The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-05
Claims Petition of Railroads if Grant ed Will Cause Decided Increase in Alabama Transportation
 Charges

Alabama rates necessarily sHouiu
 higher than those in Georgia. The as sociation, therefore, contends that there is nothing left to do but to go before the proper tribunals and make the fight 1Sr equitable rates in Alabama. The stace- ment as issued reads as follows
 ''To Alabama Business Men:
 'It is deemed important for you 70 know the real attitude of the railroads in regard to freight rates in this state. As heretofore announced in the press' the carriers have filed with the Alabama public service commission petition asking authority to make some radical changes in intrastate freight rates anu generally to increase them. Alter the petition was filed the Alabama shippers association was organized, consisting oi business men and traffic representatives of the different communities In this state.
 Those representatives of the people have for sometime been analyzing the carriers request for increased rates, ana now know it's full extent. From tecn- nical point of view it is objectionable Tn many respects and would, If granted Al it's entirety, cause the people of this state to pay a very much increased transpor- tion charge.
 NO TIME FOR LITIGATION
 "But notwithstanding the large num- Der of increases which the carriers ash' the Alabama Shippers association never the-less concluded that this was no tmie to engage in expensive and protfacteu litigation with the railroads II II couio be avoided. Moreover, it was felt that Ic Sh he ODDrcSSCC and that the shippers should adopt np- eral attitude toward them at this time.
 "Actuated by such purpose, the execu- tiyes of the Alabama Shippers associa- tion asked the carriers representatives for a conference to discuss the matter, in order to see if there could not pc reached a common basis of understand ing as a result of which the railroads would be treated fairly and at the same time the Alabama shippers be spared the burden of unwarranted increases and of contesting what might otherwise be a long and expensive case. Such meet ing was held at the Piedmont hotel, Tn Atlanta, on Friday, February l, at which there was preesnt full representation from the carriers and the shippers or the state.
 Relieving that they bespoke the sem timent of the people of Alabama in the desire to be fair to the carriers as well as the shippers, the following proposi- tion was suggested by the representa- lives of the Alabama Shippers assocla- tion. It was urged that the carriers modify their petition and treat with the shippers direct on the basis that what ever rates should se established in Georgia (where a similar case Is now drawing to a close) those same rates be established in Alabama. That Is to say, the shippers representatives took the position that although the tentative rates announced by the Georgia com mission for future application would mean some increases in Alabama ii adopted here, yet the representatives o1 the shippers would agree, at the proper time, to appear before the Alabama com mission, along with the carriers, anc suggest to the commission that 1t was fair and proper, in their opinion, that rates in Alabama should be no higher or lower than those which shall be es- tablished in Georgia.
 UNWILLING TO AGREE Despite the obvious fairness of this proposition and the spirit of co-opera- tion with which it was advanced. the carriers nevertheless announced their unwillingness to agree to it. On the con- trary, they made 1t very plain that nc matter what mght be fair ad reason able rates in Georgia, the rates in Ala bama should be higher. They woulc not recognize that Alabama and Geor- gia should have equal rates. They con- tended that higher rates in Alabama than in Georgia are demanded.
 It Is therefore clear that the Alabama Shippers association has gone as far as can properly be exected in the effort tc meet the carriers half way in avoiding litigation at this time. It was hoped that the carriers would share the view of the great majority of people in Ala bama that freight rates in this state should be no higher than those in Geor- gia; that transportation conditions arg so similar as to warrant the same gen. eral level of freight rates in both states Yet the carriers insist on prosecuting l their case before the Alabama commis- l sion with a view to securing very sub- | stantial increases in Alabama rates making them higher than even the ad- vanced rates to be allowed in Georgia. TO MAKE VIGOROUS CONTEST | .Under the circumstances there is | nothing left to be done by the Alabama l Shippers association except to oppose I the railroads position and to vigorously | contest the petition. Regrettable as sucf | a course is, the members of this asSocia. 1 ton would feel that they were violating | 1 resentatives of the shippers if they dic not now vigorously contest the railroads
 unfair request for higher rates in Ala bama than in Georgia. It is not for 6 moment to be thought that the people | of this state would willingly acquiesct | in higher freight rates than those | charged in Georgia, and thereby re-es l tablish the discrimination against Ala bama in favor of Georgia, which former
 ly existed rior to the correction mad' | through the Alabama regulating authori l ties in 1907. Therefore, in view of thu | railroads attitude it is plainly neces | sary to fight the issue out before com | petent state tribunals.
 The foregoing is brought to your at | tention in order that the position of thi association may be made perfectly clear 1 Our efforts to avoid litigation havinl I failed, the case must now proceed oi 1 March 4 (the date fixed for the openinl of the hearing) and the primary respon 1 sibility will now have to rest with tn Alabama commission. O. L. BUNN, 1 Secretary.
 w. D. Nesbitt. Carson Adams, di l rectors Alabama Shippers Association.