Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-06-08
The Railroad Bill Is Fl
na||y Sent TO Conference.
President Taft Asks That Ger.
tain Changes Be Made
Tc Coincide With Agreement With
The Railroad Men.

Washington. June 1.-THE recent
furry as to the railroad situation be-
came thing. of the past today. The
railroad presidents went home: Presi-
dent Taft went horseback riding anC
the railroad bill went to conference
The Eastern and Central railroads. al
conference with the President this
afternoon agreed to withhold all pro-
posed freight rate increases until the
new railroad law becomes effective and
after that to submit the reasonable
ness of the increases to the Interstate
Commerce Commission. The railroads
interested in the Southern territory
declared they had not as yet filed no.
tees Of increase, but that if they had
they would be ready to abide by the
decision of the commission.
At the Capitol things were not so
pleasant. President Taft sent spe-
cial message to Congress telling OF the
settlement he had reached with the
railroad and urging the provision OF
the railroad bill which give the Inter-
state Commerce Commission power to
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 other
clauses which have 6O-day imita-
ton following the Executive approval
of the measure.
The President did this as IA part of
the agreement with the railroads by
which he promised them square
deal" and a speedy determination as
to the justice of their new rates. He
also did it to prevent the filing of any
new rates during the 80 days between
the signing of the act and the taking
effect Of the new law. There was a
bitter fight in the House as to whether
the Senate amendments should be ac-
cepted as whole or the measure
should be given into the hands OF con-
ferees from the House and Senate.
The Insurgents and Democrats who
were opposed to Il conference" declared
that tn" PRESIDENTS wishes as to the
mmediat" effectiveness of the inter
stat" commerce. rate approved clause
could he met by an agreement on the
part of the House. The Regulars, who
desired to have the bill sent to con-
terence for a smoothing out process.
1tclared that the only way to effect
bill t" conference. They finally won
out. 1872 to l-6.
President Taft declined to commit
himself in his message or in confer
ence .rith Senate and House members
as t. the necessity of a conference. He
merely expressed the wish indicated
in his message and left it to the CON
Rress :" determine the best means OF
meeting the wish.
Tho Presidents conference today was
With President James McCrea of the
Pennsylvania, President w. G.. Brown
of the New York Central, and President
W. w. FinaIay of the Southern Rail
road. These men represented all OF the
Trunk Lines from Chicago eastward
II was taken >,r granted before the
conference began that there would be
m amicablc settlement, and there was
little surprise when after an hour and
half the statement was issued that
there had been "A complete agreement.
In non. Of his negotiations with the
railrold presidents has President Taft
suggested that tll"re was any purpose
on the part of the administration to
appl, for . dissolution of the various
Trunk Line associations. At the same
time there las been no intimation that
any If the railroads wOIld be granted
immunity from the operations of the
Sherman antitrust law. The admins
trat;on used the antitrust law in
bringing the injunction to stop the in
creased rates simply because there was
no other avenue onen to it.
During the conference the question
merce Commission to dispose of all
the new rates within the next II
months was freely discussed. Presi-
dent Taft expressed the belief that the
present rates gave a basis for COM
parison which would not require u
great amount of time. President Nc
Crea offered the suggestion that as
there are certain basic rates which
form the foundation for all the other
thousands of rates. that the DISPOSE
ton of the basic ones might not re-
uuirr such a great length of time
Once the basic rates are fixed the
others apply almost automatically.
The statement issued by the White
House at the conclusion of today s
conference was as follows:
"At the invitation of the President
James McCrea. president of the Penn
sylvana Cos. with Judge Massey. gen
eral counsel, w. c. Brown. president
of the New York Central lines and
w. w. Finley of the Southern Railway.
met the President at his office for a
conference with respect to the pro-
posed advance OF rates which had all
ready been filed by the trunk lines and
central freight lines with the Inter-
state Commerce Commission. to be eff
fective July l. and thereafter.