Omaha daily bee., 1889-01-27
THE PRESIDENTS AGREEMENT.
The Arbitration Clause Passed After a
Long n~isCussiOn

LUNG bisCuhstOn.
CHICAGO, Jan. ~26.-tSpccial Telegram to
THE BEE. The Illinois Central was still
absent this morning when the roll was called
in the railroad presidents meeting in the
Pacific hotel. The remaining twenty in
terested roads were represented by officials
VINO are growing more and more enthusi-
astic over the agreement. There was a free
interchanging of opinions before the meeting
came to order. Where the first days ses-
sion opened with mutual distrust and a for
ma exchange of greetings, the entiments
expressed this morning were the confidential
ones of friends, and the salutatIons to late
corners bordered on the intimate. The ears
OF outsider, were twice shocked with a
Hello, Joe," and Hello, Bob which
showed that the icy aloofness of presidential
dignity had rapidly melted under the warmth
of the conference. Said Gen'l McNulty, re-
ceiver for the Wabash Eastern, before the
meeting opened:
II am surprised and delighted at the way
in which the representatives are forcing
themselves to agree. The first day con
WINGED us that there must be a perfectly free
airing OF opinions, and all of us have since
acted upon our convictions. We all believe
that the so-called presidents agreement, as a
whole, is an absolute necessity to the proper
conduct OF railroads. The exact wording Of
the agreement and its perfect understanding
w All HleUlDeTS Is u matter OF the greatest
Importance, and when we have finished our
session there can be no possible doubt as to
any of the provisions Of the agreement
Said A. Is. Stickney, president of the Chi
cago, 81. Paul Il Kansas City and Iowa Cen
trial railroads at the close of the meeting:
I'VE have passed the arbitration clause Of
the agreement. 1t has been under discussion
a long time, but it finally passed unani-
mously. That is the way, in fact, that all
our legislation must be passed. The
arbitration plnnGn NNll n Cpl.r i'm
portant one and passed practically
as it was represented at the New York meet
ing. After we had passed the arbitration
clause, we took up the matter of the division
of territory for association purposes. We
did very little on this point up to adjourn
ment, and probably will not finish It's con-
sideration this afternoon. 1t is also u very
important point
viii the territory be controlled by one or
three associationsin
No being n prophet, | can't tell. Opin-
ion is divided on the subject, and 1 think we
will have difficulty in agreeing about the as
sOciations.n
"How do you explain the absence of the
Illinois Central from the conferencein
"Well, ] expect they think the agreement
will fall short of expectations and don't con-
slider it worth the trouble wasted upon itF'
as their absence to be construed as an
tagonistic:n
"No, 1 think not. have every reason to
believe that the Illinois. although outside of
the agreement, Will live up to its terms as
Ions as the other roads do.n
The arbitrary clause, the only one de-
finltely acted upon by the presidents, is as
follows:
'In case the managers fail to agree upon
any question arising under this agreement
that shall be brought before the association,
it shall be referred to an executive board,
consisting of three cxperlenced men. The
members of such board shall, on the organi-
cation of the association, be elected by IA
unanimous vote, but they, or three of them,
may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the
members. The board shall determine all
questions, hear and decide all cases of com
plant. and prescribe the time upon which
such hearing shall be had, with the view Of
preventing all unnecessary delays, after
which the decision shall be rendered
within ten days, and said decision shall be
fnal.D