The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-28
PLANS NEW RATES ID ASSIST FARMER |ND|VERSIF F|CAT|ON Cooper Thinks Charges Too High for Products New
 in Alabama RAILROADS CITED
 TO APPEAR JUNE 5 Many Farm Products Now Produced Were Almost Unknown When
 the Commodity Rates
 Were Fixed

1nequitable freight rates, which have been among the chief stones in the path of crop diversification and the principal hindrance to the agricultural development of the state, are to be remedied without delay if the plans inaugurated by B. H. Cooper, associate member of the public service commits sion, are carried to a successful con- summation.
 Realizing that the farmers would not and could not diversity so long as the railroads were charging 25 per cent more to haul the diversified crops than they charged for products of a similar nature raised before diversification be- gan, and before it became vital ne- eessity, MT. Cooper proposes to do away with the discrimination against diversification
 At the instance of MT. Cooper pro- ceedings have been instituted against s every railroad in Alabama citing them to appear before the commission Mon day, June 5, and show cause if any, why new set of rates, which has been prepared by him, should not be put into effect immediately. These rates are on an average 25 per cent lower than those now in effect and in some instances the proposed reduc- tions are even greater They relate to the various products which the farm CTS have taken up since the advent of the boil weevil and since diversifica- ton became a necessity for the farm CTS of the state.
 CHANGE SINCE 1907
 While the rates which Mr Cooper has prepared and which he expects to have put into effect are much lower than those now charged, it is point ed out that they are in line with the rates charged for products of a similar nature as provided for in the acts of the Conner legislature known as the "1l0 commodity act"
 At the time this act was passed and those rates made the diversified pro- ducts were not produced to any con- siderable extent in Alabama and no rates were provided for them. When the boil weevil came and diversifica- ton started the railroads established rates, which in the opinion of MT. Cooper, are far too high and out of proportion to the rates charged for similar products.
 The rates drawn up by MT. Cooper are divided into three sets, relating to three different classes of freight. The, first deals with peanut hulls, pea nut oil, peanut meal, peanut cake, sofa bean oil, sofa bean meal, velvet bean meal, velvet bean hulls, corn shucks or husks in bales. The proposed Coop CT rates on these articles in less than carload lots for five miles are 21a cents per hundred. 20 miles cents per hundred. 55 miles cents per hum dred 100 miles, SA cents per hun dred, 200 miles, 91s cents per hundred, 300 miles II cents per hundred, 400 miles 111a costs per hundred, and other distances in proportion. In carload lots the new rates are $4 for five miles, $7 for 20 miles, $10 for 55 miles, $14 for 100 miles, $20 for 200 miles, SPA for 300 miles and $27 for 400 miles. other distances being in proportion.
 The second group of rates deals with peanuts. sofa beans and velvet beans. In less than carload lots the rates per hundred pounds for five miles are Sla cents, for; 55 miles cents. for 100 miles the rates are cents, for 200 miles 1 F cents, for 300 miles 141z cents. for 400