The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-07
FOR QUICK ACTION
President Taft Sends a Message
to Congress
Asking That the Railroad Bill
as Passed Be Amended,

dS L dSSou do n IuOuu0Us
Washington, June 7.-President Taft
today sent special message to con-
greSs in which he recommended that
/ the clause in the new railroad BILL
w hich gives the interstate commerce
| commission power to investigate ana
suspend increased rates filed by the
| railroads be modified so as to take ef-
feet Immediately upon signing of the
act.
AS it stands in the bill the provision
would not take effect for 60 days.
| The president bases his request upon
! the agreement he reached with the rail-
| roads on yesterday, whereby they
| agreed to withdraw all increased rates
until the new law is signed. AS to how
the act is to be amended whether in
conference or by joint resolution, the
president left that to the discretion Of
congress.
Following is the presidents mes
sage:
"a recent effort by large number
of railroad companies to increase rates
for interstate transportation of persons
and property caused me to direct the
attorney general to bring a suit and
secure from the United States court in
Missouri, an injunction restraining the
operation of such increased rates dur
ing the tendency of the proceeding.
This action led to a conference with
the representatives of the railroad COM
panies, SO enjoined and the agreement
by each of them to withdraw the pro-
posed increases of rates effective on or
after June l, and not to file any fur
ther attempted increases until after the
enactment into law of the pending bill
to amend the interstate commerce act
or the adjournment of the congress;
with the further undertaking that on
the enactment of such law each would
submit to the determination of the in
terstate commerce commission the ques-
tron of the reasonableness of all in
creases that each might thereafter
propose.
"It is now hoped that all of the other
railroad companies will take like ac-
tion. In order, however, that each may
have the benefit of a speedy determi-
ration of the question whether OF not
its proposed increases in rates are JUS
tifiable, provision should be made by
congress to vest the interstate COM
nerce commission with jurisdiction over
such questions as soon as possible.
"In the senate amendment to sec
ton 5 of the act to regulate COM
merce contained in H. r. 1886. the
interstate commerce commission is
empowered, Immediately on the filing
of a proposed increase in rates, of its
own motion or on complaint. to enter
on an investigation and determination
of the justice and reasonableness of
such increases and in case it deems
it expedient to suspend the operation
thereof for a period specified in the
section to enable it to complete such
investigation. That bill, however, pro-
vides that the act shall take ef1ce and
be in force only from and after the ex-
piration of so days after it's passage.
This provision, if allowed to re-
main in the bill, would ems BILE carriers,
between the time of enactment of the
bill and its taking effect to file in
| n w
effective at the expiration of 80 days
and remain in effect and be collected
from the public during the pendency
| of proceedings to review them, where
as if the bill be made to take effect
| Immediately such investigation will
have to be made before the public is
called on to pay the increased rate.
/ WILLIAM H. TAFT
THE White House, June 7, 1910"
Follows a Conference.
| The message followed a lengthy
conference at the White House this
| morning between the president and
| Senator Crane on the part of the
senate and Representative Mann on
| the part of the house. There was
! wide divergence of opinion among the
callers as to whether the amendments
| sought by the president can be Sc
cured in conference. Those repre-
sentatives who favored the acceptance
of the senate bill as a whole, contend
| ed tnat the only way TO make the
clause referred to by the president
take effect Immediately was to pass a
| joint resolution to that effect.
House Takes 1t Up.
| Washington. June 1.-THE railroad
| bill was taken up by the house soon
after that body convened today.
! Chairman Mann, of the committee on
| interstate commerce moved to nom
concur in the senate amendments and
ask for a conference, the motion re-
| quiring unanimous consent. Repre-
sentatives Lenroot, of Wisconsin, one
of the Republican insurgents objected.
Following the reading of the SEN
| ate's amendments. Representative
Lenroot, of Wisconsin, made a motion
| that the house concur in the amend
ments with an amendment to section
9, making its provisions operative up
on approval of the bill by the presi-
dent Two hours were allotted for de-
| bate on the motion.
Congratulate Taft.
Chicago, June IA telegram of
congratulation was sent to President
Taft today by committee represent
ing the western shippers The COM
mittee also sent a telegram to George
w. Perkins of ]. P. Morgan & Co. of
New York.
| Mr. Perkins was asked if the tariffs
and classifications affecting rates in
the interested districts are to be with
drawn and the status QUO created
thereby maintained pending adjudi-
Ication by the interstatecommerce COM
mission