The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-06-06
RAILROAD HEADS
SEE TAFT, TO-DAY
They VIII Endsavor 70 Convince
President That Freight Tariffs
Must 30 Increased.

WASHINGTON, Juno e.--Arransins
their conference with President TAFT
for 3 O'Clock this afternoon. when tho
stock market win have closed. and do
clining 70 discuss their plans in detail,
three railroad presidents arrived hero
today TO protest against the govern
ment's injunction suit holding up In
creased freight rates In the Mississippi
river territory.
p. p. Ripley. president Of the Santa
Re, was ct the head OF the delegation,
with 8. M. FELTON,. president OF tho Chi
cago. Great Western. and u. A. Do
lano. president Of the wabash, as Ills
backors.
The impression prevailed here to-
day that the afternoon meeting was
purposely arranged 30 that possible
HAT refusal on tho part Of President
Taft to put any limitations OH the de-
partment Of justice would DO an
nounced too late In the day to affect
the market. Ripley said he would not
talk for publication until after no saw
the president.
without going into details Presi-
dent Delano said that II would DO thoir
purpose to Justify themselves and 10
convince President Taft and the attor-
Eey-general that In filing the tariffs
complained OF by the shippers. the
western trunk line committee had not
changed the practice which has been
in vogue for At least IA years. He
denied that the presidents OF the roads
had acted secretly. or that the shippers
In the western territory had been kept
uniformed OF the proposed new tarln.
He said that 1900 copies Of the tariff
lad been printed and distributed
among the shippers and that the
roads had receipts for them. This
number was larger than was required
by law, he said
Statements Conflict.
The statement that the shippers
we're furnished with copies OF the new
tariff as early as May / and May 2, Is
In direct conflict with that OF the re-
Lorts OF the shippers appointed at the
omaha meeting who came to Wash
ington last Monday and declared that
IL had been impossible for them to OBJ
tain these copies prior 10 May IL.
Acknowledgement Wickersham to-
day finished Taft with the facts on
the governments side OF the case.
Answering the charge of inconsist-
ency he pointed out that both houses
OF congress have absolutely refused TO
adopt the recommendations OF TIE
president legalizing traffic agree
ments and for that reason the law on
the subject remained unchanged and
had to. be enforced. The roads should
have realized this, he maintained. He
left with the president mass OF fig
ures compiled by the Interstate COM
niercc commission and a copy OF the
charges made by western shippers.
X was learned authoritatively that
the arguments the railroad magnates
will present to President Taft are as
follows:
First--That the increase in tariffs
to date affect only minute part or
the entire freight;
Second--That there was no agree
ment Of any kind whatsoever between
the railroads In the legal sense. All
that happened was that the railroad
give notice to others II would increase
rates and IL the railroad notified de-
sired to take the same step well and
good
Third-That the present uncertain
~ Of the situation is disastrous to the
credit OF the railroads and is under
mining the value of securities.
Say Figures are Misleading.
The railroad presidents declare that
statistics showing earnings above net
expense OF maintenance are mislead-
Jig In that railroads In order to bor-
row money must put up securities az
gregating at least % per cent above
the amount borrowed. For this res
sOr they argue a reserve Is neces-
sary for their credit
Former Senator John c. Spooner.
counsel for number of mid-western
railroads and Walker d. Hines, chief
counsel for the Sante Fe, were here
today In conference with the railroad
presidents.
At the white house President Taft
spent large part OF the dayi n pre-
pairing for the visit OF the railroad
men. Senators Crane, Curtis, Depew.
Brandegee and Bourne were among.
the callers who talked over the sub
jcct with him.