The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-06-09
AGREEMENT REACHED
Conference Between Pres
ident And Railroad Officials
Satisfactory
NEW RATES WITHDRAWN

Qualification Expressed at Outcome OF
COnfab Between Taft and Western
Roads Relative to Increased Rates
Interstate Commerce Commission
to Investigate Conditions.
Washington, d. c., June Ga COM
plete agreement between the govern
ment and the recently enjoined rail
roads of the western trunk line asso-
citation was reached at a White House
conference which lasted for more than
four hours this afternoon.
The railroads represented agreed
to withdraw all rate increases, filed
to be effective ON or after June /, and
agreed to file no more increases until
the bill in Congress which gives the
Interstate Commerce Commission
power to investigate and suspend in
creases that are not justified, becomes
law and goes into effect.
President Taft thereupon stated
that the administration purpose in
bringing the injunction suit had been
accomplished and the suit would be
discontinued. The discontinuance
will not be entered however, until
after the new railroad law is signed.
There will be a conference at she
White House tomorrow at viii n
President Brown of the New York
Central, President McCrea of the
Pennsylvania and other officials, re-
presenting railroads in the western
and central territory, will participate.
Everyone connected with today's
conference seemed gratified over the
outcome. All that President Taft has
desired is that the Interstate Com
merce Commission should have au-
thority to investigate increases in
rates to determine whether or not
they are justified by prevailing con-
ditions, and are just to the shippers.
This power is to be conferred under
the new law.
The railroads, on the other hand, it
is pointed out are to be relieved OF
embarrassing litigation, are assured
of a square deal when their case is
presented to the Interstate Commerce
Commission and are free to resume
the contracts for improvements and
extensions which they threatened to
cancel and the court proceedings con-
tinued.
President Taft summoned the men,
bers Of his cabinet to sit with him in
conference with the four railroad Of
ficials who reached the White House
at 8 p. m. 1t was 1905 p. m when the
conference adjourned. Then the fol-
lowing statement was prepared aud
given out.
''E. P. Ripley, president of the
Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe
Railroad Company; Walker d. Hines
acting chairman executive committee,
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe rail
road Company; Frederick A. De-
1ano. president of the Wabash Rail-
road Company; and S. M. FELTON,
president of the Chicago. Great West
ern Railroad Company, committee
representing the twenty-four railroad
companies defendant in a suit brought
by the Government in Missouri in
which Judge Dyer granted an injunc-
ton restraining increases in rates
met the President and the Attorney
General today pursuant to a request
sent to the President few days
since.
"The President stated to these gen
tlemen at the outset that the purpose
of the suit was to prevent the proposed
rate increases (Which under the eX
listing law, could not be investigated
at all until after they had become ef
fective) so as to preserve the status
until the new statute could be passe'
and the commission should have tn
power to investigate rate advances a
soon as announced and before becom
ing effective.
"He stated further that he though
fhe railroad companies must with
draw the tariffs enjoined and all 9th
er tariffs filed by them -effectiv
aon or before June /, 1910, and tina
none of them ought to file any neN
tariff involving rate advances unit
the new law should be passed, assun
ing that it would be passed at TN
present session of Congress
after conference, the railroa
companies announced that they woul
adopt the view expressed by tn
President, and thereupon the Pres
dent stated that If they did so hi
purpose in bringing the suit woul
he accomplished and, such result b'
ing accomplished, he saw no occasio
for pressing the suite and the SAN
would be Withdrawn
The railroad presidents elaine
they had been misrepresented as
there having been anything clande
tine about their agreeing upon or n
inx the new rates. They elaine
they had sent written notices to II
shippers and even had the receip
of certain OF the shippers who hi
denied ever having received such n
4 IAnl In tsnd ni