The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-11-25
PRESIDENT HOLDS IMPORTANT
CONFERENCE WITH CABINET
AND OTHER OFFICIALS
WHITE SLAVERY BILL
congressman Mann TO Introduce Law
Imposing Heavy Penalty for Erticira
Girls for Immoral Purposes-Work-
ing Out Details Of Enaetmenta to q,
Suggested in Forthcoming Message.

washington, Nov. 2t.-Forcgoing a
contemplated horseback ride because
or snowstorm, President Taft de-
voted the entire afternoon TO confer
ences covering proposed amendments
TO the interstate commerce law. legis-
iation looking to the suppression ~
the white slave" traffic. the apnsint-
ment of a successor To the late Judge
Bethea of the United States district
court at Chicago. and the appointment
Of governor OF New Mexico. Tho
conference with regard to the inter-
state commerce law changes was tho
most important the president has had
on that subject. II was said that he
- practically ready TO begin this part
| OF MS message 10 congress.
| Al the conference were Attorney
| General Wickersham. Postmaster Gem
erai Hitchcock. Chairman Knapp and
! Commissioner Lane of the Interstate
commerce commissions; District At
torney Sims of Chicago. who conducted
| the governments prosecution in the
I famous s2a.o00.00o Standard OH case.
| and Representative Mann. Illinois.
! chairman of the house committee on
! foreign and interstate commerce.
Discuss White Slavery.
With District Attorney Sims and Mr..
Mann the president also took up the
white slave" question. MIR Mann il
To Introduce "A bill on this subject Mr..
hpl th.
mcnt can control the evil and the bill
he has drafted provides heavy
penalty for the enticement of a girl
for immoral purposes, thereby causing
her to go as passenger over any
transportation line engaged in inter-
state or foreign commerce.
District Attorney Sims has been rec
commended for appointment to the
federal bench To succeed Judge Bethea.
No decision as To this vacancy was
reached, so far as can be learned
President Tafts views as to amend
ment1 to the interstate commerce law
have been pretty generally known
since his Des Moines speech on
September 20. The conference Mt the
White House this afternoon, Ii saA
stated. WAS To work out details Of de-
sired amendments. Ii Is proposed to
establish an interstate commerce
court of five members To consider ap-
peals from rates fixed by the inter-
state commerce commission
Commission to Authorize Bond Issues.
The president also will recommend
legislation To prevent one interstate
railroad from owning stock in u COM
peting line, and to compel roads thus
..Etr rtt..r Il IT
ings. Legislation 10 prevent the over
issue Of stocks and bonds will be one
Of the strongest recommendations Mr..
Taft will make the presidents PROPOSE
tion being that no stocks or bonds
shall be issued except by permission
of the interstate commerce commIs-
sion.
Giving to shippers the choice OF
routes over various connecting lines
is another amendment the president
favors
1t is perfectly clear. the president
declares. that by including in the same
class articles which ought 10 pay diff
ferent rates. Il railroad can commit ex-
actly the same kind of injustice as Il
would by imposing an cNorbitant rate
as To amy one class. To give the COM
mission power To institute complaints
and not to limit il tn the cnnsidera-
tton of complaints made from the out
side, is another change in the law To
which the president is desoting much
attention.
Widening Commissions Power.
Mr.. Taft believes that this authority
must be given 10 the commission To
make its work effective. Mr.. Taft.
however is not i'll favor of the letting
down of the bars entirely and giving
the commission absolute power to fix
rates in advance on its own initiative
complaint being filed. IL is
that the interstate commerce
be given authority II sus-
pend for 30 days a new rate classifi-
cation, providing complaint is mada
that the rates are unjust
The subject which has given the
president and his advisors much con-
Germ is the proposal to permit rail-
roads To make rate agreements. MIR.
Taft holds that railroads should be
permitted To agree apaa rates that
shall not exactly be pooling contracts.
but shall constitute agreements as 10
always that such
agreements shall receive the approval
IF the interstate commerce commits
sion.
\ delegation of coal operators and
OF the miners union
,ailed upon President Taft today To
urge that railroads be permitted u
pool rates as a means OF providing
against ear shortages.