The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-07
New Railroad Law Is Dis
cussed at Every Angle
STATEMENT IS GIVEN OUT
Liberal Interpretation Will BE Given
the Law BY the RAILROADS and no
Antagonism VIII He offered
to Its Enforcement

Portsmouth, N. H, August 6.-The con-
ference. of attorneys representing all the
important railway systems of the United
States, called to discuss the new rail-
road law and which has been in progress
for several days, broke up this afternoon
Another meeting will be held in New
York in December. A statement giving
a general outline of the work of the con-
ference was issued by committee ap-
pointed for that purpose. So far as could
be learned, there appeared to be a gem
eral sentiment among those present in
favor of liberal Interpretation of the
amendments to the railroad law adopted
by the last Congress. This was particu-
larly true of the so-called long and short
haul clause in the consideration of which
much time was spent.
The lawyers who have been engaged in
the conference express confidence that
the interstate commerce commission will
proceed conservatively, without making
any rulings which will seriously disturb
existing conditions
There has been no disposition, what
ever, on the part of any one to suggest
means of evading the act,' said Edgar
| j. Rich, general solicitor of the Bos-
| ton and Maine railroad.
THE sole purpose" he continued, "has
been to contrue the act and to advise the
railroad officials as to what they must
lido in order to comply with 1t in letter
and spirit" Mr.. Rich said with regard
to the export rate clause of the recent
amendment, that the attorney general
seemed to be of the opinion that there is
/ nothing in the act which will interfere
with the general practice of the rail-
roads In giving lower rates on com
modities intended for export than upon
the same commodities intended for do
mestic consumption, by which, he said
| the country was enabled to make its
surplus product abroad.
The statement given out by the con-
ference committee, of which r. Walton
Moore of Washington, d. c., represent
ing the railroads of the south generally,
was chairman, follows:
1.-The conference has considered ques-
tions arising under the act to regulate
commerce as recently amended by Con-
gress. The sections to which the amend
ments contained in the Mann Ellxins bill
apply, are Nos. |, t. and ID of the act
and besides the many points relative to
those sections which were discussed there
was some discussion Of the new section
which established the commerce court
The several days of the meeting were
in the main spent in a general inter
change of views of those present Some
informal votes were taken, but this was
not with any thought of forestaling In
dependent action, but In order to OBJ
tain a more definite expression of opin-
ion than would otherwise have been pos
sible on matters which were In the main
those of practical nature on which traf-
fic officials wish to be advised before the
effective date of the amendments, which
is August Is.
1.-THE conference resembled in its OBJ
jects and proceedings the one held in
Atlantic City in 1906 to consider the pro-
visions of the Hepburn bill amendments,
and which was productive of good re-
suits in arriving at a proper understand
ing of what was intended by the new
legislation and which undoubtedly tend
ed to bring about better relations be-
tween the carriers and the public and
to place the former in closer touch with
the interstate commerce commission The
spirit which marked the proceedings was
one of hopefulness and there was plain
indisposition to take any action which
might create dHidSOnlSLi anu StIllcs II
is safe to say that this conference was
the largest of the kind ever held Tt
is understood that the lawyers compos-
ing It and others will come together
again some time in the future. Mean
time the Interstate commerce commission
will doubtless, by its rulings. clear up
many of the doubts which exist as to
the construction of the various provi-
sons of the act as 1t now stands"
w. e. Kay of the Atlantic Coast Line
said tonight:
For three days the conference con-
sidered the long and short haul clause.
The questions involved particularly with
relation to rates where there is water
competition, were referred to commit
tee. which was instructed to report at
a conference to be held early in De-
cember There are many questions as
to which the attorneys are In doubt, in
cluding those of the constitutionalty of
certain provisions of the new law, the
extent Of the interstate commerce COM
missions authority and whether the rul-
ings of the commission can be carried
to the United States supreme court"