The Washington times., 1913-07-26
PLAN BATTLE UPON
RAILROADS. RATES
Baltimore and Washington Men
, viii Confer Soon as to De-
tails of Campaign.

Representatives of Washington ant
Baltimore commercial interests will con,
Ter In this city probably Wednesday tc
frame up the fight against elimination
OF store-door freight delivery.
A E. Beck, representing the Mer.
chants and Manufacturers Association
OF Baltimore, reported to Secretary Co
lumbus, of the local Chamber of Com
merce, today that a committee of five
appointed IN yesterdays mass meeting
at Baltimore will meet Tuesday to con-
slider the conference with Washing
tonians. Then the Baltimore group will
probably come here the following day.
MIR. Beck declared today that the
railroads will have a big fight. for
the Baltimoreans are determined to
tained. They will make their conten-
ton on the lines first suggested by
The Times, namely that the railroads
have made this latest move because
water competition is throttled.
Baltimore Raises Fund.
Three thousand dollars has been
raised in Baltimore to conduct the ie-
gal proceedings before the Interstate
Commerce Commission. Mr.. Beck ex-
presses confidence in the Tuccessful re-
suit Of the merchants protest
w NdSIlnSlOn COMM ORGANIZATIONS
will cooperate in every way possible
In this move. Nothing has been done
here toward raising money to assist in
the legal battle, but 1t is likely that
the local bodies will contribute II fur
tier funds are needed.
In yesterdays meeting at Baltimore,
the merchants expressed a desire to
go through with the fight on the
water competition contention.
Fight Opens Next Week.
Mr.. Beck today. in addition to meeting
Secretary Columbus, called at the In
terstate Commerce Commission offices.
The date for a hearing on the mer-
chants protest is not yet set, but prob
ably will be within a short time.
The fight will be on In earnest by the
middle Of next week, and merchants are
hopeful that by that time the arrange
ments for hearing will be completed.
The Baltimore organization is busy
now In collecting mass Of facts and
figures to demonstrate the decline of
water competition by reason of the
railroad concession in the matter of
rates and free store-door delivery.
Lines Watch Developments.
The railroad and steamship lines are
keeping close tabs on every move of
the merchants, and consequently these
facts and figures will be kept secret
until the contest is on before the In
terstate Commerce Commission.
It developed today that representa-
tives of both the rail and steamship
lines were present at the Baltimore
mass meeting and took copius notes on
the proceedings.
These men were there as members Of
the organization and consequently could
not be barred. Mr.. Beck declared to-
day, however, that the transportation
companies are keeping a close watch
on the merchants, apparently with the
purpose of knowing the inside facts in
advance of the hearing.
In case the Interstate Commerce
Commission decides against the con-
tinuance of the free delivery system,
the merchants will then seek a reduc-
ton of the rates. Their claim will be
based on the fact that the elimination
plan amounts to increased rates.
The Baltimore traffic bureau esti-
mates that it would cost their mer-
chants SS5e,000 a year extra If the free
delivery were eliminated. This is es-
timated as an actual increase of from
II to 20 per cent in rates.
Further, the bureau maintains that
terminals would be congested, service
would be poorer, and "infrequent
shippers would have an added burden
in the high charges for city delivery OF
parcels.