The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-07-02
NOT TO BADGER RAILROADS
TtI'T DIRECTS 4 HODER iTE
ISE az MN RtTE ~.
President seeks To Rrassurr sIOckhoI,I-
rrs aud Ca, rstor> Has an HSur's Taik
Win chairman knapp % Interstate
commerce Commission about %.

road rate Law will not b. used 10 hammer
down railroad rates
The Administration does not intend 10
make a club Of thai law nor does II desire
~ hAraS- the common carriers Of the
country unnecessarily bv the arbitrary
suspension Of rates
Under the law iiI-i enacted the Inter
stai~t Commerce Commission - authorized
- suspend anv rate for .le, en months
pending it- determination uf ia" rate =
UIstnrss
This power regarded 10y som- railroad
m-n a. a menace IA their prosperity.
will not be- used arbitrarily and indis-
criminat-iy The commission will in
woke IL only " hen the facts II finds upon
invest CATION warrant drastic methods
That was the cunclusion reached by
President Taft and Chairman Martin 4
Knapp OF the Interstate commerce Com
mission AZ an hour long talk az the Evans
cottage On Burgess Point late This after
noon
Mr. Knapp had been summoned "a
Beverly "a talk over the application
81 the new law With the President He
was able "a DISCUSS itz features. and par
ttcularly the one granting the commission
power Ia suspend rstes With full knowl-
edge of the situation
The President has never thought that
the commission should hold up every
tariff proposed by \ railroad He only
wished "a see that BODY given power Ia
apply this brake ON occasions wher" II
had - take restraining action
Information has come - the President
that Sinc. the laS was rnACt.-d railroad
men have become afraid Of that CLAUSE.
that they nave f.ar'-d that no rate rai---i
would stand u chance before ia" scrutln.
iIing eve Of the commission This i'm
pre--,ou he wished Corrected
Already the commission has r-fu-s-l 20
suspend the vehic,. aud autJ rate II
refused because there Was ~ prima
fa-e evidence that 1t was unreasonable
This same method viii be employed In
tls future II there l. pTima facie
case agains' "a PROPOSED rate tn" com
mission Will suspend and investigate
fur her n there ~ not good ground 10
begin a. investigation ~ probably viii
not do -
While the President does not approve
of any Wholesale use of the rate Sria-
pension power he does not. ON the other
hand think that the cries of alarm from
Wnit-Str~et have any basis In reason. lie
has been informed that there has h>en a
Iut II speculation IN the Street based
uuon the fears Of railroad investors that
the power Of suspension meant loss To-
the roads
To the summer capital have come
stories thai the new Law and particularly
this same clause would fIightel Euro
I can investors and that m consequence
when crop moving tim. comes the country
would suffer This view Mr. Taft fails tu
share
Altogether ~. Administration s'tit,Ile
sa"ma today to he that the new law -
being -triei ont Their" is not 10 be any
resort Ia - ia haste with repentance a.
leisure
II i.-ams known definitely here to-day
that the talk betwe..l IA. President and
cot Roosevelt was almost exclusively
social A. on. Of those who were present
IN the porch at the tim. put IL We sat
aroung IN a ring aud talked about every
thing
The Colonel ioli about his trip through
Africa aud Europe. and Il there was any
touch 81 POLITICS both he and the Priest
deaf d-cidei they would not let that part
ont ~ all There was some mention of
III. rev international peace commission.
for the chairmanship 81 which Col. Roo-.-
welt has been suggested. hut TO decision
n.
About Gov. Hughes and the possibility
81 his declining the Supren" Court posi-
ton whirh Mr. Tau has offered there was
nothing learned AT all
The President was DISTRESSED 20 hear
thPt the New York Legislature had de
feat.d the Cohb direct primary hill He
thought the defeat most unfortunate.
a. he told friends. because n the bill had
becom" law the principle " the direct
primaries would have Lsen given "A most
va lIIa bile tryoui
From now on the President probably
will se.. member. ~ his Cabinet Who ara
not travelling every once N a while. The
first 10 come will I've eth, Secretary Meyer
or Secretary RtllinRer Both have busi-
ness ~ pressing nature that needs PresI-
Dental attention.
Outside of the talks van 'afinet O1iceTs
and the big time he - going to have on
IN. Fourth OF July shooting along through |
Boston and it, suburbs the President in |
tends Ia res; until about July Is as hard |
~ he can rest Already he has acquired !
a fin. coat OF tan from his golfing amt |
motoring expeditions and looks - 10 the !
few day. here had helped immensely.
OnorRe Otis Smith. director % the |
Geological Survey. will be the first head 81
the new bureau of mines. just created by !
act - Congress. Informal announce |
men: that Mr.. smith will he put IN thsS |
position was made for President Taft to- |
day. Mr. smith will not bcc ONE the per- !
rnanent head 20 the hureau. according to |
the present plan 81 th" President, hut will !
assume charge temporarily in order that I
u may be organized and started going |
Later 'he President will select another
man. u was said. Mr. Smith will then he |
returned 20 his old job az director 81 the |
survey
The President 10 not finding II easy 10
get IN. man he W ants 20 head this new l
bureau. which 10 regarded as important !
There have been several men mentioned /
Including Dr. J. 4. Holmes ~ !
tie l,,.1Iogic1l Strvay btt y was aid to- /