The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-29
TRYING TO STOP
GIVING REBATES
Railroad Men Meet With Interstate
Commerce Commission.
STUBS MAKES THE TALK
SECRET CONFERENCE LASTS
TWO HOURS.

Washington, Dec 2s.-Representa-
tives Of the leading trans Mississippi
railroads were in conference with the
interstate commerce commission today
concerning rates and the efforts of the
commission to do away with discrimi-
nation by the railroads in favor Of
large shippers.
]. c. Stubs, vice president and traf-
fic director OF the Hartman lines, was
the spokesman for the railroad men
and held a brief conference with his
associates before they appeared before
the commission.
Chairman Knapp and Commissioners
COckrell and Clements were the only
members present, the other commits
sioners being out Of the city. Among
the railroad men who attended the con-
ference were G. r. Nicholson, vice
president of, the Atchison, Topeka &
Santa Fe; ]. NJ. Johnson assistant 10
the vice president of the Gould lines,
and j. r. Holden, freight traffic man
ager Of the Rock Island.
Conference Was Private.
The conference, which was not pub
Tic, lasted for more than two hours.
The representatives of the railways re-
ferred all inquiries concerning the
meeting TO Chairman Knapp of the
commission, who said the commission
desired the assistance of the committee
in preventing rebates and through the
representatives Of the different western
= roads stated that the companies are de-
termmed to put q stop TO discrimina-
ton in favor of the large shippers.
Through Mr.. Stubs, and practically
all the other members of the commit
tee, the railway interests were repre-
sented as being anxious to have the
commission assist railway committee
in looking into all grievances. Mr..
Knapp said the speakers even ex-
pressed a willingness to have such
committee, headed by a man without
railway interests, who shall act as the
go-between in all conferences between
the railway committee and the COM
mission.
Shippers Aroused.
Several OF the railway men assured
the commission that the public con-
science had been reused by rebate dis
closures and that many prominent
shippers have announced they will &C
cept no concessions of any sort which
may cause them to be classed with
corporations which have profited by
special rates. This sentiment. it was
materially I'm the movement of the rail-
ways TO abolish rebates.
Mr.. Knapp and the other two mem
bers OF the commission who attended
the conference assured the railway
men that the commission will gladly
cooperate with the railway interests
In stopping rebates and in investigat-
ing any grievances. In return for ac-
uvity among the railways in trying to
abolish determinations, Chairman
Knapp said the railway committee did
not ask any concessions of any sort
from the commission, but that they de-
sired cooperation.
Official Statement.
The following official statement con-
corning the meeting was made by the
interstate commerce commission:
THE conference today with western
railway officials was not sought by the
commission, as certain papers have in
correctly stated. but it's purpose was
legitimate and commendable and war
rants the expectation OF beneficial re-
suits. At recent meeting in Chicago
the representatives of practically all
OF the lines west of that city from the
Canadian border to the gulf, adopted
the following resolution:
That a Joint committee represent
alive OF lines In the western trunk line
committee. the trans Missouri Freight
bureau. Southwestern Tariff committee
y and the Transcontinental Freight Rate
committee be appointed and instructed
10 wait upon the interstate commerce
commission. The desire and purpose
of the respective members Of said COM
mittees or bureaus to cooperate with
the commission In the enforcement of
the law to the extent of pointing out
ways and means and giving the com
mission any specific information that
may come to its knowledge which will
lead to effective inquiry in uncovering
unlawful practices"
Good Faith Assured.
1.-The object of the joint committee.
whose names have already been pub
lished. was to present this resolution
and assure the commission of the unit
ed and determined disposition Of the
lines represented to conform to the law
in good faith and in every respect and