Show LONG FILm FILED IN TEXAS Railroads Charged With Con Conspiracy Conspiracy in the Matter Mater of Freight Rates THREE SCORE DEFENDANTS COMPANIES GIVEN 15 DAYS IN WHICH TO ANSWER Washington Aug 10 The railroad commission com of ot Texas today filed fed a for formal formal mal complaint with wih the tho interstate com commerce commerce merce commission against railroads and common carriers alleg alleging allegIng ing a conspiracy on the part de defendants through the Southwestern stern Traffic association for the tho suppression of ot competition and restraint of trade trado in the recent action acton increasing freight rates to common points in Texas The commission will wl forward notice of this complaint to all al the carriers carrier involved and will wf give them fifteen days to re reply rep ply p the usual period allowed for an answering n a complaint being twenty days da s The commission will wi expedite this case caso as much as possible on account of its widespread importance The complaint is signed by b Allison Alson Mayfield chairman of the Texas Teas com commission commission mission with R V Y Davidson attorney ator ney general Claude Pollard Polard assistant attorney general of the state of Texas countersigning the paper of Cost The Tho complaint undertakes to com compare compare pare the alleged cost of ot maintenance and operation of ot the railroads with the actual cost and the tho claimed indebted indebtedness ness which is supposed suppose to justify the Increase with the actual indebtedness The Tho railroad commission of Texas Texa It appears appers has appraised the cost of con construction and operation of tho roads as Avell wel as the actual Indebtedness upon which the rates may ma be fairly based Eight freight schedules which have re recently cont been riled fied with the commission are made the basis of the tho complaint and all allare al are claimed to have hae been brought about by b an unlawful agreement between the defendant carriers carrier and the Southwestern Traffic association of which they are members or whose members represent through power of attorney those who are not Will Wil Fall Fal Upon Commodities It declares that the Increased rates rate will wi fall Call primarily upon the commodities of ot prime utility and ane dally lal necessity that they will seriously disturb trade relations causing loss to shippers shipper and the consuming consumIng ing public pubic and that the Increased tax so far as Texas alone is concerned will wi amount to Senator was actively activelY associated associated with the representative of ot the Texas railroad commissioners in framing up this complaint complaint having come here from his home with Chairman and As Assistant Assistant Attorney General Pollard Polard to con confer confer fer with wih the members of ot the Interstate commerce commission upon the proper course coure to pursue In order to defeat the proposed Increase in rates The commis commission commission sion was wa asked to proceed against the th defendant carriers on their own behalf but it was pointed out to the Texas representatives that In n case ese that the commission would not have authority to fix fx rates to take tako the place of oC those proposed by the railroads and that In order to fix tx rates If that course coune should bo be deemed proper propel I tho commission would have hae to proceed upon a complaint of shippers shipper or their representatives |