The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-06-07
Conference on Administration Measure Made
Necessary by Terms of Truce Arranged.
HEADS Of CORPORATIONS MEET IN WHITE HOUSE
President After Session With Protesting Officials Issues
Official Statement and Is Expected to Recommend Fur
ther Consideration OF Bll-"Joker"
Is Discovered

Washington. June 6.-It was praet-
cally settled tonight that there viii be
a conference between the house and
senate on the railroad bill. Since sat
urday last there has been movement
on foot to have the hous. agree 10 the
10 the senate bin In It's entirety and
thus avoid a conference. The "insur-
gent" republicans and democrats have
been represented as being strongly In
favor Of such d course, The ''regn
lars" on the other hand. have insisted
that the hin needed smoothing out In
several particulars.
Taft TO Ask.
President Taft viii probably ask
order that the section which gives the
Interstate commerce commission power
10 investigate and suspend increases In
rates may be made effective immedi-
ately and not have 10 wait under the
CO. day clause affecting the rest Of the
bin This action IL necessary to ear
ry out the terms Of the agreement
reached at the White House tonight
with the western roads recently en-
Joined from putting rate increases into
effect. II was stated tonight that
about 80 or SO republicans mostly I'm
surgcnis," were prepared to vote to
accept the bin as 1t came from the
senate The democrats are seriously
divided ana Representative Champ
Clark spent most of the afternoon try
bng to get "A consensus of their opin-
ions.
"Joker" Found.
The democrats, II IL said. would not
vote In sufficient numbers to adopt
The senate bill To procure it's passage
through the house. Democratic lead
ers In the house discovered an alleged
Joker" In the senate bill which. they
say. would permit the railroads To en-
gage In rebating without fear of pros
ecntion. II IL n five-llne provlso To
that section of the existing law which
provides penalty of $3.50 for failure
to quote rate to n shipper on request
or Tor msquoting rate The proviso
was presented by Senator Shively a
democrat. and Is as follows:
provided, however, that notwith-
standing anything In this section con-
tained. any person or company suffer-
ing damage I'm consequence of any vio-
lation of any OF the provisions of this
section shall have the right To recover
such damage by suit against the car
fier In any court Of competent jurs-
dlction"
The theory of the democratic mem
hers OF the horse. who pointed ont
this feature of the bill. was that It
would open the way for railroads to
give rebates under the guise of pay
ing damages To shipper. Lawyers Of
The senate. both republicans and demo
Gratis, ridicnled the suggestion
Agreement Reached.
complete agreer-eni between the
government and the recently enjoined
railroads of the Western Trunk Line
association was reached at White
House conference which lasted mbre
than four hours this afternoon. The
railroads agree To Withdraw all rate
increases filed. to become effective on
or after June J, and agreed to file no
more Increases until the bill In con
gress that gives the Interstate com
merce commission power to investi-
gate and suspend increases becomes n
law and In in operation.
President Taft thereon stated that
the administrations purpose In bring
ing the Injunction suit had been ac-
complished and that the 81 II would be
discontinued. The discontinuance will
not be entered. however. until after the
new railroad law IL signed. The belief
was expressed tonight that all the
other railroads of the country that
have filed increased rates will have
had such plan under consideration.
viii abide by the agreement reached
today with the "a railroads named as
defendants In the Hannibal suit
At conference at the White House
tomorrow President Brown of the
New York Central. President McRea
Of the Pennsylvania and other officials
representing roads In the eastern and
central territory. will participate. That
they will hold up the proposed Increase
until after the new law becomes ef-
fective Is taken for granted here to-
night. Everyone coh-eeted with to-
days conference seemed gratlfied over
the outcome.
"Squars Deal"
All that President Taft has desired
is that the Interstate commerce com
mission have authority To investigate
increases I'm rates To determine wheth :
er they are justified by conditions and
are just to the shippers, This power
is to be conferred under the new law
The railroads. on the other hand. II
Is pointed out. are to be relieved Of
embarrassing litigation, are assured OF
"sqr are deal" when their case IL pre-
sented to the interstate commerce com
mission. and are free to resume the
contracts for improvements and ex-
eanoinns nhi.h th.u thraatana1 IN