The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-10
FREIGHT INCREASE WILL DE DECIDED Comes Up Before Interstate Commerce Commission BIG TERRITORY AFFECTED Commissions Decision Will Be Very Important and Is Awaited With
 Interest By the Public and
 the Railroads.
BIG TERRITORY AFFECTED

I
 the Railroads.
 Washington, August 9-During the next month or six weeks it is probable that the interstate commerce commission will decide upon the question of the reason- ableness of the proposed increase of freight rates in Alabama, George, Tennes- see Florida and portions of South and North Carolina in the southeastern ter | ritory and in Texas in the southwestern | territory.
 The complaint of the Georgia shippers ] already has been filed with the commits sion, and the railroads have been given 70 days in which to reply to the charges. The commissions decision will affect the 1 proposed changes throughout the south eastern territory. The complaint of the Texas railway commission probably will be filed tomorrow, and Chairman Knapp | has given assurances that an inquiry, and decision in the case will be expedited as rapidly as compliances with the law will permit.
 Railroads handling the traffic in Arkan- sas gave notice some time ago of pro- posed increase of rates, but failing to comply with the law by giving a satisfac- tory statement of connecting lines partici- pating in the rates the notices were re- turned to them and have not since been heard from.
 The proposed increase of freight rates in the several southern states embrace practically all extensive increases pro- posed throughout the country at this time. The decision of these cases will nave an important bearing upon rates 1 generally as the questions to be determined I in respect to southern rates are largely the same as may be urged as the basis of increase elsewhere.
 Increase Percentage. It is said by experts who have unof- ficially calculated the percentage of the increase in comparison with the old rates that the proposed increases on class rates from St. Louis to common points in Texas 1 Is between and per cent. There has been no increase between Texas com mon points and these sections of less than per cent It is stated that the in- creases from St. Louis and Ohio river crossings to Atlanta average less than the increase from St. Louis to Texas points.
 The railroads will, it is expected. urge among other reasons for increasing their rates that they have been prevented from reducing wages, and they will point to the decision to that effect by Chatham Knapp of the interstate commerce com mission, and Commissioner Neill of the bureau of labor, sitting as a board of ar bitrators, in reference to the wages of employees of the Southern railroad. They | will point to a reduction of their intra- l state passenger revenue by the reduction l of rates from 8 to 3 cents mile in 1 Virginia and from 8 to 21a cents a mile other southern states It is expected that | specific instances of increases in both wages and cost of material since the old rates went into effect will be alleged and that on some branches doing an intra- | state business there havel been reduc- tions on freight rates by state enact ments
 
 Georgia shippers and the state railroad commission of Texas there will be a 1 strenuous effort to prevent an incfease of rates, of which notice has been given. All representations, whether of the rail- roads or of the complainants, will be scrutinized very carefully, so that the facts will be fully established.
 President Appealed To.
 President Roosevelt has been appealed ! to by Senator Culberson of Texas in an effort to restrain the railroads from put ing the new rates into effect in that state, and MT Roosevelt has referred the
 matter to the attorney general In the meantime the Texas and the Oklahoma state railway commissions will file sepa-
 rate complaints with the interstate com merce commission tomorrow 1 Following several conferences in which
 Senator Culberson, Chairman Allison
 Mayheld of the Texas railway commits sion, Claude Pollard assistant attorney ! general Of Texas, and Chairman Love of
 the Oklahoma commission, advised with | Chairman Knapp and Commissioner | Clements of the interstate commerce com
 mission. Senator Culberson forwarded a l eeio5idih to IT iesiueIl fOOSeVelt at OyS- ter Bay on Friday stating that the hear | ing in the Texas case before the com 1 mission would not begin earlier than Sep
 tember l next and in the meantime the 1 increased rates would doubtless be put in operation and great injustice will result
 to the shipping public. He therefore calls 1 the matter to the Presidents attention | with the view that the attorney general
 shall be directed to take immediate steps | to enforce the antitrust law of Congress
 by such civil and criminal remedies as !, may be proper
 President Considers.
 The following in reply has been re-
 ceived by Senator Culberson from Acting
 Secretary Foster at Oyster Bay: | By direction of the President your tel | egram Of yesterday was sent to the at
 torney general who is considering the | whole matter"
 l Chairman Knapp informed those repre- | senting Texas and Oklahoma shippers
 that the interstate commerce commission l man antitrust law.
 | In discussing the matter tonight, Judge l Knapp said:
 commission should have reason to believe
 that the sherman antitrust law has been
 violated, 1t may with propriety refer the
 matter to the attorney general. If the at
 orney general should request the commits
 sion to make an investigation the com
 mission will do all in it's power to aid
 the department of justice. This will not,
 however, interfere with the hearing on the m Io tf.t1 Il. .1t