The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-03-24
FREIGHT MEN CONFER
RESULT IS SATIsEA CTopx "
DERSTANDING THAT WILL
PROMOTE HARMONY
TWENTY-FIVE ROADS AGREED


Acted MS Intermediary In the
Cause of Professionalism Ap-
pointed to Formulate PIan OF
Procedure-Anti-T Law Dis
cussed From Various Sides.
WASHINGTON, March 23-The presf
dents, general managers and other renre
sentatives of about twenty-five railroad
companies, comprising almost the entire
Trunk line service between Chicago and
Lake Michigan and the Ohio and Miss
1sslpp1 rivers and beyond, were in execu-
tive conference throughout today with
the interstate commerce commission. Ths
result was verbal assurance on the part
of all the roads represented to maintain
uniform tariffs. thorough cooperation
and the appointment of a committee to
confer with the commission tomorrow
looking to more definite and specific
action for securing general stability In
freight rates.
This committee consists of Paul Nor
ton vice president of the Atchison, To-
peka & Santa Fee; II. G. Burt president
Union Pacific; A. c. Bird, general traffic
manager Chicago, Milwaukee & St Paul
b. F. Yoakum, vice president St. Louis
& San Francisco; c. G.. Warner, vice pres
ident Missouri Pacific, and Edward s.
Washburn, president Kansas City. Fort
Scott & Memphis. This committee will
meet with the commission tomorrow at
10 o'clock
The general conference closed after be-
ing in session from II this morning till
tonight. and most of the members have
returned home. Among those who par
ticipated in this conference looking to
absolute rate uniformity In the West
were: Mr.. Storm. of the Minneapolis, St
Paul & Sault Ste. Marie; Vice President
McCullagh, Chicago &c Northwestern;
Vice President Harris, Chicago Burling
ton & Quincy; Receiver H. F. Whitcomb,
of the Wisconsin Central; Receiver Sam
uel Hunt, Toledo ST. Louis & Kansas.
City.
HARMONY PREVAILS.
At the conference every road repre-
scented was called on to report its freight
tariff conditions generally, whether It's
published rates were being carefully OBJ
served and what future difficulties were
anticipated. Each reported absolute
maintenance of published schedules, and
the reports summarized indicated the
most thorough cooperation In the West
ern territory. No road had any definite
complaint or secret rate pTdCllCeS "
port and, on the contrary, it was brought
out that several reports of secret prac-
tees were groundless.
The antitrust law. taking away the
legal sanction of any concerted effort
among the roads to maintain rates and
at the same time requiring the observance
of published rates, was discussed and ef-
forts to overcome this obstacle were in
formally mentioned.
The general sentiment as to the results
of the conference is that each road will
make a consistent effort to act fairly with
each other, and with respect to shippers.
The officials present pledged themselves
not to deviate from their published
tariffs, and not to discriminate between
the large and small shippers.
At the meeting tomorrow definite action
may be taken looking to insuring, as far
as possible, against possible future con-
tingencies which might precipitate de-
moralization in rates.