Arizona republican., 1911-04-12
WELLS FARGO RATE CASE
Hitherto Unappreciated I'm portance of Complaints Brought U n Ter the Fourth Section" Crea- tion of New Board.

r. s. DePass, secretary of the Ari-
 zona railway commission, returned
 home yesterday after an absence of
 exactly one month, from Washington,
 where he has been attending the hear
 ings of the interstate commerce com
 mission He accompanied George
 Stoneman of Globe, attorney for the
 Arizona commission, primarily to be
 present when Mir Stoneman presented
 his argument in support of the com
 plaint against Wells Fargo X Co. for
 their alleged unfair and ineQuitable
 rates for the transportation of race
 horses to and from Arizona. This
 was followed by the hearing of what
 are known as the Spokane, Reno. Salt
 Lake City and Phoenix cases, and
 they in turn by the hearing and talk
 ing of testimony in respect of the
 long and short haul' complaints in
 which the whole intermountain region
 is vitally concerned. Finally, Messrs.
 Stoneman and DePass. in behalf of the Arizona Wool Growers association,
 joined with the attorneys of the Ma
 tional Wool Growers association in
 formulating and filing complaints agaiust all the carriers involved in the
 transportation of wool from the west
 ern country producing points, to the eastern centers.
 Altogether MT. DePass says he had a very busy month and one that was
 Illuminating and instructive from ar
 official viewpoint. He was shown
 many courteSies by Delegate Cameron
 among others was accompanied in a
 call on President Taft and in a trip
 through the White House and grounds.
 He spent a day in New York before returning home MT Stoneman has not returned yet, having gone to Bos- tor for a visit with his motner.
 The case against Wells Fargo & Co. came up for oral argument on March r. Mr StOneman made a vigorous presentation of the facts and was followed by George W. Stock ton in behalf of the Wells Fargo Co, after which MT. Stoneman made a reply. The hearing was before the full commission ,of seven members. Assurances were given later that a decision would be handed down not later than May and of course the commission is hoping that it will be favorable If that be true ana tEa ds cision is given as early as May or June il will be a great benefit to the Arizona fair this year. A word ot cncouragemrnt was given the Arizo- na commissioner by Mir. Ludlow, ! tr; fife manager of Wells Fargo Al co. who said that in the event the ! decision granted the compliments the relief asked for in reducing the rates between certain points as asked for. | he would establish rates from all other points on the same basis. mak- | ing the reduction general When the complaint was drawn only a few of the more important points, as few as possible to meet the exigencies of the case. were enumerated, in the hope of an early decision. It was not se- cured but now if secured at all, lt | will be a whole settlement of the mat ger and will enable horse owners to bring their stock here from any point
 The arguments and submission of evidence in the Spokane, Reno, Salt Lake City and Phoenix cases began on the goth of March, and soon as they were concluded the commission took up the "long and short haud' cases. These are the complaints drawn under what is known as the fourth section" of the interstate com mcrce law. and the hearing lasted un- iii April Ist This is the most impor tant matter the commission has had before it for years and as the hearing progressed. not only the railroads but the commissioners had a growing ap- | preciation of what a decision would l mean one way or the other. If de | cision were granted favorable to the complainants it would mean read ] iustment of rates throughout almost the entire western country in order l to harrnonize with rates thus estab- | lished between the points directly | complained of
 Not wishing to precipitate such general reorganization of rates with l out proper understanding of what the effect would be, the commission, | after the hearing had been in progress | for some time and much testimony had been taken, announced that in the event of its rendering a decision in recognition of the complaints, it would apply only to those points named, Spokane. Reno. Salt Lake and Phoe- nix. and that the protests of the same sort from other sections of the in termountain country, would be consid- cred at another hearing on a date to be later assigned.
 This was a disappointment to Mir. DePass as he was prepared with evil dence and tried to introduce it, show ing that other points in Arizona than Phoenix are entitled to similar re lief. The ruling of the commission however barred him from getting that testimony in at this time
 The hearing was a veritable legal