The Forrest City times., 1908-09-11
CHAIRMAN ALLEN ABSOLUTE.
Win Ask Legislature for Appropriation to Wsoe Legal Battle and Con
 duct Searching investigation.

Little Rock. Ark-Throwing down the gauntlet to the four trunk lines in Arkansas. R. P. Allen chairman for the State Railroad Commission. admit tedly speaking for himself and Com missioners J F.. Hampton and l N Crockett, declared Wednesday night that they would not meet the traffic officials in any conference upon any phase of the pending litigation in the federal courts which involve the mak. ing of intrastate freight rates
 He further declared that the com. mission would not compile a new tar if with increased rates to prevail dur ing the effectiveness of the temporary federal injunction
 ''We have been bfidled by d feder. al judge for the present." he said. .and until q final hearing in the mat. ter we will not issue q new tariff. nor will we oppose The enforcement of one issued by the ralhoad companies regardless Of how eXorbitant il may be.
 "We will have ndthing whatever to do with the railroad companies until this question of freight rates has been settled by the courts. There is no necessity for any conference with their officials upon the rate question We adhere 10 the claim that our tariff. No. ,. is right and affords the traffic lines just compensation Therefore we expect to wage the fight to main tain our position through the courts, and to this end expect to ask the next legislature to make an appro priation sufficient 10 pay the expenses of this litigation
 "It is our intention to make searching and exhaustive study of the business. books and accounts of the railroad companies, retain proper le- gal counsel and carry our case 10 the last resort
 Just how much fl will cost 10 do this, l am not now prepared to state If the matter is finally settled in Judge Jacob Trieber's court. then the cost will not be large Of course. if it goes to the United States Supreme Court, necessarily the cost will be increased considerably"
 George W. Donaghey, who was with Chairman Allen at the. time he gave the statement. intimated that he ia yored the idea
 If I am governor and the matter reaches ne under proper conditions. I will include a recommendation for reasonable appropriation in my mes sage to the legislature. The matter is not up to me of course; my off action in the case would depend up on how il looked when it got to me"
 MT. DonagheY was in conference with Commissioners Hampton and Crockett. Secretary Bragg of the Mer. chants Freight Bureau, Attorney Gen. eral Kirby. Attorneys George B. Rose and Morris NJ. Cohn and few ship pers, who gathered in executive ses- sion in the commissions rooms at the Southern Trust building. Chairman Allen did not arrive until B o'clock Wednesday night. but was in confer cnce with other members of the com mission by long distance telephone
 That the commission assumes no au- thority over the making Of passenger rates. Chairman Allen stated
 The passenger rate was made by the legislature, he said. and We were supposed to enforce it. bat since our hands have been tied by the court at St. Paul We have nothing further to do with passenger rates.
 Any person or persons however. who were moi parties to he litigation. may bring suit. ill my opinion, against the railroads for oVerCharge in pas senger rates, aud if the people so de. sired they could file a thousand suits against the companies upon this basis
 There is nothing to compromise up on our part We contend that We are right and do not expect to retreat from this position unless the courts decide we must
 The next regular meeting of the commission will be held al Little Rock on September 16, but members of tae commission will be here probably every day Of the intervening time and lF