The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-31
ASK GOVERNMENT
TO ENyg!N ROADS
Shippers declare Pro-
posed Hate Increase
unjust.
WOULp INVOKE
SHERMAN LAW
Take TtFir Complaint to Attor-
ney-Geieral, in Belief That
RoadY Have Formed Agree
meF in Defiance of Law,
ard Would Forestall
Action by Congress.

Warrington. D. c., May 3o.--vigor.
ous REPRESENTATIONS were made to At
tornS-General wickersham in his Of
fice to-day by interests representing
Wetern traffic line territory, asking
tha! the government en;oin the put
tni into effect Of a proposed general
infcasc In freight rates on June l..
nfice OF which was given by the rail-
rada month ago.
II was argued that the proposed In
freascs wore unwarranted and unjust,
and the opinion wac expressed that
they were the results of combina-
ition or agreement among the rail-
roads in contrayention OF Law. The
Attorney General told his callers he
would do the bcst he could for them;
further than that he declined to out.
line what his course OF procedure
might bo.
Listen4 to Complaint.
Tho Attorney General listened for
two hours to the representations made
by delegation which included conf
n!ttee representative OF the meeting
recently held AT Omaha. Neb.. made up
OF shippers. consumers and producers,
called to take action protesting against
the advice.
The committee was accompanied BY
Senators and members of Congress IN
the territory affected
In general way the case of the
protestants was first presented by VII
liam D. Haynie, counse, of the Illinois
Manufacturers Association. who pre-
sented a memorial prepared as a result
OF the Omaha meeting. 1t asked thai,
an Injunction suit be brought to pre-
vent the increased rates becoming op-
crative until such time as the courts
could determine whether an illegal
combination existed. as the memorial
lists believed was the case.
The general burden that would be
imposed by the proposed rates on
manufacturers. producers and con-.
sumers vas too great, the memorial
declared. and ahould be resisted. O!d
methods were too slow In stopping
them becoming effective, 1t was set
forth. and the interests affected sug-
gested that the interposition of The
sherman antitrust law might be In
voked. The expectation of the
protestants was that the increase an
nounced would be followed by further
advances. particularly In the lines
leading to the seaboard
To ForeMnll Congress.
The mcmorialists took the ground
tina, the action of the railroads In
seeking to put into effect an increase
of rates at this time. was for the pur-
pose OF forestalling legislation by
Congress, giving the Interstate Com
Inerce Commission authority TO set
aside proposed rates In advance on
complaint of shipper, it being ad-
mitted. in response to suggestion
Of the eAttorney-General, that 1t would
be easier to drop from a higher than
to Increase a lower rate
At this point the Attorney-Genera'
told his hearers that he would give
the matters they complained OF his
most careful consideration. The sug-
gestion that the Sherman Law be In
voked, he said was a novel one.
Mr. Wickersham pointed out that
the delay in presenting the reques,
for action on the part of the govern
rnent was serious handicap. although
he recognized that If anything Were
to be done at all by the administra-
tion 1t would have to be under the
Sherman act.