The San Francisco call., 1910-06-08
After Bitter Fight, Bill, by
Small Vote, Is Ordered
Into Conference
TAFT PROMISES SQUARE
DEAL TO ALL ROADS
President Urges That Clause
Suspending New Rates Be
Effective Immediately
SPECIAL MESSAGE is
RECEIVED BY CONGRESS

NHNAA LII III NOLNONAOO
Nv TASHINGTON. June THE fur
W. over the railroad situation
became a thing of the past to-
day. The railroad presidents went
home. President Taft went horseback
riding and the railroad bill went to
conference.
Representatives of the eastern and
central roads. at conference with the
president this afternoon. agreed to
withhold all proposed freight rate in
creases until the new railroad law be-
comes effective and after that to sub
NIT the reasonableness of the increases
to the interstate commerce commission.
The railroads interested in the south
territory declared they had not as yet
filed notices of increase. but that if
they did they would be ready to abide
by the decision of the commission.
Taft Urges Haste
At the capitol things were not so
pleasant. President Taft sent a special
message to congress telling of the set
1
roads and urging that the provision of
the railroad bill that gives the inter-
state commerce commission power 10
| investigate and suspend new rates be
made effective Immediately upon the
signing of the act. rather than have it
go into effect along with the otheC
clauses. which have so day limitation.
The President did this as a part OF
the agreement with the railroads by
which he promised them a square
DEAF and a speedy determination as
to the justice of their new rates He
also did it to prevent the fling of any
new rates during the so days between
the signing of the act and it's taking
effect
Bitter Fight Follows
There was a bitter fight in the house
as to whether the senate amendments
should be accepted as a whole or the
measure should go to conference. The
insurgents and democrats who were op-
posed to a conference declared that the
presidents wishes could be met by an
agreement on the part of the house.
The regulars who desired to have the
bill sent to conference for smoothing
OUT process declared that the only way
to effect the presidents wishes was TO
send the bill 10 conference They I'm
ally won by six votes
The presidents conference today was
with President McCrea of the Pennsyl-
vania, President Brown OF the New
/ York Central and President Finley of
the Southern railroad These men rep
resented all the trunk lines from Chi
| eago eastward. 1t was taken for grant
| ed before the conference began that
there would be an amieable settlement
and there was little surprise when.
after an hour and a half. the statement
was issued that there had been a COM
plete agreement.
In none of his negotiations with the
railroad president has President Taft
suggested that there was any purpose
on the part of the administration TO
apply for dissolution Of the various
trunk line associations.
No Immunity Promised
At the same time there have not
been intimations that any OF the rail-
roads would be granted immunity from
the operations of the sherman anti
trust law. The administration used the
ANTITRUST law in bringing the inJunc-
tion suit to stop the increased rates
simply because there was no other ave-
nue. open to it.
During the conference the question
of the ability of the interstate COM
merce commission TO dispose OF all the
new rates within the next II months
was discussed Taft expressed the be-
lief that the present rates gave basis
for comparison that would not require
great amount of time. President Nc
Crea offered the suggestion that as
certain basic rates form the foundation
for all the other thousands of rates the
disposition of the basic ones might not
require such great length of time.
Bill Nearly Accepted
When the rate bill was brought up
in the house that body almost accepted
it, missing the consummation by the
slim margin of six votes The vote
came on a motion by Representative
Lenroot. an "insurgent- OF Wisconsin.
to concur in the senate amendments. E.
with an additional amendment to section
of the bill requiring increases in rail-
road rates TO be submitted to the in
terstate commerce commission in ad-
vance.
The close vote was caused by = COM
lbination Of democrats and "insurgent''