The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-06-08
Taft Goes Riding, Railroad Men Go Home
and Administration Bill Goes to Conference
SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM WHITE HOUSE TO CONGRESS
Executive Asks That Provision Giving Interstate Commission
Power to Investigate and Suspend New Rates Be
Made Effective at Oncc-Bitcr
Fight in House.

Wsshngt ton, June THE furry over
the railroad situation became a thing
OF the past today. The railroad pres
idents went home, President Taft went
horseback riding and the railroad bill
went to conference. Representatives OF
the eastern and central railroads. at y
conference with the president this aft
ernoon. agreed to withhold all freight
increases until the new railroad law
becomes effective, and after that 10
submit the reasona bleness OF the in
creases to the interstate commerce
commission. The railroads interested
In the southern territory declared they
had not as yet filed notices OF increase.
but that. IL they did. they would be
ready to abide by the decision of the
commission.
Special Message
At the capitol things were not 50
pleasant President taft sent spe-
cial message to congress, telling of the
settlement he had reached with the
railroads and urging that the provision
of the railroad bill that gives the in-
terstatc commerce commission power to
investigate and suspend new rates be
made effective Immediately upon the
signing of the act. rather than have 1t
go into effect along with the other
clauses, which have have "A 60-day
limit. The president did this as part
OF the agreement with the railroads, by
which he promised them "A square deal
and a speedy determination AK TO the
justice OF their new rates lie also
did IL to prevent the filing of any new
rates during the 90 days between the
signing of the act and It's taking effect.
There was a bitter fight In the house
as to whether the senate amendments
should be accepted as "a whole OF the
measure should go TO conference. The
insurgents and democrats, who were
opposed to a conference. declared that
the presidents wishes could be- met by
an agreement on the part of the house,
The regulars. who desired to have the
bill sent to conference for IA smooth
ing -out" process. declared tiat the only
way to effect the presidents wishes
was to send the bill to conference.
They finally won by six votes.
Complete Agreement.
President Taft declined To commit
himself. In his message or In confer
ence with senate and house leaders
as to the necessity OF conference.
He merely expressed the wish indicated
In his message and left 1t to congress
to determine the best means of meet
ing that wish. The presidents con-
ference today was with President Nc
Crea OF the Pennsylvania. President
Brown of the New York Central and
President Finley of the Southern
Railroad. These men represented all
the trunk lines from Chicago eastward.
II was taken for granted before the
conference began that there would be
amicable settlement and there was lit
tie surprise when, after AN hour ana
half, the statement was issued that
there had been complete agreement.
In none of his negotiations with the
railroad presidents has President Taft
suggested that there was any purpose
on the part OF the administration to
apply for a dissolution of the various
trunk line associations. Al the same
time, there have not been intimations
that any of the railroads would be
granted immunity from the operations
of the sherman antitrust law. The
administration used the antitrust law
in bringing the injunction suit to stop
the increased rates simply because
there was no other avenue open to II.
During the conference the question
of the ability of the interstate com
merce commission to dispose OF all the
new rates within the next II months
was freely discussed. President Taft
expressed the belief that the present
rates gave a basis for comparison that
would not require a great amount of
time. President McCrea Offered the
suggestion that. as certain basic rates
form the foundation for all the other
thousands Of rates. the disposition of
the basic ones might not require such
great length of time. Once the basic
rates are fixed. the others apply almost
automatically.
When the rate bill was brought up
In the house. that body almost accepted
1t. missing the contamination by the
slim margin of six votes. The vote
came on "A motion by Representative
Lenroot, an ''insnrsgent" of Wiscon-
sin to concur In the senate amend
ments, with an additional amendment
to section OF the bill requiring IN
creases In railroad rates to be sub
mtted to the commission in advance.
The close vote was caused by "A COM
bination of democrats and 'insurgent"
republicans and five regular repub-
licans. Had the democrats not los.
six votes on their side of the house,
or had the insurgents been able to
hold their full strength, instead of
losing eight. the bill would have been
accepted and the session of congress
shortened many days.