Milford chronicle., 1910-06-10
WANTS RAIL BILL
IN EFFECT ONCE
President Sends Special Mes
sage TO Congress,
BILL IN CONFEREES' HANDS
House Democrats Join Regulars and
Defeat Attempt Of Insurgents to
Agree to Senate Amendments.

Washington. June S.-To carry out
the provisions Of his agreement with
the railroads. and to make that treaty
alright, President TAFT sent a special
message to congress on the railroad
bill
AS the treaty stands, railroads are
TO withdraw all recent increases in
rates and submit new rates to the in.
terstate commerce commission.
The bill as it stands does not take
effect until sixty days after its pas
sage
The commission would not have jul
risdiction during that period. This
leaves matters SO that the railroads,
or some of them, might file new rates
a once, which would stand until set
aside by the commission.
The president, therefore, advises
that the bill be made to take imme-
diate effect
The Presidents Message.
Following is the text OF the presi-
dents special message:
"A recent effort by a large number
Of railroad companies to increase the
rates for interstate transportation of
persons and property caused me to
direct the attorney general to bring a
suit to secure from the United States
court in Missouri an injunction re-
straining the operation of such in
creased rates during the pendency Of
the proceeding
This action led to a conference
with the representatives of the rail
road companies so enjoined, and the
agreement by each of them to with
draw the proposed increases Of rates
effective on or after June ! and not to
file any further attempted increases
until after the enactment into law of
the pending bin to amend the inter
state commerce act. or the adjourn .
ment of the congress; with the fur /
ther understanding that upon the en-
actment of such law each would sub /
nit TO the determination of the inter /
state commerce commission the ques- /
tion Of the reasonableness Of all in
creases that each might thereafter
propose.
= Early Action Important.
1T is now hoped that all OF the 9TH
er railroad companies will take like
action In order however that each
may have the benefit of a speedy de-
termination of the question whether
or not its proposed increases in rates
are justifable. provision should be
made by congress to vest the inter
state commerce commission with iuris-
diction over such questions as soon as
possible,
In the senate amendment to sec
tion Is of the act to regulate com
merce contained in II. r. 1886 the
interstate commerce commission is
empowered, Immediately upon the fill
ing Of a proposed increase in rates, Of
its own motion, or upin complaint. to
enter upon an investigation and deter
of the justice and reason
ableness of such increases. and in
case it deems it eXpedient to suspend
the operation thereof for a pedior
specified in the section to enable it to
such investigation. That bill,
AOWNNNlr HAnf iNfo that NAlt uAl Hndll
.ake effect and be in force only from
and after the expiration of sixty days ;
lfter its passage
Could Raise Rates at Once. {
This provision, if allowed to re- {
main in the bill, would enable car {
iers, between the time of enactment I
If the bill and the time Of its taking I
fleet, to file increases in rates which
would become effective at the expira-
ion of thirty days and remain in ef- [
ect and be collected from the public
uring the pendency of proceedings
o review them, whereas if the bill be v
lade to take effect Immediately such \
lvestigation will have to be made be- 4
0re the public is called upon to pay t.
be increased rate +
Il therefore recommend that this c
liter provision be modified. by pro- c
iding that at least section 9 of the Fl
anate amendment to the bill, which is p
le section authorizing the commits s
on to suspend the going into effect h
increases in rates until after due t
vestigation, shall take effect imme- p
ately after the passage of the act" h
Bill Sent to Conference. it
After the receipt of President Taft's 81
essage on the railroad bill, the final Ia
yht on the measure began in the e
,use It was as to whether the bill g,
ould be sent to conference or the al
nate amendments be accepted as a sc
hole.
The bill was sent to conference. The =
tion Of the house in concurring to \.
e senate amendments was imme-
itely reported to the senate. The
nate conferees named were Senators
kins, Aldrich and Fostr. Speaker
nnon appointed Messrs. Mann, Of
nois; Wanger, Of Pennsylvania, and
amson, Of Georgia, as the conferees
the part of the house.
Price of Sealskins Scars.
-uneau, Alaska, June S.-One hun.
a and seven sealskins were sold in