San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-04-01
.F(RAKER'S POOLING BILL.
All The Railroad MagnateS
: Favor It.
THINK 1T VILE BE THE ONLY
REMEDY TO THE PRESENT
IS DIFFICULTY.
1t Viii Be Under The Direct Super
vision Of The Interstate Com
merce Commission And Will
Benefit Shippers As Well
As Railroads.


Although the Trunk lines and their
Chls morning:
western connections will be operated
under the Joint Traffic agreement I'M
I'll compelled to cease from so do.
ing by an adverse decision of the
United States Supreme court, the
railroad men, almost without excep-
ton, are preparing for a vigorous
campaign in favor of the passage of
a pooling law by Congress. Chauncey
Depew, chairman of the Joint Traffic
Board of Control, says that in prop
err pooling law lies the only solution
Of the existing railroad troubles. The
bill introduced by Senator Foraker,
he remarked yesterday, was designed
to enable railroad managers to make
necessary traffic agreement and keep
out of jail
One resolution of the conference of
railroad lawyers was to emphasize
the unanimity in favor of legislation
that will legalize pooling. The presi-
dents of some of the Trunk lines
frankly avow their willingness to
have the Joint Traffic association de-
clared Illegal by the Supreme court.
because they believe that the condi-
tons thus precipitated would force
Congress to pass remedial measures
without delay. The Foraker pooling
bill is satisfactory to most all of the
railroad men and the members of the
Interstate Commerce commission as
well.
That bill practically mullifies the
anti-traffic contract clause of the
Sherman antitrust law and gives the
railroad companies the privilege of
making such traffic contracts under
the supervision of the Interstate Com
merce commission. Railroad men be-
lieve that legislation for rail
road pooling would have a better eff
feet on the general situation than a
Supreme court decision for the Joint
Traffic association. Even the assur
ance of the legality Of the association
would not help the western roads, for
the reason that the first Supreme
court decision killed their principal
traffic agreement.
J. f. Goddard, chief arbitrator of
the Joint Traffic association, was ask
ed last night his opinion as to the eff
feet of the passing of the Foraker
pooling bill. He said: II think the
measure is timely and in the direction
of the preservation of conservative
business methods on the present rate
condition. The public is largely inter-
ested in this matter, not only as in
vestOrs in railroad securities, but in
preventing a general dissertation of
commercial conditions"
Mr.. Geo. Blanchard said: II think
that the Foraker bill should be sup
DOrted by the public as we'll as by
the railroads for the reason that I'M
der its provisions all shippers are put
upon an equality, when rates have
been made on reasonable standards. 1t
is as much the duty of the government
to protect shippers and railroads
Jointly by requiring uniform. observa-
lance of rates and fares as it is to
enforce the governments import and
internal revenue tariffs"
]. D. Laying, vice president of the
Big -Four, remarked: IF the Interstate
Commerce commission approves of
pooling contracts and has the power to
terminate them when they Cypress the
public, it would seem to me wise
thing to pass law looking in that d.
rection."
Henry Fink, president of the Nor
folk and Western. said that a pooling
law was absolutely necessary to the |
country in order that Interstate CON-
merce law could be carried out.
Thomas B. Fowler, president of the |
New York, Ontario and Western, said: |
81 believe the Foraker bill to be good |
measure. Pooling with proper safe !
guards and governmental restriction |
must be beneficial. 1t means the sta |
bility of rates and such measure |
would be of great benefit to the coun-
try"
Aldace p. Walker, chairman of the
board of directors of the Atchison,
Topeka and Santa Fe r. r.. and for
merly chief arbitrator of the Trunk
lines. said yesterday: "This bill. (which
is desired to amend the Interstate
Commerce law, has for some time
been in process of careful prepare