The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-19
SHIPPERS BUSY
 0N FREIGHT RATES But Railroads May Give Them
 Interesting Fight BEFORE THE COMMISSION Corporations VIII Distribute This Month the Sum of S92, ,4S3 ,239 in Dividends-Thfs Is Healthy
 Increase for Year
BEFORE THE COMMISSION
By PRESTON C. ADAMS

New York, September 1S.--(Special )--The shippers are not going to have it all their own way in the hearings before the In- terstate Commerce Commission to deter mine whether or not the railroads shall be permitted to raise freight rates.
 It is freely stated in Wall street if the shippers push the railroads too hard they will fight. It is further stated if they start in they will make the fur fly. It is said in well informed circles that the roads, or some of them, are provided with data as to the profits made by some of the larger shippers, and that if they are pushed too hard at the inquiry they will reply by asking about the business profits of the shippers and by asking why they should be so closely urged with ref erence to capitalization and profits by persons of corporations whose profits are so much larger than their own. This po- sition-aS one of the roads officials stated-had been foreshadowed in the re- cent past by men close to some of the railroad executives who are making the fight most -strenuously. It is alleged that this line of argument would have a con- siderable effect upon public opinion. Be- sides this and other forms of publicity, the banking pressure on the shippers is being maintained and will be urged harder than ever, it is understood during the coming fall. Such pressure may be as ineffective as in the past but it is be- lieved that ways will be found to make it more influential, particularly with ship
 
 pendent on their banks There is un- doubtedly a very general and growing feeling among the stronger financial in- terests that the present expose, with its probable light upon conditions of ques- tionable desirability and it's tendency to disturb industrial conditions. is much to be deplored.
 One fact that has not been given much prominence heretofore, but which is coming to be realized by both sides, is the extent to which the public Is interested in the contest and the prominent place the controversy is to occupy in public at tention. This has been felt more than ever since the controversy was officially opened at Chicago. In past contests such of the testimony has been behind closed doors or has been of such technical sort that the public in general scarce ly understood it. It is the effort of the shippers now to have the facts under. stood from their standpoint. and the roads are making scarcely less effort to get their case plainly before the coun- try, the result being a large public in- terest in the facts.
 The wheat growers may have a rising similar to that enjoyed by the cotton growers before long
 Estimated requirements for the wheat crop of all countries that figure in the worlds wheat trade are 3352, GOO, 900 bush els, according to w. B. Snow, against officially reported crops last year in the same countries of a,45oS1S.OoO bushels. In reaching this total the United States is credited with a crop of s75,O0o.OOO and Canada with 120,000,000 bushels. The Broomhall estimate Is adopted for all oth- CT countries, the crop of the southern con- tlnent, Argentine, Australia and India, part of which is yet to be seeded, and none of which has yet encountered the vicissitude of the season, Is placed at 63S, ,OOO, 900 bushels, against 527,0O0, 900 last year and 554,C0O000 in 1906, the previous best year. This represents an increase of s4,OOOOO0 over last year upon the as- sumption of full normal rate of yield in these countries on an increased acre. age. An actual falling below this high figure would increase the apparent worlds deficiency by that much. \ On this basis of crop production the surplus available for shipment during the present crop year is estimated at 5S4.O0O,O GOO bushels, the United States being credited with S7,000,000 and Canada with | 30, ,000, 900. The requirements of the inn porting countries aggregate 6O9,000000 bushels, crediting France with only 30, ,000.- 900 of foreign wheat instead of 100000. 900