Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-06-07
SPECIAL MESSAGE
ON RAILROAD BILL
Clause Giving Commission Juris-
diction Over Rates Should be
Effective on Signing.
is IN INTEREST or PEOPLE.
Makes No Suggestion as to Manner of
Amending the
Act.

Washington, June President Taft
today sent special message to Con-
gress In which he recommended that
the clause in the new railroad bill
which gives the interstate commerce
commission power to investigate and
suspend increased rates filed by the
railroads be modified so as to take eff
feet Immediately upon signing the
act
As is stands Is the bill the provision
would not take effect for 60 days.
The president bases his request upon
the agreement ne reached with the
railroads yesterday whereby they
agreed to withdraw all Increased rates
until the new law was signed As to
how the act Is to be amended. whether
in conference or by joint resolution
the president left to the discretion OF
Congress.
TEXT or MESSAGE.
Following Is the presidents mes
sage:
"a recent effort by large number
of railroad companies to increase rates
for interstate transportation Of per-
sons and property caused me to direct
the encouragement to bring suit
and secure from the u. 5. court in
Missouri an Injunction restraining the
operation OF such increased rates dur
ing the tendency of the proceeding.
This action led TO a conference win
the representatives OF the railroad
companies so enjoined and the agree
nont by each of them To withdraw the
proposed Increases OF rates effective on
or after June / and not to file any fur
Their attempted increases until after
the enactment into law of the pending
~ - l,.s. ta
act or the adjournment of the con-
gross: with the further understanding
that ON the enactment OF such law
each would submit to the determine
ton of the interstate commerce COM
mission the question OF the reasonable
ness OF all increases that each might
thereafter propose.
1T Is now hoped that all OF the other
railroad companies will take like ac-
ton. In order, however, that each may
have the benefit OF a speedy determin-
alton of the question, whether or not
its proposed increases In rates are
justifiabe. provision should be made by
Congress to vest the interstate com
merce commission with jurisdiction
over such questions as soon as pos
sible.
"In the senate amendment to sec
ton is of the act to regulate COM
merce contained in II. r. 1885 the in
ttTSthte commerce commission ID en-
powered. Immediately upon the filing
of a proposed increase i'm rates of Its
own motion or on complaint, to enter on
an investigation and determination of
the justice and reasonableness of such
increases and in case IL deems II ex-
pedient to suspend the operation there
OF for "a period specified in the section
to enable IL to complete such investi-
cation. That bill. however. provides
that the act shall take effect and be
enforced only from and after the OK
piration OF 60 days after It's passage
"This provision. II allowed to re-
main IN the bill. would enable carriers,
by the time OF enactment Of the bill
and enactment of its taking effect 70
file increases In rates which would be-
come effective at the expiration OF 30
days and remain in effect and be col
lected from the public during the
tendency of proceedings to review
them, whereas, " the bill be made to
take effect Immediately such investiga-
tion Will have TO be made before the
public Is called on to pay the Increased
rate
(Signed) WILLIAM II. TAFT.
"The White House June Z, 1910"