The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-07
EASTERN ROADS
ARE NOW UNEASY
No Suit Has Been Brought
Against Thsm But They
Fear Big Stick.
TO CONFER WITH TAFT
Agreement Puts New Light on
Situation What Terms
Mean.
% CONFER WITH TAFT

WAsHINGTo, p. c. Jrne -
Facing another railroad conference tc-
day, President Taft devoted himself 10
studying The Eastern rate situation.
hoping TO obtain an agreement from
the Eastern roads similar to that
reached with the Western lines last
night.
1t Is confidently expected by the ad-
ministration that there Will be little
difficulty In persuading the rcpresen-
tatsves Of the Eastern lines to agree,
To days conference viii be of
greater scope than that OF yesterday,
FOR on its result will depend definitely
The attitude OF the great eastern trunk
lines and probably all of the other
lines in the country. Yesterdays
agreement covered only the twenty
aXe roads in the Western Traffic Asso-
citation.
President Brown, Of the New York
Central. and President Mccrea, OF the
Pennsylvania. are two OF the eastern
committee. who arranged to-day's
White ifUaSe conference. Brown has
already announced that he facors an
agreement similar TO that reached by
the Western roads. President Tn
ierwood. OF the Erie. who was ex-
pec:ed also declared in favor OF such
settlement.
To the Eastern roads. however. the
government has nothing to offer IN
return. The department. of justice has
neither enjoined the proposed rate In
creases nor filed suit undr the Sher-
man antitrust law A threat of prose-
cution is the only club In the hands
of president in the Eastern situation.
Various representatives of the East
ern roads were called on the telephone
from tn White House while yestr~
days conference was In progress. 1t
/ is believed they would be satisfied to
( submit the matter to the Interstate
commerce commission.
| An important question that may be
( threshed out at to-day's conference ~
whether the recent advances in COM
mutation rates by all the lines carry
ing commuters into New York city
I to be included In the agreement. 1t
/ Ia probable that the railroads win in
sist that these rates be omitted from
! the Withdrawals.
! Situation Complex.
I The agreement between President
| taft and the twenty-five mid-Hestern
railroads 10 postpone action on the
proposed increased rates until the new
railroad law becomes effective put n
new tight on the situation to-day IN
the house where this battle Is on over
the question OF sending the bill to con-
! ference.
/ The senate bill is worded SO that
IL would not become effective until
sixty days after passage. The presi-
dent, the railroads and the administra-
ton forces exerted their best efforts
to day In asserting the necessity for
amending this SO the law would be
effective Immediately. Such an amend
mcnt can be made only by the con-
| ference committee.
AT least twenty-five insurgent re-
publicans. according TO representative
Nelson. Of Wisconsin. to-day stand
ready to vote for the acceptance of
the senate bill. rather than trust the
meaeure to the hands OF the confere es
OF the house and senate as they fear
It would be amended far more than
the changing of the date OF effective
ness.
Democrats Ready.
Administration men urged upon the
insurgents the necessity of joining
with the administration In an effort to
Continued on Fourth Page.)