Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-11-02
PRESENTING EVIDENCE
ON BOTH SIDES ENDS
Arguments in the CAGE Of Higher
Charges en- Freight VIII Be Heard
In Washington December ID, and
In Short While Thereafter De-
clsion Is Expected.

CHICAGO. I'LL. NV. i.-Presen-
tsticn of evidence in the rate hearing
before the Interstate Commerce Gem
mission was concluded his afternoon.
Arguments on the evidence will be
heard by the commission at Wesh-
iug,on in December II. and after due
delibcraticn the commission will an
nounce what 1t Is generally consid-
cred will be the most important de-
cision ever emanating from II.
The hearing was instituted at the
instance of shippers who arose In
protest when Western railroads an
nounced that rates on fifty different
commodities would be advanced. op-
position to this became general and
the railroads agreed not TO put the
new rates into effect until the Inter
state Commerce Commission had con-
Quoted hearing at which the ship
pers should be heard as to the fair
ness of the proposed advances.
Beginning Of the Fight.
Hearings were hold at Chicago ana
New York. conducted at first by an
examiner, but later. owing TO the par
amount Importance of the case, Com
missioners Clark and I1aue assumed
the duty II took the shippers only
few hours to introduce evidence,
but an imposing mass of statistics and
testimony went into the record Tor
the railroads. The shippers were rep
resented by number of attorneys
who confined their efforts lsrgelv to
attacking the railway evidence rather
than - introducing original testimony
for themselves.
Railway men admitted that the adj
vance in rates on the fifty commodi-
ties. which formed the basis Of the
hearing. was merely an entering
wedge the climate purpose being 10
advance rates all along the line. Ac-
cording 10 the shippers, the final ef-
feet Of this policy would be to place
lax OF 100000. 900 on the consumer.
Claims of Railroads.
In general way the argument pre-
scented t. the railroads was the in
creased rates were necessary for the
| following reasons:
/. increased wages to employees.
.. Increased cost of maintenance
and operations
3. Pablic demand for increased e.
1 fc'ency and expansion OF transporta-
/ ticn facilities.
| The position taken bv the shippers
was thar the railroads at present are
receiving a generous return on their
actual investment. and among other
thirgs ccught to show, on cross-exam-
/ nation. that lower rate OF earnings
shown in ne statistics presented was
Dire mere 10 over-capii alization than
=. low rates.
During tn examination today OF
STANLEY n. johnson. assistant freight
traffic manager of the Rock Island
road. Commissioner Lane asked some
pointed questions.
Could Raise Without End.
Il have found in nv experience.
he said. "iba; railroads find very little
difficulty in raising rates without a
justification and at any time that they
may sec IT. il there were no re-
r;raint placed on the railroads could
not the roads advance the rates with
out md
~Of course. n the railroads were
utterly Indifferent to public opinion
and were not a bodv # fair-minded
men. tra rates might be raised end
lessiy: hut this would not be done. a.
the roads only ask fair profit. re-
Piled wr. Johnson.
Is IL not fact asked Commits
irioncr Lane. that deep dSwu In the
mind 81 the :Tafic manager. be knows
that even the present rate Is too
hfxnz~
This brought a laugh from the
crowd. during which the witness re-
/ piled In the neKsuve.
Mr.. Johnson admitted that no gea-
oral advances IN rates we're made by
a., railroads without agreement with
their competitors.
N they did, he added. 1t would