The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-23
THE RATE HEARING
JUDGE wEAKLEY CRoss-ExAMINEs
 ID. HI. HINTON.
An Effort is Being Made to Show that southeastern Fright Association fs An Illegal Combi-
 nation.

Atlanta, Sept a2--An effort to show that the Southeastern Freight Associa- tion Is an illegal combination for the purpose of restraining trade, was tn trend of the contentious made today before the Interstate Commerce Com quiry being made here into the recent increases made in rates on heavy food commodities from Western to South- eastern points.
 E. II. Einton. chairman of the as- sociation, was the principal witness, being there upon an order issued yes- terday requiring him ito submit all correspondence and minutes of meet ings in his possession having to do with the inauguration of the rate. In explaining the meetings Tn which the increases were discussed, he declared that the association is nothing more than a debating society,"" the purpose of which is to give the various car- riers belonging thereto opportunity to discuss matters of general inter- est.
 No vote was ever taken in any one of the meetings in which the proposed increases were discussed as to whether or not they should be made,' he said. No vote could have been taken, as such would have veen in violation of the bylaws of the association"
 He said that the association is merely an agency. the purpose of which Is to convey information: that each line must act separately and distinctly without regard to the organization.
 No record was made of the discuss sions that took place with reference to the rates, and MT. Hinton was unable to recall any expressions made by rep resentatives.
 He was cross s-examined by s. D. a tr lAxr gal e.. Al~fs -n Railroad Commission, and others. and was requested to submit documents which he excluded from those submit ted in the morning to the afternoon session. Governor Conner of Alabama was an interested spectator during the proceedings today. He probably will be called for testimony later in the week.
 Takes Up Alabama Case.
 Wholesale grocers and the Railroad Commission of Georgia completed the presentation of their case today and the complaint of the Alabama Railroad Commission was taken up late this afternoon by the Interstate Commerce Commission.
 In the Georgia case the right was re- served to further examine E. H. Hin- ton, chairman of the Southeastern Freight Association, with reference to documents submitted by him today. These documents constituted corres- pondence between the railroad and the freight association during the consid- eration of the increase.
 MT. Hinton maintained that the asso- citation was nothing more than "a de- batting society" or an information clearing house for the railroads. W. T. SUoper. secretary Of the Atian- ta Chamber of Commerce.; W. 6. Will son and John w. Zuber, local lumber CT of Public Works for the city of Att lanta, testified in regard to the decreas- ed cost of lumber, common labor, cement and other products in which railroads deal largely.
 J. D. Patterson, rate expert for the Alabama Commission submitted figures showing prevailing rates and the movement of the classes affected by the advance grain and heavy food com modities-since 1887. He hopes to prove by these figures that the rates prevail ing when the recent panic began were already greater than those in operation at the time of previous Impressions and that the movement of freight has fallen off much less than during pre- vious periods of financial trouble. 2
 It was announced that the Alabama Commission would probably conclude its case by noon tomorrow. Governor Hoke Smith of Georgia and Governor Conner, of Alabama, were present at the afternoon session and sat with respective Railroad Commits sions, but took no active part In the hearing.