of labor, equipment, coal and materials OF
all kinds which enter into railroad oper-
alton, maintenance and construction. The
railroads have contended that it was
either necessary for them to increase
these rates or to reduce wages, that re-
trenchment somewhere was essNltial.
The commission was in session from 10
o'clock in the morning until $50 every
afternoon, and bent its efforts toward
bringing out every possible point bearing
on the case. 1t is not known when the
matter will be decided, but possibly a de-
termination may be reached some time
next month,