The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-04-13
OPPOSE CUT RATE ON RIVER Railroad Commission
 Acts. WILL PROTECT COMPETITION Same Conditions as Govern Rail-
 roads to Exist. It l. Charged Befers the Cennissisa That the saobile Navisstien csts- pany Instituted . ssarvs-,
 tion Role to Get
 Buslness.

when the newiy-created Mobile Navigation Company instituted cut rate--a "starvation" rate. as Captain N. A. stephens termed 1t before the Railroad Commission yesterdsy--on the Tombixbee River. the Alabama Railroad Commission began to specu- late upon the tarif or river rates. which 1t had compiled some time ago. And to determine as to whether or not a change will be wise. the conn mission held session yesterday to gather evidence from steamboat oper- ators as to the rates. their emcacy, etc. The result of the hearing VIII pc made known shortly.
 N. A. staples. of the Staples line: Henry Lindsey, of the Lindsey line; A. B. deMontmoliin. of the new Mobile Navigation Company. and ]. M. Dew berry, of the Birmingham and 0ulf Company, were the oper3- tors present with several others, agents and interested outsiders.
 Generally. the commissions made rates were satisfactory--the cut of the new company assuredly was not. The operators showed that the Mobile Nav. igation Compahy, by It's reduction, had acquired more than it's share of the river traffic. It was alleged that the cut was a, portion of a plan toe elimi- nate competition. And competition. 1t was declared at the session. redounded essentially, to the beenfit of the farffi- CTS and other shippers.
 Oddly enough, evidence disclosed that patrons were not universally in favor of the cut, because of the reason that it tended to drive off competition. There were petitions to prove their att titude.
 Tnvoives Authority.
 The lower rate relates to Tombigbee River service, but the rates of the commission apply to both rivers equal ly. The cut as instituted by the Mo- bile Navigation Company involves not only the question of the efficacy of the commission made rates. but also the authority of the commission.
 Vice President Dewberry. of the Bir- mingham and Gulf Navigation Com pany. was one of those who did not favor the cut rates Of the Mobile Nav igation Company. He stated that it was not the purpose of his company sary fight for trafic was merely an incident in the business. That the B. 6 O. had for Its purpose the fnsti- tution of a connection between the mineral lands about Birmingham and the gulf. he declared.
 My company is here to carry out a big project" he declared, "and not for rate fight"
 One compromise, was offered. as a departure from the present schedule. It was that cheaper rate be estab- iished from Mobile to. points half way to Montgomery on the Alabama, and half way to Demopolis on the 'Bigbee. What the commission will decide, how ever. will be revealed upon It's report
 Ant attempt will be made to regu- late the steamboat lines. 1t is assured as the railroads are regulated, so that there will be no further cutting of the commissions tariff of rates. This Is assured from the fact that reports will be required of the steamboats covering the business of each trip. inc expenses and profits, and also an an- nual report, as the railroads are re- quired to file
 Besides the taking of evidence in the steamboat cases. the commission hand ed and denied. the petition of the Southern Railroad, that 1t be allowed to curtail its schedule rate to Monte. vallo.