The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-06-07
END OF THE
RATE FIGHT
~----~-
Railroads Agree to Withdraw
All Rate Increases
INJUNCTION SUITS OFF
A Complete Agreement Is Reached AZ
the White House Between Govern
ment and Western Trunk Line
Association.
INJUNCTION SUITS OFF

Washington, D. G., June Ia com.
plete agreement between the govern.
ment and the recently enjoined rail.
roads Of the western trunk line assoc
citation was reached at a White House
conference which lasted for more than
four hours yesterday afternoon.
The railroads represented agreed to
withdraw an rate increases, filed 70 be
effective on or after June /, and agreed
to file no more increases until the bili
in Congress, which gives the Interstate
commerce commission power to inyesti-
gate and suspend increases that are not
justified, becomes a law and goes into
effect.
President Taft thereupon stated that
the administration purpose in bring
ing the injunction suit had been accom-
plished and the suit would be discon-
tiuued. The discontinuance viii not DO
entered. however, until after the new
railroad law is signed
There will be conference at tha
White House to-day at which President
Brown az the New York Central, Presi
dent McCrea Of the Pennsylvania and
other officials, representing railroads in
the western and central territory, viii
participate.
Everyone connected with yesterdays
conference seemed gratifed over the
outcome All that President Taft has
desired is that the interstate commerce
commission should have authority TO in
vestigate increases in rates 10 deter
mine whether or not they are justified
by prevailing conditions. and are just
to the shippers This power Is TO bu
conferred undeh tine new law.
The railroads on the other hand. ID
is pointed out. are TO be relieved Of
embarrassing litigation. are assured OF
q square deal when their case is pre-
ssnted TO the Interstate commerce com
mission and are free 70 resume the con-
tracts for Improvements and extensions
which they threatened to cancel and the
court proceedings continued
President Taft summoned the members
Of his cabinet to sit with him in con-
ference with the four railroad officials,
who reached the White House at 3 =.
IA. II was 7.05 p. m. when the con-
ference adjourned. Then the following
statement was prepared and given out.
re, r. Ripley, president Of the Atch-
inson, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad com
pany; Walker D. Hines acting chairs
man executive committee, Atchinson,
Topeka & Santa Re Railroad company;
Frederick a. Delano. president Of the
Wabash Railroad company; and s. NJ
FELTON,. president Of the Chicago. Great
Western Railroad company. a committee
representing the tWenty-four railroad
companies defendant in a suit brought
By the government in Missouri III which
Judge Dyer granted an injunction re.
straininQ increases in rates met the
president and the attorney general yes
terday pursuant 20 a request sent ia
the president a few DAYS since.
"The President stated 10 these gentle
men at the outset that the purpose
Of the suit was to prevent proposed
rate increases (which, under the exist
ing Jaw. could not be Investigated at
all until after they had become effectively
SO as to preserve the status until the
new statute could be passed and the
commission should have the power To
investigate rate advances as soon a.
and before becoming effective.
Tie stated further that he thought tbs
railroad companies must withdraw the
tariffs enioined and all other-tariff filed
hy them effective on or before June
1910. and that none Of them ought to file
any new tariff involving rate advances
until the new law should be passed, az.
suuing that it would Be passed at the
present session Of Congress.
After conference, the railroad com
panies announced that they would adopt
the view expressed BY the president, and
thereupon the president stated that If
they did 50 his purpose in bringing the
suit would be accomplished and, such
result being accomplished. he saw ms
secession for pressing the suit and the
same would be withdrawn
The railroad president claimed they
had been misrepresented as to there hav-
Ing been anything clandestine about
their agreeing upon or filing the new
rates They claimed they had sent writ.
Ten notices to the shippers and even had
The receipts Of certain Of the shippers
who had denied ever having received
such notice. Finally, they declared that
.he increased rates had been fled in the
iame manner as the interstate commerce
commission had approved for the past
ZEN years