The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-11-14
COTTON RATES ARE
 ID BE REVISED Georgia Railroad Commission Will Take Up Matter COMPLAINT BY COMPRESS Not Only Are Rates in State Affected But Rates to Other States Will Come Under Consideration
 of Commission.
COMPLAINT BY COMPRESS

Atlanta, November 13.-(Special. )-The railroad commission has under consider alton, following hearing just held the question of a revision of the rates on cotton from interior points to the ports of the state, the question of differential rates on compressed and "soft'' cotton the question of privileges extended by the railroads operating in the state to certain congresses and certain compress ing companies and finally that of a gen. eral revision of rates on cotton.
 All of these question came up collater- ally in connection with a complaint filed by the Milledgeville Compress company against the Central of Georgia railroad in which the commission was asked tc points to Milledgeville and on compressed cotton from Milledgeville to Savannah.
 The question at issue and into whict the commission is now making inquiry affects not only rates within the state but, indirectly, cotton rates from distant points in other states.
 About 10 of the railroads doing busl- ness In Georgia were represented at the hearing. Others present and interested were the Atlantic Compress company which is controlled by the railroads; the Augusta and Savannah Cotton exchanges, representatives from a number of inde- pendent congresses, and one or two cot ton shippers.
 Considerable evidence was taken, but the most of it seemed to favor the rail- road side of the argument. Strangely enough, although the commission, realiz- ing the importance to many interests of the question involved, gave nearly two months notice of the hearing, there was scant representation of those who might be, or feel that they might be, benefited by reductions in or revisions of the rates on cotton.
 Each of the railroads answered the points made in the commissions circular letter calling the hearing by brief, and some of them presented evidence and yer bal statement in addition.
 They asserted that the present was not an opportune time for revision of cotton rates. and that any reduction would im- pair their revenues to the point where they could not make a fair return upon their investment.
 There exists no good reason, they con- tend, for any differential in the rates as between compressed and soft cotton, hold ing that compression Is essentially part of the transportation service, and that the railroads of a right should be per mitted to handle this feature as they deem best.
 +z congresses and special privileges granted to certain compress companies, they pre- scented copies of the contracts, showing the relation of compress to railroad and urging that 1t is an essential and prac- tically inseparable relation to transporta- ton service
 Both the Savannah and the Augusta cotton exchanges appeared and opposed any change in the present methods of handling cotton or any revision of the existing rates. The commission was given a copy of a resolution recently passed by the Augusta cotton exchange In which 1t took the stand that there should be no interference with the existing rates on handling cotton which has obtained for many years should not be disturbed.
 Another collateral question before the commission at the same time was that contained in the complaint of the c. Horace Mccall Co.,, of Atlanta against the use of spliced or riveted cotton ties But as the result of misunderstanding, the independent compress men who seemed to be interested only in this phase of the hearing, went off to the automobile races, thinking that the hearing would continue for several days. At the sug- gestion of S. F. Parrott, representing the Atlantic Compress company, this phase of the hearing was, therefore, carried over until December 3.
 The commission took all of the ques- tions at issue under advisement, and 1t will probably be two or three weeks before decision is rendered.
 A peculiar feature of the hearing ap- pears to be that although there has been considerable agitation in cer- tain quarters for reduction rates on cotton, none of those who have taken part in 1t were present to urge such action on the commissions part.
 Shirts For Soldiers.
 Two woolen shirts each for every soldier boy in Georgia is the promise of Adjutant General A. J. Ccott, who states that the garments will be issued at once to supply them with warmth during winter drills.
 It will require a total of 7S0c of these woolen shirts to supply the en-