The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-12
Kick on Cotton Rates
 Carried to Washington


 that enterprise and was not operating to their satisfaction.
 The position taken by President Charles Henderson and Attorney Gen eral Alex M Garber. speaking for the State Commission, is that the railroads should be made to publish a different tariM from that which Is now adver- tised on cotton. The tarins read as follows at present. according to the complaint:
 "A Rates on cotton in bales. un- compressed. with privilege to carrier of compressins.
 including cost of compression at car rier's expense"
 It Is maintained that the tariffs thus headed are neither "the rates on com pressed cotton nor uncompresse1 cot tnn." It Is practically, alleged that the railroads use this device as a cloak to excuse themselves from charging cot- ton shippers more than they should justly pay for freight charges It Is claimed that when the carrier reserves the right to compound the compress rates with the tarim rate the result is In excess of what said rates should be if some other than the carrier Is put to the expense of the compression" :"
 The complaint of the Commission in full is as follows, showing first what railroads will have to light 1t out with States counsel before the national body: l Railroad Commission of Alabama vs.
 Ceftarl of Georgia Railroad Go. ct.
 al, Complainant.
 To the Honorable Interstate Commerce
 Commission:
 The Alabama Railroad Commission in behalf of Itself, and all other per sons affected, or interested In the growing, buying, shipping of cotton, or preparing cotton for shipment and In behalf of such communities and lo- calitiss as desire to avail themselves of the benefit of the enterprise of It's citizens, files this its complaint against the Central of Georgia Railway Co, the Louisville and Nashville Railway Co. the Southern Railroad, the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, the Atlanta, Birming- nam and Atlantic Railroad. the Vest ern Riway of Alabama, the Seaboard Air Isine Railway Co, and s. Davies Warheld, or Lancaster Williams and F. C. Duncan as receivers of, Initial car riers Alabama Great Southern. Att lanta and Birmingham Air Line. Att -lanta and West Point R. R., Illinols Central. Mobile, Jackson and Kansas City. Nashville. Chattanooga and St. Louis R. R., St. Louis and San Fran cisco K. R., Tuskegee R. R.. Union Springs and Northern R. R.. initial car rIers.
 I-Petitioners aver that each and all of tho above named defendants are common carriers, doing business In the transportation of property between the States, either by continuous carriage wholly by raiL or partly by rail, and partly by steamship and as such com mon carriers are subject to ''The act to regulate commerce. and the several amendments thereof, or supplementary thereto.
 u-CompIainants state that cotton is the principal agricultural product of Alabama, that its annual production is about one and a quarter million bales, taht the. life, activity and commercial interest of the agricultural districts of the State are dependant on this pro- duct of the farm. Complainant further states that cotton Is sold by the pro- ducer as it comes from she gin in bales of about i've hundred pounds with di- mensions ordinarily of24x34x54 inches showing a. density of thirteen pounds ts tss e;sAsge foSt; about the same style, shape and density as has been in vogue since cotton became of great com mercial importance. That with the ex- pansion of the growth of cotton came the necessity of reducing its density to increase the carrying capacity of sea going vessels and the first congresses were erected at the ports for this spur-l pose. The expense of handling cotton. e r-rs