Omaha daily bee., 1910-11-23
Manufacturers Object Only to Dis
elimination Against Their Locality.
RAILWAYS PLAN FAR-REACHING
Would Commit Interests to Raise in
All Sections.
STATEMENT CAUSES SENSATION
Furniture Men Say They Have no OBJ
lection to Uuiform Increase
that VIII Affect En-
tire (8Buntry.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22.-Tesumony in
stigated by George W. Perkins Of J. p.
Morgan & Co, the New York syndicate
that is said to finance and control many
railroads Of the country, analytic excoria-
ton OF crude manual and mechanical
methods OF railroads and drifting dis
cussion of scientific principles OF business
featured todays freight rate increase hear
ing. 1t was the second cay of the pre-
sentation Of the shippers argument be-
fore the Interstate Commerce commission
on the suspension of proposed advances in
the tariffs on a great quantity OF the
traffic moving over the entire official
classification territory. The railroads
would like to put into operation advances
in rates on freight the country over, and
in line with this view it was suggested
that part of the policy was to commit the
shipping interests to testimony that there
would be no complaint IL the advances
were made uniformly throughout the
United states. The trunk line presidents
have claimed that the increases are vital
to their corporations.
Furniture Men Appear.
A delegation Of officials from the Grand
Rapids furniture Industries in Michigan
appeared at the hearinf. While voicing OPP
position to the present eastern trunk line
advance they testified that they would
have no complaint to make II the increases
proposed were not confined to one section
or otherwise discriminatlve.
Then through the prodding OF Attorney
Lyon of the commission, It was disclosed
and admitted by two of the men called by
the shippers that the appearance OF them
selves and the other Grand Rapids people
representing many millions OF dollars of
investments was at the suggestion of the
heads OF the Morgan syndicate, who thought
that as a matter OF fairness the ship
pers should express their Views.
The testimony failed to show any sug-
gestion from Mr.. Perkins that the con
sumers also should present their views
'thOdghtft &as ihtimated thNt IL The rail-
roads and the shippers agreed as TO the
sweeping increases in freights OF several
thousand kinds across the continent with
an aggregate addition of almost fabulous
millions of dollars to the railroad earnings,
the burden would rest upon the consum-
ers
President Henry NJ TOwne, manufac-
turer and head of the Merchants associa-
ton of New York, cOntended the railroads
should first put their own house In order
as he expressed IT, that they should In
stall modern methods of business which
were lust as feasible with them as with
other industries and that II scientific man
agement could not produce economies TO
meet the revenue needs, then he would
Join with them I'm their demand for rate
increases. He depicted in glowing terms
the big business strides under scientific
management.
Henry Van Ripper scheel, engaged in the
manufacture of cotton in Passaic, N. j.,
testified concerning the workings OF that
system, and told Of the bonus scheme at
his plant, whereby the weavers, with a
minimum bonus alon, might attain a
weekly wage Of S1A3O. The shippers tes-
timony will be continued tomorrow The
commission is anxious to expedite the tes-
timony. Commissioner Prouty advised coun-
sci today that the shippers have made out
their case SO far as the workings OF the
scientific system in the plants described
was concerned. and that It was perfectly
evident that a system that worked out so
we'll in one plant might be worked out sim
ilarly in other plants. Attorney Brandeis,
for the Atlantic seaboard shippers. Intended
to introduce General Crozier OF the army
and a navy expert and other witnesses
along this line. but agreed to consolidate
the testimony.
Attorney Walter L. Fisher, representing
the National Wholesale Dry Goods assOcia-
ton, the Western Association OF Shoe
Wholesalers and other Industries, an
nounced that he would produce one witness,
a Mr.. Titteman, a veteran railroad official.
Mr.. Tittelman is expected TO give evidence
to combat the contentious OF Vice President
Thayer Of the Pennsylvania railroad that
the increases were really an adjustment Of
class rates as between themselves and as
between the commodities and the GLASS
rates. the commodity rate having been I'm
creased heretofore and the class rate not
having been increased.