The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-06-06
TAFT TO SER R. R. PRESIDENTS
WIZ CONFER WITH THEN ar
THE WHITE HOTSE TODAY

WARRINGTON June - tfeeluent lAt
got back 70 the White House to-nigat
from his four day trip in the middle west
and was Immediately informed by hrs
secretary Of the arrangements which
have been made for his conferences with
railroad presidents Tomorrow The Pree-
iClent and members Of the White Houss
staff do not know exactly what railroad
men will participate in the conferences
tomorrow. The meeting with the Presi-
dent was arranged at the request OF
President =. p, Ripley Of the Santa p
system. who merely represented thst
tho railroads Involved in the Govern
ment's dissolution aud injunction suit
against the Western Trunk Line Com
mittee desired 10 state their side u the
case to the President II is understood
that ?. A. Delano. president Of the We
bash. aud s. =, FELTON,. president Of the
Chicago Great Western. will be among
tho railroad officials who will accompany
President Ripley TO the White House.
President Taft will so Attorney Gen
srsl Wickersham tomorrow morning
and will 60 over With him the develop
msnts 10 the railroad situation that have
occurred since he started on the Western
trip. MIR. Taft left Washington just
after the Government had obtained iis
hurry up injunction against the Western
Trunk Line COMMITTEES. The facts in the
case had been laid before the President.
however by Mr.. WicksFshAm, and the
President had Ooncurred in the Attorney
Generals decision to begin PROCEEDINGS
under the sherman antitrust law
While Mr.. Taft has been in the West
increased rates have been filed also by
,Ihs Chicago and Ohio River Committee.
representing twenty-four railroads In The
Central West. and by all the Eastern trunk
lines. Mr.. Wiokersham will explain thess
developments to the President and will
give him the results also 81 an investi-
cation which HE Ofice has been making
Of the circumstances surrounding ths
fling Of the rates by the Western Trunk
Line Committee
The railroad presidents will have their
innings az the White House in the after
noon. Attorney General WickeFsham will
BE- present also al that conferences. Mr..
Taft's friends say tonight that the Preai-
dent will call upon the railroad men -
answer tho evidence which shippers OF
the West laid before the Department Of
Justice. Mr.. WiokRrsham has said that
this evidence tended 20 show that ths
railroad presidents formally met and
voted upon increases in rates and in
strlcted the Western Trunk Lane Com
mittee's agent 10 file them with the Inter
state Commerce Commission. Mr. Tate
friends say that II the President is con-
WINGED that the facts are as alleged Il is
extremely doubtful II the railroad men
will get him 10 recede from the position
that the Administration has taken
The railroad men on the other hand
will direct President Taft's attention
TO the attitude which the Administration
has assumed right along in regard 10 rate
making through trunk line committees
and associations They will. il 10 sait.
point ont that IL Is absolutely necessary
for a certain amount Of cooperation be-
tween railroads in the matter Of estah-
fishing freight rates and that both the
Taft and the Roosevelt Administrations
have publicly acknowledged this fact
The railroad men undoubtedly will
call the Presidents attention 20 his own
utterances on this subject and 20 his
recent recommendations that traffic
legalized. From THE rec
ords Of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission the railroad men would he able
also to produce plenty OF evidence that
the cooperation between roads has been
a matter Of common knowledge to if
not Recognized By the commission.
In the commissions regulations covering
The construction aud filing Of freight
tariffs there are printed forms which
rarriers are obliged TO al out in desig-
mating a single individual 10 file a single
Of tariffs for all Of them. In the
forms the individual u course In not
recognized as the agent Of a trunk line
or association. although his
with such an organization
Is well known To the commission.
The railroad presidents who will soc
Mr. Taft tomorrow will contend. 20 their
'riends say that they had q right TO sup
pose that the Taft Administration would
Tot interfere with a system Of rate max
NC which had been recognized a. neces-
AIRY. IL il likely. however. that the
ailroad men will contend that the action
which they took was no more in the nature
u a formal agreement than that taken
" other committees and associations 10
,ast years.
Members Of the Interstate Commerce
Commission have for several years known
hs methods that the railroads have used
n agreeing upon rates. One member
4 the commission described the practice
o-dAy in this way: Az meeting Of rail-
cad mon an Official of one road would
ay that In his opinion the rate on WOOL.
or instance. ought 20 be raised 10 cents
hundred pounds. The of5cial u az
.ther road would arise and offer hls
.TAnion that the rate on wool ought to
~ boosted 10 cents a hundred pounds.
nd 10 IL would 60 all around the Giro .
4 those present, each man expressing
IN opinion. Finally one railroad ohioiat
Eould announce that he was going a.
aiss the rate on wool ~ cents a hundred
,ounds The notice Og that railroads
Intention would then be sent by the agent
( che trunk line committee 10 all other
Dads represented by the committee and
hey would authorize the raise.
By this procedure. the railroads con-
- according IN a unsrnl,er Of The Inter-