Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-03
|TAFTS PLAIN TALK RAILROADS FOR WAR
Reminds Graduates of the Re- To Fight Rate Increase Cases
sponsibities of Life. Up to Supreme Court
LAWYERS DO NOT ESCAPE MORE SCHEDULES FILED
In Serving Clients He Says Forget Evidences of Concerted
Duty to the Public Battle for Principle.
MUCKRAKERs GIVEN A RAP BLAME ON ADMINISTRATION
of
ture-Rewards Await the consistent of Help
Hard Worker Practice
To Fight Rate Increase Cases
Up to Supreme Court.
MORE SCHEDULES FILED
Evidences of Concerted Movement to
Battle for Principle.
BLAME ON ADMINISTRATION
prosecution Of Suits Considered In
consistent With Promises of Helm
to Legalize Practice.

Denied sanction for rate pooling by
the legislative branch and assaiIed bv
the administrative branch upon tho arst
efort to perfect a tariff agreement, the
railroads propose to carry their case 70
the court OF last resort in the judicial
branch of the government
The filing with the Interstate COM
merce commission yesterday OF sched-
ules for increased freight rates in the
central and eastern territory-coming on
The heels of the governments Injunction
of proposed increases in the western
territory-is interpreted at the CapitoI
to mean that the railroads do not in
tend to yield without a struggle their
assumed right TO enter into traffic
agreements.
Railroads Charge Inconsistency.
Legislators learn from their acquaint.
ances among the railroad representa-
uves who are in Washington To follow
the progress of the pending railroad
bill that this Interpretation is correct,
The railroad men have known for some
weeks that they cannot expect comfort
from Congress. as the votes have been
increasingly hostile in both houses
To their professed amazernent they
found this Week tnat the adnnIstratiNe
branch has apparently arrayed itself
against them. Their only course, they
say, is to go ahead with their proposed
rate agreements and test the legality OF
their action in the courts.
When President Taft returns to the cay
a conference with him will be asked by
the heads Of the large railway systems
to get a downright statement of the ad-
ministrations policy toward the trans
portaton interests, in the light Of recent
action.
Less Friendly to Railroad Bill.
In the meantime the administrations
pending railroad legislation in Congress Is
to be regarded with diminished approval
by those friendly to the railroads. 1t is
claimed that the railroads have been CO.
operating in good faith with the admin
istration leaders to perfect a fair and
conservative bill.
They were assured at the outset, they
claim that the administration bill would
not propose radical and violent measures
against the transportation interests OF
the country. Moreover. they were prom
ised outright. they say, that legal sane
ton would be given TO modified form
Of rate agreements, that the roads
would not hereafter be continually at the
mercy of haphaZard prosecution.
Ii would he childish Ia say that the
railroads do not have influence with. and
friends in Congress, and = was supposed
that their efforts would aid the bill. such
efforts. il is declared. were exerted.
No charge of bad faith is made against
the administration for the radical amend
ment OF the bill. since it is realized that
the combination of nsurgent and demo-
cratic opposition brought about the
changes But the railroad men say they
cannot understand the course OF the ad-
ministration in invoking the injunction
against the very procedure, thew
claim which was sought to be legalzed
by the bill, with the administration sup
port
Last Word Must Be Said.
All agree that It will require final ad-
Indication by the Supreme Court 10 d.
termine whether the proposed agreement
upon increased rates was comm"nda tl. ur
illegal pooling. since the administration
has decided that it was illegal
In the meantime the railroad viii ron-
tinue to make agreements upon increase
rates and file them with the iut'isiate
commerce commission. 1t remains {" i a
seen whether the government viii con-
time to attack them, as it did IL 'e
case of the western agreement
Action will depend. ii is said. ip"n
filed yesterday We're made in conspii H..
as charged against the western procedure
inquiry at the interstate commerce COM
mission today elected the statement that
these last increases range from 10 Ii
per cent, averaging about = per cent.
All the roads fled separate tariffs. The
significant statement was made that the
rate increases were about the same.
1t is for the government To ascertain
if this coincidence was the result of pre-
consultation as in the case Of the west
ern agreement. If II is found TO be such
il is thought the Attorney General will
be impelled to seek an injunction against
their enforcement.
Bitter War Assured.
All this presages a bitter war. it Is as
serted, between the government and the
railroads The railroads will fight for
what they claim to he their basic rights.
The government Will defend it's ideas OF
public policy and the interests of the
shippers.
1t means litigation until the Supreme
Court has uttered the last word in what
constitutes lawful agreements among
upon rates.
The administrations friends in Congress
stoutly defend the action of the Attorney
General in the injunction proceedings
against the western roads. They say that
equally prompt and courageous action
will be taken, as circumstances warrant.
in future cases.
AS to the failure of Congress to give
the railroads the right to make pooling
sgreements after the dominant party had
so promised, in its national platform and
through the utterances of its leaders, t
is argued that the party is powerless in
the premises.
Justification Of Administration.
"rhe peoples representatives in Con-
gress have cast their verdict against rate
pooling in the recent votes on the rail-
road BILL" is the argument advanced
this line That expression goes above
and beyond any party promises and is
final.
More than that. the verdict thus &: -
pressed was clear warrant to the aG
branch to use the arm II
the law against rate pooling. attempted
in the absence of express statutory sane
ton
The administration would have been
recreant to it's trust to the people not 10
have enjoined the agreement perfected by
the western roads. It had onl yto consult
the record votes in the House and Senate
to ascertain the sentiment Of the people
on that subject.
The law of the Iand-the Sherman aci.