The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-02-20
MELLEN AND BYRNES
 AT THE WHITE HOUSE
TWO IMPORTANT CONFERENCES ON RAILROAD RATE LEGIS-
 LAYTON.


 People Are Back of President Roose-
 welt in His Demands-He Is With
 Him AIso-PersonaIIy of Opinion,
 However, That the Hepburn Bill is
 Not Just What Ought to be Enacted
 Into Law.
 Washington, Feb. 1.-Two important conferences on railroad-rate leglslatlon were held at the White House to-day. Senator Knox, of Pennsylvania, former attorney-general, who is credited Wlth having in preparation important amendments to the pending legislation and Charles s. Mellen, president of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad, talked with the president. MT Mellen was accompanied by, T. E. Byrnes, his confidential assistant.
 MT. Mellen and MT. Byrnes talked comparatively briefly to the president, but made arrangements for a subse- quent interview at which the subject was to be considered in full. For four or five weeks MT. Mellen has been on vacation trip to southern California, and he came to Washington to ascer- tain how the situation had developed since he left for the west.
 To representative of the Associat- ed Press MT. Mellen said that his own position regarding railroad-rate legis- lation was reasonably well known.
 There is only one man in this ques- tion who Is to be considered as an ln- dividual," said MT. Mellen, "and so far as the interests represent are con- cerned l am with him. To my mind there can be no doubt that the people of the country are back of MT. Roose- welt in his demand that rate legislation which really means something should be enacted My belief has been all along that such legislation ought to be put on the statute books. It would be the better not only for the people, but tor the railroads.
 Personally, I am inclined to the opinion that the pending Hepburn bill is not just what ought to be enacted into law. In principle perhaps it is very well, but I am satisfied that an OK team could be driven through it at several points.
 "One trouble with the solution of this rate question all along has been that the railroads themselves have not been in agreement. It would be manlfestly unfair to enact legislation that would afford to certain small and impecunious lines--and I use the term 'impecunious' in no offensive sense-What would amount to great advantage over the larger lines. For instance, it would not be just for line which might tap the Pennsylvania lines just outside of Phil adelphia to obtain all the exchange-rate advantages afforded by the enormously valuable terminal facilities of the Penn sylvania in Philadelphia, and yet that is just the advantage given to such line by the Hepburn bill. Now, l am satisfied that to confer such an advan- tage was not the idea of the framers ot the bill and it ought not to be the idea of the frarners of the legislation which finally Is to be crystallized into law The enforcement of such provision would be unjust to those by, by theii energy, ability and capital, had acquir- ed great etllQ N6luebDlC lCAlilAlbl Ae'SiAi ties for their lines. A law which vii meet the demands and the rights of the people and at the same time be entirely Iust and equitable to the carriers car be framed, and I am satisfied that il will be so drawn. The law may bt drastic. so far as the railroads are con cerned. but if framed with regard tt these suggestions 1t would be fair to all Such a measure would meet all the re ouirements of the situation and to i the railroads and the people properly could adjust themselves.
 President Mellen returned to thu White House at o'clock in the after noon. Meantime the president hat summoned by telephone some of his ad visers In the conference which fol lowed beside the president and MT Mellen, there were Secretary Root, At +orney-G General Moody and Chairman Knapp and Commissioner Prouty O inc interstate commerce commission The discussed very thoroughly tn questions which were brought up b. Mir Melle, but no definite decision re garding them was reached. Previousl. President Mellen and MT. Byrnes hat snen+ about four hours at the capito fin consultation with various senator on inc subject of railroad-rate legisla