The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-06-09

Mayor Edward T. Buckingham thi
 morning addressed a telegram to Pres ident Taft, asking him to procure { suspension of all interstate passenge1 rate increases made by the New York New Haven & Hartford Railroad. un til the Interstate Commerce Conmis sion can pass upon them. This telegram is equivalent to ask ing the President to take the same action with respect to passenger rate increases in the East that he has al ready taken with respect to freigh increases in the West.
 The Western railroads, desiring tt avoid the operation of the new law relating to interstate commerce which will be passed by Congress with. in a few weeks. or days, instituted freight increases.
 The new law enables the Interstate Commerce Commission to hold up al rate increases until it passes on them
 The railroads .want to avoid this scrutiny. !
 The action Of the New Haven road in increasing both passenger and freight rates. was undoubtedly inspired by the same purpose as lay behind the Western roads.
 In the case of the Western roads the President has entered into agreement with them that the freight increases are not to be effective until they have been approved by the Interstate Com merce Commission.
 The result is a complete suspensaOr of the increased rates.
 Mayor Buckingham believes that the President should take the same action relative to increases in passenger rates, especially in the case of the New York. New Haven & Hartford Railroad Com pany, which does a transportation business in the most densely populated section of the United States. and is in a position, as he believes. that should passengers more reasonably than any other railroad in the United States.
 Mayor Buckingham will probably fol- low his telegram to the President with a letter explaining the reason why the increases in New England territory, especially those affecting Bridgeport, are absolutely unjustifable, and mere 1y an effort to obtain enormous profits from shippers and the people.
 There is no question but that if Pres ident Taft desires to do so. he can reach the New Haven road as effec- lively as he has reached the West ern roads.
 Although the New Haven claims that it made it's increases entirely on it's own account, and did not enter into agreement with other railroads regard ing it's action, and that it is therefore not subject to the charge of "conspir- ing against the welfare of the people, ' yet there is little doubt but that the government of the nation may find abundant grounds for enjoining the extra rates. and may. indeed. accept the advice given by United States Sem ator IaFollette. in a recent speech to the Senate, in which he described the New Haven system as a monopoly in restraint of trade. and declared that it should be proceeded against as such
 Because power to prevent the pas senger rate increases becoming effec- tive is so strongly lodged in the Pres ident. Mayor Buckingham hopes that his telegram will bring results.
 In sending the telegram Mayor Buck ingham is not acting as Mayor of the city only, but as a committee to pre- vent the rate increases. under instruc- ton from the legislative body of the city.
 The Common Council it will be re- membered. adopted a resolution a few days ago instructing the Mayor to op- pose the increase in rates to cOnTnut- CTS and all increased passenger rates between Bridgeport and Boston and Bridgeport and New York.