The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1910-06-10
TAfTTO STOP The
RAILWAY SUITS
Roads win Recall Increase
in Freight aatGs.

President Taft has won his long and
determined fight against the commo-
dity rate increases made by the west
ern trunk line railroads. The rail.
roads will withdraw the tariffs already
enjoined and other tariffs effective af-
ter June /, and no further increases will
be filed until the pending railroad bill
becomes law.
With this understanding, reached at
the conference between President Taft
and several railway presidents at the
White House the government will with
draw the suits begun before the fed
eral circuit court in Missouri-not,
however, until after the new rail bill
is signed.
The agreement reached between
President Taft and representatives of
the railroads will extend beyond the
twenty-five roads comprising the west
ern trunk line association. All of the
eastern trunk lines which recently
filed increased rates and also the
twenty-four railroads composing the
Chicago and Ohio river association
will undoubtedly follow the example
set by the western trunk committee
and withdraw all increased freight
rates that have been filed with the in
terstate commerce commission since
May i, last. President Brown, of the
New York Central; President McCrea,
of the Pennsylvania and the presi
dents of other western lines will con-
fer with President Taft at the White
House today and it his been plainly
intimated that they will join in the
action that was taken by representa-
tives of the western roads.
The general effect of the understand
ing reached at the White House will
be that all increases in freight rates
will be suspended in their operation
for at least year.
Present at the conference were e. p.
Ripley, president of the Santa Fe sys-
TEN; S. F. FELTON,, president of the
Great Northern, and Walker D. Hines.
chairman fthe Santa Fe's executive
committee, and on the part of the gov
eminent, President Taft, Mr. Wicker
sham, Mr.. Knox and Secretary of
Commerce and Labor Nagel. Here is
the statement that the president is-
sued after the conference:
1.-The president stated to the gentle
men at the outset that the purpose of
the suit was to prevent the proposed
rate increases, which under the exist
ing law, could not be investigated at
all until after they had become effec-
tive, so as to preserve the status I'M
der the new statute could be passed
and the committee should have the
power to investigate rate advances as
soon as announced and before becom-
ing effective. He stated further that
he thought the railroad companies
must withdraw the tariffs enjoined and
all other tariffs filed by them effective
on or after June 1, $40, and that none
of them ought to file any new tariffs
involving rate advances until the new
law should be passed, assuming that
it would be passed at the present ses-
sion of congress.
after conference the railroad COM
panies announced that they would
adopt the view expressed by the presi-
dent and thereupon the president
stated that if they did so, hIs purpose
in bringing the suit would be accom-
plished, and such result being accom-
plished, he saw no occasion for press
ing the suit and the same would be
withdrawn"