The diamond drill., 1910-06-11
TAFT TO STOP THE
RAILWAY SUITS
Roads VIII Recall Increase
in Freight Rates.

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
enioined and other tariffs effective at-
ter June /. and no further increases will
be fiied 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 bin
is signed.
President Taft sent a special mes
sage TO congress in which he recon-
mended that the clause OF the new rail-
road bill which gives the interstate
commerce commission power TO sus-
pend increased rates filed by the rail-
roads be modified so as 10 take effect
Immediately on the signing OF the act.
AS II stands In the bill the provision
would not take effect for sixty days.
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 fled with the In
terstate commerce commission since
May 1, 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 II 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 az the White House will
be that all increases In freight rates
win be suspended in their operation
for at least year.
Present at the conference we're r. p.
Ripley. president of the Santa Fe sys.
TEN; S. +. FELTON,. president of the
Great Northern, and Walker d. Hines,
| chairman fthe Santa Fe's executive
committee. and on the part OF the gov.
ernment. President Taft. Mr.. Wicker.
\ sham, Mr. Knox and Secretary OF
\ Commerce and Labor Nagel Here Is
the statement that the president II.
sued after the conferepce:
"The president stated 10 the gentle.
men at the outset that the purpose OF
the suit was 10 prevent the proposed
rate increases, which under the exist.
/ ing law. could not be Investigated al
all until after they had become eifec.
+ tive, so as 20 preserve the status un-
der the new statute could be passed
] and the committee should have the
/ power to Investigate rate advances as
scon az announced and before becom.
ing effective He stated further thar
he thought the railroad companies
must withdraw the tariffs enioned and
all other tariffs filed by them effective
on or after June 9i0, and that none
OF them ought TO file any new tariffs
involving rate advances until the new
law should he passed, assuming that
Il 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 II 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 ard the same would be
withdrawn"