The Washington times., 1906-04-01
RAILWAY EXPERTS
MEET TOMORROW
Commissioners From Many
States Will Gather Here.
PROBLEMS BEFORE THEM
Rates and Rate Making One of the
Principal Subjects to Be
Discussed.

Rates and rate making will be one
OF the principal subjects discussed dur
ing the eighteenth convention OF the Ma
tioral Association of Railway Commits
sioners. which convenes here tomorrow.
Ben F. Chadbourne. of Maine: ex-Sen-
ator Francis NJ. Cockrell. of the Inter
state Commerce Commission: ]. c.
Lawrence. of Washington; N s. Ket-
chunl. OF Iowa: Thomas Yapp. of Mime
sofa: Beverly T. Crump. of Virginia and
w. o. Seymour. of Connecticut, have
been designated as a committee to
handle this important feature of the
convention. Mr.. Cha6b bourne will either
address the meeting or present a written
expression of his views on the subject.
Mr.. Crump. who was chairman of the
same committee at the last annual con-
Nentfon of the commissioners. is also
expected TO talk on the question.
regulation of commerce and the
amending of acts pertaining thereto will
also form portion of the business of
the commissioners. II. Warner Hill.
member of the railway commission of
Georgia. viii be in charge of this fea-
ture- Associated with him are Adam
Andrew. of California: Fuller S. Smith
of Vermont; c. l. Deisem. of North Da-
kota; d. ]. Palmer, of Iowa John S.
McMillen. of Washington; Isaac B.
brown. of Pennsylvania: A. L. French.
OF Illinois. and D. H. Smith. of South
Dakota.
More Power for Commission.
At the convention held at Deadwood
s d, last August, the commissioners
adopted a resolution asking that the
existing law under which the Inter
state Commerce Commission was operat-
ing be amended so as to give the com
mission the absolute power to require
all railroad companies. corporations
persons. and all common carriers eugag-
ed in interstate commerce, 70 file all
rates with the commission. and TO pub
lish and post all rates and regulations
for the information of the public
The amendments to the interstate
commerce act will be taken up probably
at tomOrrow's meeting
They will be urged upon Congress
without delay.
The commissioners did not take up the
question OF rates and rate making at its
last convention.
Other subjects to be taken up for con-
sideratior during the coming convention
will be: Classification of operating and
construction expenses of electric rail-
ways. w. W. Morgaridge. of PennsyI-
vania, is chairman Of the committee
} having this subject in charge Grade
crossings will be championed by Frank
lin Mcneil. of North Carolina. Railway
taxes and plans for ascertaining fair
valuation of railway property will be in
charge of Andrew f. Gates, Of Connec-
ticut- Uniform classification and sim
plihcation of tariff sheets has been as
signed TO committee. of which Ira B.
Mills. of Minnesota. is chairman. VIII
liam fitzpatrick. of Illinois. is chairman
of the committee in charge of the sub
ject of embracing railway statistics. O.
b. Stevens, of Georgia. is chairman of
similar body on legislation.
Delays and Signals.
Chairmen Of the committees on safety
appliances and block signals. DELAYS at
tendant upon enforcing orders of rail-
way commissions. and the power. duties
and work of State railway commissions.
are Frank lie Coco. jr., of South Caro-
lima; Jefferson B. Browne. of Florida,
and H. A Fairchild. of Washington. re-
spectively.
Additional matters pertaining to raj
way regulation will be taken up as pre-
scented.
The convention will meet in the offices
of the Interstate Commerce Commission.
The first business to be dispensed with
will be the calling of the ron by States
after which the reports of the various
committees will be received. This will
probably take up the major part of the
forenoon session. Martin A. Knapp
chairman of the Interstate Commerce
Commission. will probably make a short
speech OF welcome during the first ses-
sion.
FROM then on to and including Thurs
day, April 3. the commissioners Will hold
sessions during the morning and after
noon.
Al present railroad commissioners of
thirty-three States are included in the
association. These, with the members
OF the Interstate Commerce Commission.
make the membership 13S
The District OF Columbia is REPRESENT
ed by w. I. Ham, of the Washington
Railway and Electric Company, and the
Interstate Commerce Commission.
A tentative pleasure program has been
arranged by the Washington Railway
and Electric Company for the members
OF the commission on their visit here
At present plans have been made for a
a
sightseeing tour of Washington in au-
tomobiles. and a visit TO Fort Myer.
where an exhibition drill in the tam
bark drill hall has been arranged. Dates
for these junkets have not been definite
ly set. The trips will be made, suitable
to the wishes of the convention.
May Go to Cuba.
From Washington. the commissioners
will go on trip to Florida. and may IN
dude in that a visit TO Cuba. The con-
vention viii adjourn on Thursday. when
the officers, who will be elected on
that day. shall have been sworn in for
the ensuing year.
w G. Smith, of South Dakota. presi-
dent of the asSocio ton, viii preside at
the convention. ether officers of the
association are Joseph II Price. of Mis-
souri,, and J. H. Wharton. of South Car
DINA, vice presidents; Edward s. Mose>
ley and Martin S. Decker, of the Inter
state Commerce Commission, are the
secretaries.