The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-06-10
DELAYS INCREASES ONE YEAR
White House Conference Results
G4 In Peaceful Settlement Of What
Threatened 10 Be Disastrous
Struggle Eastern and Ohio
Roads Expected TO Fall In Line
and Hold Up Proposed Freight
Increases.

Washington, June 7.-.All increased
freight rates that have been filed by
the 25 railroads of the middle west
involved in the governments injunc-
tion proceedings under the Sherman
antitrust law since May 1, 1910, will
be Withdrawn from the interstate
commerce commission. to whom they
will then be voluntarily submit
ted for a ruling as to their
reasonableness. These railroads also
will refrain from filing any further
advances until the pending admins
tration railroad bill has become a
law and the way has been opened for
legal investigation on the part Of
the interstate commerce commission
into all rate increases.
The federal government, in return
for these concessions, will have the
temporary injunction which 1t has
obtained vacated, and will discon-
tinue the suit for the dissolution of
the western trunk line committee un-
Otl ilS oICl dlll-tluol law
In effect the administration will
substitute the operation of the new
railroad legislation about to be en-
acted for the Sherman antitrust law,
as regards rate-making by railroads.
The agreement between the govern
ment and the roads, as viewed here,
lifts the menace that has overshad-
r,f ho
country ever since Mr.. Wickersham
undertook to apply the Sherman anti
trust law to a situation that has been
regarded for years as inevitable.
What Government Offers.
The agreement reached between
President Taft and representatives Of
the railroads will extend beyond the
25 roads comprising the Western
Trunk Line association. All of the
eastern trunk lines which recently
filed increases and also the "a rail,
roads composing the Chicago and
edly follow the example set by the
western trunk line committee and
withdraw all increased freight rates
that have been filed with the inter-
state commerce commission since
May 1 last. President Brown of the
New York Central, President McCrea
of the Pennsylvania and the heads of
other eastern trunk lines will confer
with President Taft at the White
House today. and it has been plainly
intimated that they will join in the
action that was taken by representa-
tives of the western roads. In fact,
President Brown of the New York
Central is already on record as favor
ing suspension Of increases pend
ing an investigation by the interstate
commerce commission under the au-
thority to be conveyed by the new
law.
Effect on Present Rates.
The general effect of the under
standing reached at the White House
will be that all increases in freight
rates that have been filed since May
/. and that have been contemplated
by the railroads of the country with
in the next few months, will be sus-
pended in their operation for at least
year. This suspension will be far
reaching in its effect upon many rail
roads that have been counting on
the increased revenue from the ad-
vances, but in the opinion of railroad
men here this disturbance will be
trivial compared with what would
have resulted through the uncertain
ty arising out of an attempt on the
part of the administration to enforce
the Sherman antitrust law against
the present method of rate-making,
Here Is the statement that the
president issued after the confer
ence: