The Washington times., 1910-06-06

Believe They Were Tricked.
T. was further declared thar M .Taft
and Mr. Wickersham had made I'd their
minds 20 point out clearly the newt
able nrmness OF their position because
they believe the railroads undertook 10
work trick on the Administration IN
the matter Of raising their rates.
Aessrs- Ripley. DelanO. and FELTON,
arrived iE Washington from Chicago on
the Pennsylvania this morning They
spent a part Of the morning in confer
erce with each other and il laying their
plans for the conference. They saw the
President by appointment AT 9 O'Clock
this afternoon.
In the conference. they sought 10
Justify the course taken By the twenty
hve railroads IN the Missouri river re-
Eion and the territory known as West
ern Trunk Line territory.
Allege Department Was Mistaken.
They endeayored 70 convince the
President that the Governments course
in beginning the suit was not justified
They sought TO show thai the Depart
ueur Of Justice was mistaken in sup
posing that there had been IA the case
Of the increased schedules which have
provoked So much controversy, and es-
TeciaIy in the case OF the particular
schedule euJoined, any departure from
the course taken by the roads liz making
up schedules for the last fourteen years
In addition 10 laying before the Presi-
dent certain facts 10 Trove 10 him
that the roads had done nothing out
Of the usual course SO far as the
methods Of handling a new schedule
are concerned. the railroad presidents
sought 20 show that II was essential
for the Wetsern roads 10 increase
rates They represented that the in
creases in wages, the increased cost
Of operation and maintenance. and the
growing demands on the railroads for
extensions and improvements caused
5y the constantly expanding traffic.
made il imperative that they get more
revenue
More Revenue Long Needed
They pointed out that this need Of
more revenue was not a new condi-
tion with the roads or something TO
which they had lately been directing
attention, but that for two years they
had been emphasizing H.
one Of the -eDresentations made %
Attorney General Wichersham IN the
conference ne had with shippers last
Monday was that the railroads have fol-
lowed an unusual course hr making ID
the increases which have been enioinels
that the presidents Of the roads had ia
ken the matter out o. tie hands or the
UiInc men, that the meeting for
the purpose Of raising rates vas IN
secret. and that after the Increased
schedules were agreed on and in print
the roads did not make the usual distri-
hutl0zS OF copies tC shiupers. but held
llen FarS Tor twelve or fourteen daNS
IN order that the sinners might not fnd
out what was really happening.
IL was pointed out 10 The Attorney
General that this was an excellent piece
gI evidence as tending 20 show that
there was a secret conSniracv IN re-
Straint OF trade on the part Of the rail-
roads Alr. NickcrSham was impressed
by the showinS made hv The shippers on
this point
Secrecy Charge Denied.
The railroad presidents here today
take the position that there was no
unusual secrecy in the transaction. They
laid before tire President the fart that
they got out the usual number Of sched-
ules and got receipts therefor from ship
Ders early in Nav.
8le OF the things the railroad DreSi-
dents emphasized was that the condition
or the Western railroads was not the
same that Of the Eastern railroads
and that their needs for more revenue
were greater. They pointed out that
increases in wages were alredv in effect
that the country is rapidly developing
heavier traffic, that more facilities are
constantly needed ana that without
more revenue the credit Of the roads
viii be impaired, and they cannot obtain
the capital needed. either IN this country
or abroad. TO finance improvements.
1t was also pointed out that the Presi-
dent himself had urged that traffic
agreements were to be IeEalized and that
the roads had never supposed such
agreements were 10 be assailed AT the
same time the railroad men refused 10
admit their course is amenaole 70 the
Sherman law
VIII Depart at Midnight.
The railroad presidents had little 10
say before the conference. They said
they might give out a statement later.
Their plan is to see the Attorney Cen
eral after the President. and deDart AT
midnight. They are travelling in tha
private car Of Mr.. Ripley. and intend
10 depart az midnight They have no
other business here, they said
OF course, the main question Is what
The President viii do. The prevailing
belief is that he viii not alter TIA