Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-25
CONFER AT WHITE HOUSE
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portation line engaged in interstate or
foreign
Postmaster General Hitchcock partici-
pated in the conferences during the after
noon. District Attorney Sims has himself
been recommended for appointment to the
federal bench to Succeed Judge Bethea. No
decision as to this vacancy was reached,
SO far as could be learned.
Interstate Commerce Court.
President Tafts views as to amendments
to the interstate law have been
pretty generally known ever since his Des
Molnes speech on September 20. The con-
ference at the White House this afternoon,
It was stated, was for the purpose Of work
ing out the details of the amendments
needed to carry Mr. Taft's views into eff
feet. Attorney General Wickersham has
been d~evoting much time to a study of the
law.
1t is proposed, among other things, to es-
tabllsh an interstate court of
five members to consider appeals from
rates fixed by the Interstate Commerce
commission. The president also will rec
ommend legislation to prevent one inter
state railroad from owning stock in a COM
peting line, and compelling roads thus own
ing stock to dispose Of their holdings within
"a given time. Legislation to prevent the
over-issue Of stocks and bonds and the
watering of stocks will be one OF the
strongest commentators Mr.. Taft will
make, the presidents position being that
no stocks or bonds shall be issued except
by permission of the Interstate Commerce
commission, after an inquiry has been
made into the necessity for the issue.
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Giving to shippers the choice of routes
over various connecting lines is another
important amendment. President Taft be-
lieves that one of the great dstriments of
the interstate commerce law is the delay
by litigation IN the courts over an order
of the commission.
The president believes that another
change in the interstate law
should give to the commission the power
to hear and entertain complaints against
unjust classification of merchandise for
transportation 1t is perfectly clear, he
declares, that by including articles In the
same class, which ought to pay different
rates, a railroad can commit exactly the
same kind Of injustice as it would by i'm
posing an exorbitant rate as to any one
class. The president win recommend that
the power OF the commission be extended
to include not only the fixing OF rates,
after complaint. but also the readjustment
Of classification If 1t proves on complaint
to be unjust.
To Institute Complaint.
To give the commission power to institute
complaints Of its own and not to limit it
to the consideration Of complaints made
from the outside, is another OF the i'm
portant changes in the law to which the
president and his advisers are devoting a
considerable share of their attention.
President Taft believes that this author
ity must be given to the commission in
order 70 make its work truly effective.
Mr.. Taft is not In favor OF letting down
the bars entirely, however, and giving the
commission absolute power to fix rates
in advance and on their own initiative,
and without complaint filed and investigs-
ton made.
It is the desire Of the administration to
proceed cautiously along this line in a way
which eventually will accomplish its pur-
pose without too drastic or radical action.
Power TO suspend Rates.
1t is proposed that the Interstate Com
merce commission shall be given authority
to suspend for thirty days the carrying
into effect OF a new rate classification pro-
viding complaint is made that the new
rates are unjust, 1t is argued that In this
way the shipper is given equal rights with
the railroads., which are permitted TO take
appeals from orders Of the commission.
The subject which has given the presi-
dent and his advisers much concern is the
proposal TO permit railroads to pool rates.
The president takes the position that rail
roads should be permitted 10 agree upon
traffic rates that shall not exactly be pool
ing contracts, but shall constitute agree
ments as to rates, providing always such
agreements shall nave the approval OF the
Interstate Commerce commission. In this
way the operation OF the antitrust law
against traffic agreements between RAN
roads will be abolished and against their
absolute prohibition will be substituted a
requirement that such agreements shall
meet the approval OF a properly consti-
tuted tribunal.
a delegation OF coal operators and a rep
resentative OF the miners union called
upon President Taft today to urge that the
railroads be permitted to pool rates as a
means OF providing against car shortage
in the future ana to enable the quicker
transportation Of coal.