The sun., 1908-01-27
RATE CONFAB AT WHITE HOUSE
THE PRESIDENT AND RAILROAD
MEN TO PARTICIPATE.
May Result in the President Recommending
Important Amendments TO the Hep
burn Rate Law. SuCh rs Repeal Of the
section which Is Aimed at Pooling.

section which Is Aimed at Pooling.
WASHINGTON, Jan. ga conference will
be held at the White House tomorrow as a
result OF which President Roosevelt may
recommend to Congress certain important
amendments TO the Hepburn railroad rate
act and other laws on the statute books
affecting the common carriers OF the
United States.
A modification or repeal of that provision
Of the rate act prohibiting railroads from
owning coal mines or other enterprises
along their lines that originate tratfio, the
hours Of service law relating to railroad
telegraphers and the proposition OF the
President that pooling shall be permitted
under the supervision Of the Interstate
Commerce Commission are among the
subjects that will be discussed. The Presi-
dent, prominent railroad men and Govern
ment officials having to do with the matters
in hand will participate in tho conferences.
Railroad men and others interested in
such combinations OF railroad property
as will be wholesome in their influences
upon interstate trade are hopeful that the
President will soon send a message to
Congress recommending the repeal OF
that feature of the rate act aimed az pool
ing. They hone that the President will
go further and urge the repeal OF the Sher-
man antitrust act in as far as II applies
TO railroads. Whether the President can
b. induced to go To such an extreme is
problematicai This subject, IL II under
stood will be discussed at length at to-
morrow's conference,
c,ction of the rate law provides that
from and after Nav /. 1905, 1T shall b'
unlawful for any railroad company to
TRANSPORT any article or commodity other
than TIMBER and the manufactured prod
ducts thereof, EaDutactured, mined or
urnduCPd by %, or under its EulhOTlty,
o. which il may own IA whole or 10 part
or in which il mey have any 1ireC' or ia
o,rpc. iTtNrfS az, except SUCn .rtIclcS or
COMMODITIES ~ may d. necessary and il
;rnd'd fn. lts US IN the COaGu"t OF IFS
business as a cOmmOl carrier.
Strong ell orts will be MADE to have Con-
gr,ss r., cal or modify the section of the
li,- above quoted. I me- atte1tiOn OF TIE
President will be directed TO Ear ships tt8t
iii be imposed ii II is enforced literally.
In Pennsylvania, for eXanYie, IL j. Io,ntei
ont that the coal roads are tied up with
contracts that would IlaCe them in oopOsi-
ton to the State Laws if they wer' forced
10 get rid of mines as required ~ tnc FED
Clal statute The same thing II true III
other rarts OF the country, il is report ed.
If the Administration cannot be induced to
see the desirability Of the repeal of the law
the passage Of some measure in slleviation
will be askei.
The hours of service law for railroad
tplegraphers will become effective on
March T. The UasSsge Of this act was
bitterly opposed by the railroads. and as
the time approaches when it shall become
oDerative railroad managers are much
concerned. Its enforcement means great
burden in the way Of additional expense.
Whether any compromise can he effected
between railroad men and the representa-
tives OF railroad telegraphers is an open
question An effort will be made to inter-
est the President in this matter.