Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1916-05-13
Move Is an Attempt at "Come Back" with Con
 sumer the "Goat." /"
PINE BLUFF LOSES
 IF PLAN GOES THRU
Railroad Commission Has Designated Next Friday, May 19, as Date for Hearing to Be Attended by
 Many Lumbermen.

The Arkansas railroad commission
 has fixed upon Friday, May 19 as tn
 date for the hearing of petitioIs<
 the railroads of the state, wherell
 the roads ask to be allowed to Tn crease their rates on lumber betWeel points in the state.
 The Pine Bluff Traffic bureau vii
 be represented at the hearing b. Commissioner w. M. Taylor, while virtually every lumber man of this city and section will be present, tt oppose the granting of the petition.
 The matter is said to be of fal more importance to the sawmill mer and lumbermen of the state, than has been any question that has come uI for quite a period. and will have a direct bearing upon those business interests. It is known that one big Northern concern. which has virtual ly arranged to establish large yards and milling facilities here, has order ed this movement held up, pending the final outcome of this latest petl- ton of the railroads.
 Commissioner Taylor pointed out yesterday, that this petition of the railroads is only another demonstra- tion of the vital necessity of watch ing carefully the constant efforts of the railroads to increase rates, under various guises and for various reas- ons.
 Some time ago, a Memphis con- cern complained to the inter state commerce commission" he said, "the basis of their complaint being that the rates on these products into Memphis were prejudicial, so far as Memphis is concerned. and were dis tinctly beneficial to points in Arkan- sas. The interstate commerce com- mission decided in favor of the peti- tioners, directing the railroads in- volved to amend and change their rates, so that the rate into Memphis would be on the same basis as the Arkansas intra- state rate, plus i cent per 100.
 Railroads Try "COme Back"
 ''That appeared fair enough" con- tinued MT. Taylor. But now the railroads have petitioned the Arkan- sasl railroad commission for permis- sion to increase their intra-state rates. The order of the interstate commerce commission goes into eff feet June 1, and on that account the railroads have asked for very early hearing by the state commission, of their petition. The commission has fixed the date of the hearing as Fri day. May 19.
 'The product is now hauled on a net rate basis. The roads propose to increase these rates, and then to bring about reduction in the actual amount paid in freight, by making a refund after reshipment, and upon the filing of claims for such refund by the shippers. At present. the ship pers get the benefit of the lower rates when they reship 65 per cent of the quantity received. the 35 per cent be- ing allowed as shrinkage by the rail- roads. The roads want to increase this. however, so that the shippers will get the promised refund only if they reship so per cent of the quanti- ty received. And the promised lower rate will actually be an increase of one-half cent to one cent, per 100 pounds.
 This is just another of the many in this section to increase their rates at every possible opportunity The from all sections of the state will be at the hearing. however, and it is not unlikely the railroad