Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-07
RATE INCREASES
To BE WITHDRAWN;
j. s. To DROP SUIT
Taft and R. R. Chiefs Agree That
Advances Be Killed Until
|. C. C. Can Act
CONFERENCE GETS RESULTS
Whole Matter to Be Later Taken
Up Under Provisions of
Railroad Bill
CONFERENCE GETS RESULTS
ASSOCIATED Press1


w government and the recently
enjoined railroads of the Western
Trunk Line association, was reached
at a White House conference which
| lasted more than four hours this after
noon.
The railroads agree to withdraw all
rate increases filed to be effective on or
after June /, and agreed to file no
more increases until the bill in con-
gress that gives the interstate COM
merce commission power to investi-
gate and suspend increases, becomes a
law and is in operation.
President Taft thereupon stated that
the Administrations purpose in bring
ing the injunction suit had been oc-
complished and that the suit would
| be discontinued
The discontinuance will not be en-
fered, however, until after the new
railroad law is signed.
The belief was expressed tonight that
| all the other railroads of the country
that have filed increased rates, or have
had such a plan under consideration,
will abide by the agreement reached
| today with the twenty-four railroads
named as defendants in the Hannibal
| suit.
At the conference at the White House
| tomorrow in which President Brown of
the new York Central, President Nc
! Crea of the Pennsylvania, and other
officials representing roads in the east
ern and central territory will partici-
pate, it is expected the railroad men
will agree to hold up the proposed in
creases until after the new law be-
| comes effective.
| Everyone connected with today's con-
| ference seemed gratified over the OUT
! come.
RATES To REST WITH l. @. G.
All that President Taft has desired
| is that the interstate commerce COM
mission have authority to investigate
increases in rates to determine whether
they are justified by conditions, and
are just to the shippers This power
IS to be conferred under the new law.
The railroads on the other hand, it
is pointed out, are to be relieved of
embarrassing litigation, dare assure
of a Square deal" when their case is
presented to the commission, and are
free to resume contracts for improve
ments and extensions which they
threatened to cancel had the court pro-
ceedings continued.
The new railroad bill contains clause
that gives it effect sixty days after be-
ing signed by the president. 1t will
| be necessary to make the provision as
to the supervision of rates by the in
terstate commerce commission inn
mediately effective, and for this rea-
son, as President Taft indicated to-
night, it will be necessary to send the
bill back to conference.
President Taft summoned three men,
bers of the cabinet to sit with him in
conference with the four railroad Of
| ficials, who reached the White House
at p. m. Attorney General Wicker
sham had all along been included.
There was some surprise, however.
when the president sent for Secretary
Knox and Secretary Nagel. Later
Chairman Knapp and Mr.. Lane of the
| interstate commerce commission, were
summoned.
STATEMENT FROM WHITE HOUSE
1t was 1905 D. m. when the confer
ence adjourned. Then the following
statement was prepared and given out:
81. P. Ripley, president of the Atch-
| ison, Topeka & Santa Fe company;
| Walker E. Hines, acting chairman OF
the executive committee Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad COM
pany; Frederick A. Delano, president
of the Wabash Railroad company, and
S. M. FELTON,, president of the Chicago
Great Western company, a committee
representing the twenty-four compan-
| les defendant in a suit brought by the
government in Missouri, in which
Judge Dyer granted an injunction re-
straining increases in rates, met the
l ~
day. pursuant to request sent to the
president few days ago.
"The president stated to these gen.
tlemen at the outset that the purpose
of the suit was to prevent the pro-
posed rate increases (Which under ex-
listing law could not be investigated at
all until after they had been effective),
so as to preserve the status until the
new statute could be passed and the
commission could have the power to
! investigate rate advances as soon as
announced and before becoming eff
| fective.
"He stated further that he thought
the railroad companies must withdraw
the tariffs enjoined and all other tar
! lifts filed by them, effective on or after
June l. 1910, 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 session of con-
gress.
after the conference the railroad
companies announced that they would
adopt the view expressed by the pres
| ident and thereupon the president
stated if they did so, his purpose in
| plished, and such result being ac-
| complished, he saw no occasion for
| pressing the suit and the same would
be withdrawn"
WITHDRAWALS SCOPE WIDE
The rate increases specified in the
| injunction suit against the railroads
| In the Western association did not
cover all the increases filed with the
commission. The railroads today,
however, agreed to withdraw all the
increases planned for June 1, OF after.
A number of increases put into eff
feet during the last few months VIII
not come under the agreement. For
instance, the increased rates on live
stock, effective last March. will not
be affected.
The important increases, however,