The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-10
The Interstate Commerce
 Commission to Act.
SIX STATES ARE AFFECTED
Question of Reasonableness to Be
 Determined.
Chairman Knapp Has Given A.sur- ances That an Inquiry and De- cIsion wiI Be Expected Rap
 Idly as Possible.

WaShthktons august S.--aSuFtuB tuS next month or six weeks. 1t is prob able that the Interstate Commerce Commission will decide upon the aues- ton of the reasonableness of the pro- posed increase of freight rates in Ala bama. Georgia. Tennessee. Florida and in the Southeastern territory, and in Texas in the Southwestern territory.
 The complaint of the Georgia ship ptrs already has been filed with the commission and the railroads have been given twenty days In which to reply to the charges. The commis- Hons decision will affect the proposed changes throughout the Southeastern territory. The complaint of the Texaa railway commission probably win be filed tomorrow and Chairman Knapp has given assurances that an inquiry and decision in the case will be ex~ pedited as rapidly as compliances witA the law will permit.
 Railroads handling the traffic In Ar kansas gave notice some time ago of a proposed increase of rates. but fail- ed to comply with the law by giving Q satisfactory statement of connecting lines participating Tn tue rates. the notices were returned to them and has not since been heard from.
 The proposed increase of freight rates in the several Southern States embrace practically all extensive in- creases proposed throughout the coun- try at this tina The decision of these cases will have an important bearing upon rates generally aa the question to be determined in respect to Southern rates are largely the same as may be urged as the basis of in- crease elsewhere.
 Comparison of Rates.
 It Is said by experts who have un- oflcially calculated the per eentage og the increases in comparison with the old rates that the proposed increases on class rates from St. Lonle to cOTn= mon points In Texas Is between nevan and eight per cent. Az there has been no increase between Texas common seven per cent It ia stated that tho Increases from St. Louis and Ohio river crossings to Atlanta Ga, aver age less than the increase from St. Louis to Texas points.
 The railroads will, IL is expected, urge among other reasons for increas- ing their rates that they have been prevented from reducing wages. and they will point to the decision 10 that effect by Chairman Knapp of the In- terstate Commerce Commission and Commissioner Nell of the Bureau of Labor. sitting as a board of arbitrat- CTS. in reference to the wages of em- ployes of the Southern railway. They will point to reduction ot the intra- State passenger revenue by the re- duction of rates from three to two cents a mile in Virginia and from three to two and 6 half cents a mile in other Southern States. It ts ex- pected that specific instances of in4 creases in both wages and cost of material since the old rates went in to effect will be alleged. and that on some branch lines doing an tntra- State business there have been reduce tions on freight rates by state en- actments.
 Both in the cases of the complaint of the Georgia shippers and the State Railroad. Commission of Texas there will be a strenuous effort to preveps an increase of rates of which notice has been given. All representations, whether of the railroads or of the will be scrutinized very carefully so that the facts VIII pe fully established
 Appeals to Roosevelt.
 President Roosevelt has been az healed to by Senator Cuiberson, ox Iez as. in an effort to restrain the raiirohos from putting the new rates into emect fin that State, and Mir Roosevelt has referred the matter to the Attorney General. Tn he meantime the Texas and Oklahoma State Railroad Commits sions will file separate complaints with the Interstate Commerce Commission tomorrow.
 Following several conferences in which Senator CuIberson. Chairman AL Iison Mayfeld. of the Texas Railroad Commission. Claude Pollard, Assistant Attorney General of Texas, and Chair man Love. of the Oklahoma Commis- slon advised with Chairman Knapp and Commissioner Clements of the 4n- terstate Commerce Commission, Sena- tor Culberson forwarded telegram to President Roosevelt at Oyster Bay on Friday stating that the hearing In the Texas case before the commission would not begin earlier than Septenn- Der 1 next. and in the meantime the Increased rates would doubtless be put in operation and great injustice win result to the shipping public. He h herefore cails the matter to the Pres Ident's attention with the view that the Attorney General shall be directed 10 take immediate steps to enforce the law of Congress by such civil and criminal remedies as may be proper.
 The following in reply has been re- ,eived by Senator Culberson from sAct- Ing Secretary Foster at Oyster Bay:
 By direction of the President. your telegram of yesterday was sent to the Attorney General, who is considering the whole matter"
 Chairman Knapp informed those rep- resenting Texas and Oklahoma ship pers that the Interstate Commerce had no power to act under the Sherman anti-trust law.
 Tn discussing the matter tonight. Judge Knapp said:
 "If in the course of the hearing the commission should have reason to believe that the Sherman antitrust law has been violated. 1t may with its propriety refer the matter to the At- .orney General. If the Attorney Gen. sral should request the commission to make an investigation the commission will do all in it's power to aid the Department of Justice. Thfs wilI not. however, interfere with the hearing on