The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-01-20
ANSWER ON
 COMPRISES Filed With Interstate Commerce Commission NO UEcoMPREssED RATES GIVEN Because Would Not B:Nsarly So
 Economical as Now. Reply To Complaint of Alabama Rail- roaa Comni-.isn Gives Maay Rea- < son. why Compressea Rates.
 Are Net separated. N q Fa
NO UNcoMPREssED RATES GIVEN

Before the Interstate Commerce Com mission there Is q petition from the Railroad Commission of Alabama ask ing that the railroads of the State be made to separate their rates on cotton in the compressed and uncompressed form. The petition grows out of the petition and suit of the Union Springs Compress against the. Central of Geor- gia Railroad. which was tried before Julge Sayre of the City Court of Mont gomery some weeks ago. An4v
 On the failure of that court to ren- der a decision for the Union Springs Compress, the petition was sent by the Railroad Commission of the State to the Interstate Commerce Commission, ask ing that the rates be diGerentiated.-
 The Interstate' Commerce Commission wrote to the various roads of Alabama asking reasons why differentiated rate should not be granted, with the result that attorneys for the Central of Geor- gia sent the following set of five req sons why rate should not be different lated: The Reasons.
 .sFirsE because if rates On com- pressed cotton uniformly eight and half cents per 100 pounds lowers fhaa the present rates oh uncompressed cot ton, with the privilege to the carrier of . would be forced to pay the cost of com pression on cotton which they do. not now compress at their own expense. and which they would not be7called upon to compress.
 "Second. because the carriers will be forced to pay the same compress fee on cotton destined to Southern mill points. which is tied with only seven bands as they pay on export cotton, which F tied with eight bands.ss F .,t A-a 1.
 .sThird. because the orders prayed for. If allowed. would restrict the pnr- chase of cotton sat a eoriptess point to buyers operating at that point. and will prevent buyers operating at other points from competing for said cotton and maintaining the full market price.
 "Fourth, because the orders prayed for, if allowed. will restrict competi. ton between the carriers for the movc- ment of cotton.
 "Fifth, because the orders prayed for. If allowed, will increase the number of congresses and reduce the work which they will have to perform resulting in tho building of many unnecessary com presses, and rendering those now in use unavoidable Investments. and compli- eating and increasing the cost of haul ing cotton on account of the many ad- ditionaI points at which cotton will have, to be stopped for unloading at congresses for compression, and for re loading when compressed.
 "It is further averred that the pres ont methods of handling cotton are best for an concerned, cheapest and most ex- peditious and ought not to be disturbed
 Tt is admitted that the Central of Georgia loaded cotton congresses at nany points to the Atlantic Compress Company, but denies that such compa- nies own or lease practically all of the Alabama compresses. there being twelve in the State not so controlled. II is admitted that to meet competition. cotton is at times concentrated at points where there are no congresses. holding this to be a commercial necessity as. we'll as the outgrowth of competition. It Is denied, however, that such concen- tration is an economizer of rolling stock.
 "It is denied that the roads have re- fused in all instances to patronize in dependent congresses, but they have given the business where 1t, is to their best interests. It is also not the inten-c ton of the roads to put the independ- ent presses out of business. Those presses are patronized that give the best and the quickest service"