Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-10-10
MILEAGE BAT TIE
BEGINS BEFORE
BIC CROWD
Railroad Commission Outlines
Questions Involved and
Hears Conductor.

The Georgia railroad commission
called for a hearing of the petition of
the travelling men in the amous mile
age pulling" dispute at 1890 o'clock
this morning
So numerous were the attorneys pro
and con and the witnesses summoned
that the small audience chamber of the
commission was found to be far too
small for the accommodation of the
crowd, and the hearing was transferred
to the hall of the house of representa-
tives
Before proceeding with the hearing
Chairman Gambler, of the commission,
reviewed former hearings and ex-
planned why the commission had called
an additional hearing. after the July
sitting of the commission.
The chairman said the commission
did not think it proper to pass upon
such a question as the one petitioners
presented when the legislature was
considering a bill to provide the identi-
cal thing the travelling men sought
from the commission. The chairman
also stated that previous hearings were
neither as complete nor as clear as the
commission desired, in endeavoring to
reach a just and proper decision in the
matter.
Eight Questions involved.
The commission, through it's chair
man, placed all parties to the cOntro-
versy on notice that it considered eight
legal questions involved, and desired
the hearing addressed to the same.
The legal phases of the controversy
upon which the commission desires
light are: "a Having prescribed maxi
mum passenger rates for each railroad
in the state, has the commission the
power to require the sale of tickets a!
less than prescribed maximum rates?
(2) Has the commission the right to
require the sale of interchangeable
mileage at prescribed maximum rates
or less? CD Has the commission the
right to pass upon the rea sonableness
of rules regulations and conditions as
to the use of mileage tickets sold at
less than maximum rates? a. Has
the commission the power to direct that
if mileage is sold or accepted at rates
less than the prescribed maximum, the
rules and regulations attached shall be
such as the commission may deem rea-
sonable? 60 Has the commission the
power to condemn one reasonable reg
ulation and prescribe in its stead an
other reasonable regulation, less incon~
hnr in
ton? CO. Is it unla Wful discrimination
for a carrier to honor mileage sold by
another carrier, at reduced rates, from
one intending passenger, and to refuse
to sell similar mileage to another in
tending passenger directly applying for
its purchase? CD Does the fact that
different forms of mileage books are
sold bring such transportation within
the interstate commerce law, and to the
exclusion Of state legislation, when one
of the forms issued is used in intra-
state traffic? 60 Has the commission
power to order the sale, acceptance, in
terchange or use of constructually is
sued interchangeable mileage upon any
different conditions than those named
in the contract between the parties?
Conductor on Stand.
After outlining the commissions de-
sires in the hearing, the chairman or
dered witnesses called in the following
order: Witnesses called by the COM
mission, witnesses for the railroads
witnesses for the petitioners Aftey
witnesses have been heard, statements
will be heard from such private citizens
as desire to be heard. Argument is to
be confined to two speeches on each
side, the petitioners to open and con-
clude
Just before noon Conductor H. C.
Chiles, of the Georgia, Savannah and
Florida, was called to the stand
He went into detail as to the great
Inconvenience and injustice to the rail
roads of requiring conductors to pull
mileage. He said that a conductor
could easily lift from five to fifteen
tickets while he was pulling" one
mileage strip.
This witness testimony was deliv-
cred under questions asked by the
chairman of the railroad commission
The examination of witnesses will
consume al OF tOdays time, and is
largely a reiteration of testimony here
tofore delivered in the same matter.
The hearing is expected to run
through tomorrow, and possibly into
Saturday
After the hearing is closed, the COM
mission will consider the case, prob
ably in executive session, and it may be
next week before a decision is handed
down.