The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-12-02
COMMERCE REFORM
PLANS GIVEN Taft
OFFICIALS SUGGEST CHANGES TO
STRENGTHEN INTERSTATE
LAW.
MANN FOR WIRE CONTROL.
Illinois Congressman Would Have Tele-
graph and Telephone Companies
Regulated.
LIMITED POOLING is FAVORED.

WASHINGTON, w. c.. Nov. %
President Taft Wednesday discussed
with Attorney General Wickersham, In
terstate Commissioners Knapp aud Lane
and Representative Mann of Chicago,
chairman of the committee on interstate
and foreign commerce, amendments TO
strengthen the interstate commerce law.
The conference was for the purpose or
elicitng suggestions for the information
of the President, 10 guide him in max
ing recommendations in his annual mes
sage to Congress.
An important proposition came from
Representative Manu. who would have
telegraph and telephone companies
brought within the jurisdiction of the in
terstate commerce law in order that their
routes and rates may be regulated. Mr..
Mann would have an amendment so
drawn that telephone companies would
exchange connections to enable the
patron of one company to call any phone
Of any other company.
Among the numerous measures for
strengthening the law which were dis
cusScd was an amendment requiring ran
road companies 10 furnish written
statement. upon the request Of shipper
Of the rate upon any commodity between
any two points. The present law is so
drawn that shippers have no recourse
for damages suffered because of error on
the part of railroad agents TO give cor
rect rates
Favoritism Is Opposed
Relating through exaggerated claims
for damages also received attention.
Some shippers receive more favorable
consideration in the adjustment Of dam
ages than others, and the President is in
favor of providing a penalty TO stop the
practice.
The Shippers Traffic association has
been urging that shippers be permitted
10 route their freight when it must be
carried by two or more railroads. 1t was
agreed at the conference Wednesday
that the request is reasonable and that
the laws should be amended in this re-
spect The suggestion that the inter
state commerce commission should have
power to suspend the operation of a new
tariff increasing rates pending the deter
mination of reasonabeness, was also
fayOrably received
Pooling to the extent Of permitting two
or more carriers to agree upon rates did
not excite opposition, for the reason that
the rcasonabeness Of such rates would
always be open. The similarity Of rates
cannot be ascribed to accident and the
railroads are doing today what it is pro-
posed to lcgalize. II was the opinion Of
those participating in the conference that
shippers regard uniformity as vitally inn
portant.
Mine People Ask Action.
As Il demonstration of this fact prCsi-
dent Taft Wednesday received dclcga-
ton Of coal miners and operators, headed
By Representative Dalzcl Of pcnusylva-
MIA nud President Thomas l.. Lewis Of
the United Mine Workers of America.
who urged him to advocate some change
in the commerce law that would allow
railroads to make freight pools or agree
mcnts under government supervision.
The callers told the President that n
great deal Of car congestion was caused
by the present railroad laws
Mr. Mann seriously suggested to the
President In the course of the confer
cncc that attention must soon be given
10 regulating and controlling wireless
telegraph companies and flying machines
II is not probable however, that the
President will propose any such rcgula
ton in his next message