The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-06
Conference Is Held Between The President And Governor
 Conner
RESULT OF MEETING IS
 NOT GIVEN It PUBLIC
1t Is Believed That Action Will Be Taken Against the Railroads Un- der the Sherman Antitrust
 Law Very Soon.

Washington October 5-(Special.) )-Fol- lowing d conference this afternoon be- tween President Roosevelt, Attorney Gen. eral Bonaparte and Gov. Braxton B. Conner of Alabama, the rumor is out that tie proposition has been broached to the federal administration of proceeding against the railroads of the south under the Sherman antitrust law ill connection with the recent general increase of rail road freight rates in southeastern terri tory
 Whether this decision was actually reached at the conference cannot be as certained now, but it is known that the consultation between the southern gover- nor. the President and the latters chief law officers was an important one, also that the three men were together in tho executive office about an hour. Upon leaving the White House together neither MT. Bona parte nor Governor Conner seemed willing to say just what had been the result of the conference or the exact trend of the discussion.
 Corners Contention.
 Governor Conner said that the railroads entering his state had not only raised rates on all shipments to and from Ala bama, but had obtained an injunction, now in force and likely to be in force some time, restraining the state from en- forcing any of it's rate laws on ship ments within the limits of the state. In other words, Governor Conner pointed out that the railroads had through the courts of the state enjoined the state commits nj, fr,f, fifa4F but have at tue same time raised their rate all along the line and have used the federal courts to protect them in these advances of rates. Governor Conner is understood to have an idea that if the court can be used to prevent the enforce ment of the decreased rates sought to be established by the state that, pending the final solution of the whole question of freight rates in the south, the federal courts can be used to enjoin the railways from keeping the interstate increases in effect
 Courts Have Failed.
 The suggestion is likewise thrown out that this was the real object of the con ference but as this method has already been tried in the courts and failed in the recent past and as it is claimed that the action of the southern railways might be construed. if properly presented in court,
 
 suggestion that this was the real object of today's conference is given the great CT credence by those most familiar with the situation. At any rate the action taken today by Governor Conner in laying the situation bare to President Roose- welt and his attorney general is of vital importance to the whole south, because the precedent established in connection with the Alabama situation will apply to the situation in every other state south of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi.
 Increase in Rates.
 The increases in interstate rates throughout the southern territory against which the people and shippers of the south are complaining were agreed upon several months ago and were to be made effective on August 1, last. These in- creases amounted to two cents a hundred pounds on grain, grain products and canned goods and an increase of three cents a hundred pounds on fresh meats and meat products. It is claimed that as these increases were the result of deliber- ate conference on the part of the rail- roads of the entire territory affected, and as the rates were identical and were to go into effect simultaneously there is good reason for believing that these roads can be reached under the Sherman act for an alleged conspiracy in re- tfaint of trade.
 The increase was especially objectionable to the authorities in Alabama and other southern states because of the manner in which the various state commissions had been treated when they attempted to have q decreased rate enforced in the south.
 Last fall the Alabama commission de- cided to take the decreased rate but the matter was taken before the courts by the railroads of the state and an in- 10 mission from requiring the railroads to observe the decreased rates.
 Railroads Get Together,
 After that the railroads got together and framed up a set of increased rates on grain, meat and canning products this rate to become effective August l in all southern territory, that is, in the territory south of the Ohio river and east of the Mississippi. Then complaint was filed with the interstate commerce commission at Washington by the Ala bama state commission, the Georgia state commission and the firm of A. P. Nor { gan Grain company, asking that the in creased interstate rates be declared un- reasonable.
 The interstate commerce commission called upon the railroads for an ex- planation and they filed answer in which they declared they were justified by con ditons in increasing the rate They claimed that the rates were not unreas- enable considering the falling off in bus Iness and gross earnings and the increased cost of doing business brought about through the increased cost of labor. The firm of A. F. Morgan took the matter 5 to the tribunal of Judge Emery Speer & of the United States court for the south ern district of Georgia at Macon and H asked for an injunction to restrain the M railroads from enforcing the alleged un- N reasonable rate, pending the outcome of Iitne case before the interstate commerce xcommssion which less than q fort VI night ago had held hearing and re- rcived evidence in the matter of the com planed rates at Atlanta,
 Railroads Appeal
 The railroads took an appeal from Judge