Show FREIGHT RATES TO GO UP railroad magnates have fully decided to advance their charges to high figures open avowal of intentions made before the interstate railroad corn mission Today Higher cost of railroad equipment and supplies given as an excuse but impelling motive is to increase dividends washington dec 21 A hearing was begun today by tho interstate inter state commerce commission in the matter ol 01 changes in freight classification and advances in freight rates by carriers using the classification many complaints have been filed with the commission alleging that discriminating charges in freight classification have been agreed upon ito take effect on jan 1 1900 to determine this question the hearing of today was held many of the most prominent railway officials of tho eastern part ot the country attended the tearing and rep ot largo shipping interests oi the same section also present at the opening of the hearing mr 0 E gill of new york chairman of the official classification committee said the railroads were without knowledge ot the persons who had requested the hearing and asked that they be called upon to elate wherein the proposed changes were unjust mr gill maintained that the advances in freight rates were due to tho increased cost of railroad plants aal maintenance and the advances had been applied to classes of freights could well pay them mr gills contention that the shippers be first interrogated was overruled and he himself was put on the stand ho said that all protests would be considered by tho classification committee but tho committee was satisfied the proposed advances were necessary on account of increased cost of railway operations he intimated that tor the same reason still further advances probably would have to be made upon many articles mr gill claimed hat existing rates of freights were ably low in tho course ot a long examination ty mr W A day attorney for the committee mr gill gave no reasons for the proposed advances upon special articles or classes of freight except the general reasons which applied to all freight he maintained that the proposed new classifications generally speak in were restorations of freight rates which prevailed in times past when commercial and arade conditions were similar to what they now are his replica to a long series of questions indicated that ills own belief and that of his colleagues on the classification committee were that tho recent mark cd advance in price of railway equipment and operation in steel and all forms of steel and iron etc rendered it necessary for tho railroads in a degree proportionately to advance freight rates ho said freight rates had been on a gradually descending scale tor years but he was unable to say whether the proposed new rates would be higher or lower than the rates which prevailed in 1892 in a statement to tho commission attorney day bald a comparison of the proposed rates on certain specific showed that the new rates would bo higher than ever had existed since the commission existed C A prouty a member ot the corn ml salon instituted a alno of inquiry the questions and answers indicating that in tho railroads paid mere for steel rails and other articles ot equipment than they bad to pay now in view ot these acts he desired to know why the classification committee deemed it necessary to increase tho rates mr gill replied as he had previously done that in the rates on artl clea which had advanced they could well stand them anil the railroads needed the additional nuo which tho advances would civo them lie indicated by his answers that the present prices of articles auci tho prices in 1887 had little II 11 to do with tho action of tho commit tec except that in a general way tho committee felt the articles cs which increases had been made couil well afford them As chairman of the committee he heard all tho protests and communicated their substance to the committee protests against the proposed classification had not been considered by the committee and would not bo until after the classification had gon into effect |