The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1910-06-27
Or the Interstate Commerce
Commission Will Get
Them.
THE RATE INCREASE BLOCKED
President and Congress Have
Been Busy With Very
Good Results.
By Ernest G.. Walker.

WASHINGTON. June 13.-These are
big railroad. days-big railroad days in
congress, where the prime considera-
ton just al present is the conference
report on the railroad bill. big railroad
days at the White House offices where
the President has been holding his
toric talks with the officials of great
transportation systems and exacting
terms. So much in that line has al
ready been done during the last few
days that much of it is being passed
over without particular emphasis dur
ing the rush and hurry of a legislative
June
The injunction proceedings against
the Western Traffic Association. affect
ing twenty-four roads between Missouri
River and Mississippi River points,
were begun with great flourish on the
last day of May and were regarded of
such Importance that for a time they
filed the public eve. But that suit
is now far in retrospect because of
subsequent happenings which over
shadowed il. There Is plainly to be a
big rise in freight rates nearly the
whole country over, unless -. Here
Is where the important part comes IN.
The unless has to do with the in
terstate commerce commission and the
new railroad bill, to which profound
writer's Of law are putting the finish
ing touches.
The railroads disclaim any untoward
intentions in filing their rate increases.
Under the present law such rates must
be filed thirty days before becoming
effective. The twenty-fOur western rail
roads had filed many increases TO be
come effective June l but were re
strained by what came to be termed
the midnight injunction that Attorney
General Wickersham obtained at Han
nibaI Missouri, from District Judge
David F. Dyer Many other increases
in freight rates have also been filed
from different parts OF the country but
the bulk of them do not take effect
till after July !. by which time it is
expected the new railroad law, giving
the interstate commerce commission
larger powers of investigation, will be
in operation.
However. it was claimed that the
railroads were hurrying to file their rate
increases and to have the same etfec-
tive before the new law went into oper-
alton. That claim was the basis of
the remarkable activities Of the admin
istration covering several recent days.
First Of all it should be told how a
committee Of railroad presidents, rep
resenting the twentyfour western lines,
81. 'hay~
we're S. NJ. FELTON,, president OF the
Chicago and Great Western; FREDERICK
P. Delauo. president of the Wabash,
and F. ?. Ripley, president Of the At
Gibson, Topeka and Santa Fe. The up
shot Of a four hours talk at the White
House Offices with President Taft was
an agreement to withdraw the increase,
which. as a matter of fact. covered
only about one-h half of one per cent
Of the tonnage carried by the twenty
four western railroads between Mis-
souri, and Mississippi River points
And in return the President and Attor-
ney-General Wickersham agreed TO
Withdraw the injunction proceedings
before the district court ~ Hannibal.
Missouri This was only preliminary.
The railroad officials intend to file these
increases anew and also TO file many
more increa~es-increases covering
about fifteen per cent Of their ton,
mage. BIT they will not do tins tili
after the uew railroad law has gone
INTO operation 50 that the interstate
eommerce commissioners may have all
the advantages Of that law III taxing
up those increases and determining
whether they are lust and reasonable.