Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-25
FINE FOR THE LILIES
Railroad Men Snuggle Close to
Rate Law.
WILL MAKE 1T efficient
Want to Discuss Law Questions With
I. C. c.
NOT A BIT OF FAULT TO FIND
Meeting Of I. c. G. Some Time in Sep
tember-Everything Running as
Smooth as Possible.
WILL MAKE 1T Efficient
NOT A BIT OF FAULT TO FIND

One of the first things that the railroads
want after the reassembling of. the inter-
state commerce commission here Is to Sc
cure a meeting to discuss some OF the legal
questions involved in the new rate law. II
Is not known lust how soon this meeting
will be held. but in all probability 1t Will
be early In September Commissioner
Cockrell, who has been in Washington all
summer, has just been Joined by Commls-
sioner Lane of California, one of the new
appointees. The probability is that Mr-
Prouty will be back in town by September
and Chairman Knapp is expected on Sep
TENDER or s. 1t takes four of the COM
missioners TO constitute a quorum. and
meeting cannot be held until quorum is in
Washington. The railroad people would
like to get hearing about September T.
On July q, 1906. meeting was held at
the Wadorf-Astoria Hotel in New York
composed of the executive officers, trafhc
officials and legal representatives OF all the
important rail and steamship lines operat-
ing to and from the territory south of the
Potomac and Ohio rivers and east of the
Mississippi river.
The object of the meeting was. primarily.
to consider the recent changes made in
the railway rate law. AS these matters in
volved questions of law the meeting de-
termned to appoint committee of lawyers,
consisting of the general counsel of each
of the companies represented at the meet
ing, and to refer to this committee certain
printed questions which had suggested
themselves to the executive and trafhc
officials requiring immediate considera-
ton.
Work Of Law Committee.
The law committee held its session at
Atlantic City on August a. 1906, to August
IS, inclusive. and took up the questions
IN detail. Most of the questions related
90 tba do nv
the Hepburn bill, but a number of them
related to the construction of the act prior
to the passage of the Hepburn bill.
Some Of the questions were answered
unanimously. while some OF them were an
swered only by majority. The answers
to some of the questions were deferred.
and answers to few of them were referred
to the general counsel of the companies
represented at the meeting.
The answers to these questions were re-
ported back by the law committee to the
executive committee and traffic committee
on August %. with the explanation .by the
chairman of the law committee that the
answers were the best opinions that coun-
sci could form within the limited time al
lowed for their consideration; that the an
swers were merely advisory. and In no
sense binding upon any company.
The chairman of the law committee was
actuated throughout solely by the desire
to arrive at the correct constructions OF
the various provisions of the act as amend
ed upon the points involved In the said
questions. He stated that there was no
desire manifested by any member OF the
committee to suggest construction Of any
provision of the act which would tend to
nullify or render 1t Intellectual On the
contrary, every member of the committee
seems to be actuated by a sincere desire
to express his individual opinion as to the
correct meaning of Congress in enacting the
provisions of the law involved In the queS-
tons so that the executive and traffic Off
cfals colIId be advised as to how these pro
visions should be carried out within the
true intent and meaning OF the act.
The Resolutions.
At the conclusion of its meeting. the
law committee unanimously adopted the
following resolution:
"Resolver. That now having answered to
the best of our ability and with the light
before us and with our opportunities for
consideration of the questions which have
been submitted to us relating to the prac-
teal operations of the carriers. we COM
mend this law to the fair and loyal OBJ
servance Of the carriers in a spirit of full
and frank recognition of Its spirit and pur-
pose"
On the 22d day Of August. 1905. the con-
vention of the executive and traffic Of
ficials reconvened at the Waldorf-Astoria
Hotel. when they received the report from
the law committee above referred to. and
adopted the following resolution:
Resolved That this convention return
Its thanks to the law committee for the la
Dor bestowed by II upon the questions here
tofore propounded to 1t by this convention.
and that, aided by the advice contained
In the report Of the law committee, the ex
ecutive and traffic officials here present will,
In the administration of the properties con-
fded in their management, use their best
endeavors to comply to the fullest extent
with all the provisions of the act to regu-
amended