The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-08
TEXAS FIGHTING
 RATE INCREASE
Attorneys Confer With Com
 missioners In Washington
RATES MADE ARBITRARILY
Chairman Allison Mayfied of the Texas Railroad Commission Tells What Texas Has To Contend
 With In R. R. Matters.

Washington, August 7-After a fur ther conference today between Chairman Knapp and Commissioner Clements of the interstate commerce commission and representatives of the state of Texas, concerning the proposed freight rate in- creases to take effect on the 10th inst, 1t was decided to file tomorrow a formal complaint by the state railroad commis- sion of Texas against the several rail- roads concerned in the increase of rates.
 This complaint will be drawn up by Assistant Attorney General Claude Pol lard of Texas. Chairman Knapp assured the representatives of Texas that this complaint would receive as prompt atten- tion as possible under the law and that their case would be given precedence over other business In view of the wide im- portance of the decision to be rendered. Allison Mayfield, the chairman of the railroad commission of Texas, today filed with Chairman Knapp of the interstate commerce commission a statement in sup port of the complaint to be filed with the commission tomorrow in the case of the railroad commission of Texas against
 
 notice of an increase of rates to take effect on the 10th inst.
 '"The rates to Texas common points," MT. Mayfield alleges. "are made arbitra- rily by an association among the rail- roads who have their principal place of business in St. Louis All other terri tory shipping commodities to the south east, especially to Texas, has rates made based upon the rate from St. Louis; that is to say, Chicago. Cincinnati, Pittsburg, and the Atlantic seaboard have their rates made by adding arbitraries of dif- ferentials to the rates from St. Louis to Texas points.
 The railroad commission of Texas was created and began operations in 1891. Since that time the gross earnings of railroads in the state have increased from 1855 OO0 GOO to s96,000,0o0 per annum, and the cost of operation has decreased from SC. .64 per cent to 73.67 per cent. The gross earnings per mile of road increased from $400O to s746S. The net earnings increased from s79l per mile of road to s1966 per mile of road. And yet we have the startling and staggering fact that the proposed freight rates surpass anything of which the rail- road commission of Texas has any rec ord, and we believe and charge are great CT than any rates that have prevailed since the seventies"
 The statement concludes by petitioning the commission as follows:
 T. That the commission enter an order at once suspending or forbdding the talk ing effect of the proposed unreasonable and scandalous increase in freight rates to Texas.
 "2 Or request formally the honorable attorney general of the United States to proceed at once to invoke the provisions of the so-called Sherman antitrust law and file suit in your name or in the name of the government, the purpose be- ing to restrain the enforcement of this proposed increase in freight rates until the same shall have been tried before your honorable body.
 "3. Or at once reopen the case you tried in 1905, wherein you found that the rates now in force were excessive, unreason- able and unlawful, be so declared and an order entered accordingly at once.
 A. Failing in all these, 1t is respect fully requested that you set this case down for immediate hearing, that you mo- tify all interested parties that you take testimony in the southwest at some con- venient place or places for the people in- terested in this natter