The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-03-27

s--~...-.--a.......----------.-. -
the law on wall paper, cement, fertiliz-
er and fertilizer materials.
Mr.. Taylor of Gainesville asked the
witness several hard questions about
the cement rate, calling attention to
the fact that the rate from Jackson
vile to Tampa was dollar ton ana
from Jacksonville to Ocala it was
$1.90 ton. Mr.. Caps did not salts
factorily explain why such a discrim-
ination was made.
Mr.. L. S. Light then injected good
humor into the crowd by asking some
very pertinent questions about the
capitalization of the Seaboard, bring
ing out the fact that the Seaboard Air
Line was capitalized at $4,000 per
mile, when, as matter of fact, it
took only eight or ten thousand dol
lars per mile to build it.
Mr.. Burr of the commission then
stated that the Seaboard had $5S,00O.-
900 of watered stock. He further stat
ed that the railroad commission did
not intend to fix these rates on the
capitalization of the company, but on
the actual physical valuation of the
same.
Mr.. Light then filed as an exhibit
with the railroad commission a type
written document showing the gross
earnings of the Seaboard for a num-
Der of years past, and showing the
capitalization now and in 1900.
In the afternoon Mr.. Weathers
made a forcible address to the COM
mission telling why the wholesale
merchants of the interior had been
driven out of business. He stated
very forcibly that the reason the
wholesale merchants of the interior
had been driven out of business was
due solely to the unjust and unfair dis
elimination against them in regard to
freight rates; that when they had to
pay anywhere from 25 to so per cent.
more for goods than Tampa had to
pay, although only half as far from
Jacksonville to Tampa, that they
could not compete with the wholesal-
ers of Tampa and jacksonville. He
stated that he himself was forced to
give up the wholesale business be-
cause of that condition of affairs, and
that his old associates who had gone
to Jacksonville and got into the whole
sale business had been eminently sue
cessful. He made remarkable plea
for justice to the interior.
During the course of the day the
commissioners requested each side to
give their views of the law relative
to the long and short haul bill. The
carriers stated through Mr.. Capps and
Col. Kay, representing the Coast
Line, that it was their contention that
they had the right to raise the rates
into Tampa in order to equaliZe
freight conditions of the state without
to the railroad commission:
and it was stated by Mr.. Spencer, in
behalf of the board of trade, that the
law did not contemplate any raise
to Tampa or to any other point, but
contemplated decrease of rates to
points, and that. under
the law the railroads had no right to
make any rates whatsoever without
the consent and permission of the
railroad commission. He brought out
that in this hearing the preponder-
ance of the evidence lay upon the rail-
roads to show justification for the I'M
just charges and determinations made
against the interior and that the bur-
den of proof was on their shoulders.
He cited several decisions of the inter
state commerce commission to sustain
his contention.
1t was brought out by Mr.. Spencer
during the hearing that condition OF
affairs existed in this state with re-
spect to freight rates that is truly re-
markable. On all classes of goods,
regardless of whether or not water
competition plays part, Ocala is
charged from "a to so per cent. more
freight from Jacksonville than Tampa
is charged.
The matter is being very capably
handled on the part Of the board Of
trade by Mr.. Spencer. and It II the