The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-02-17
FORAKER SPEAKS
TRUTH IN JEST
Members of Senate Committee Afraid
to Force a Vote on Court Review
Feature Of Rate Bill.
OUTCOME STILL DOUBTFUL
ADJOURNMENT TAKEN UNTIL
NEXT THURSDAY.

Washington, Feb. 1--we have
heard as many opinions on the railroad
rate question as there are members of
the committee, and each man is afraid
to bring the court review feature to a
vote" said Chairman E1lkins today.
when the senate committee on inter-
state commerce adjourned until next
Thursday without having taken a. vote
on bill or considered an amendment
for judicial review Of orders of the in
terstate commerce commission This
statement was made in the presence of
Senators Dclliver and CIapp, who are
contending for the Hepburn bill in the
form that it came from the house It
was said in jest, but it is believed that
1t more nearly expressed the situation
than any previous alleged authoritative
announcement. The committee agreed
that important amendments will not
be voted or until Friday Of next week
Doubt and Uncertainty.
Ostensibly the committee adjourned
because Senator Tfllman was suddenly
taken i'll with what threatened pneumO-
MIA and could not be present, and be-
cause Senator CulIOm will return from
Florida some time next week and cast
his vote in the committee. The real
reason for adjournment is believed to
be the attitude of certain Democratic
on the court review feature. Neither
Republican faction in the COMMITTEES
was certain of the outcome, and vote
therefore was not insisted upon today
Supporters of the house bill were en-
couraged, however, from a telegram
received today by Chairman EIkins
from Senator CuIIom asking to be
counted against amendment TO the
Hepburn-Dolliver bill if a vote were
taken today.
Amendments Adopted.
Without taking up the question of
Judicial review Of orders of the COM
mission, the committee considered
many amendments offered to other sec
lions Of the house bill Senator Car
mack offered an amendment increasing
the interstate commerce commission
from five to nine members. The amend
ment was adopted By a vote Of six to
five, as follows: -Elkins.
Aldrich, Kean, CaTmack Foster and
Crane. egative-FOraker Dolliver.
Clapp, McLaurin and Newlands- It was
agreed. however, that Messrs. CuIlOm
and Tillman may have their votes re-
corded on this amendment, and this
may change the result, though this is
not believed likely.
Liabilities of Carriers.
Another amendment offered by Sen
atOr Carmack to fix the liabilities of
common carriers, railroad and trans
pOrtatio1 companies for negligence. was
adopted unanimously and will be in
cOrpOrated in or added to the bill as a
new section. The amendment is as fol-
lows:
THAT any common carrier. railroad
or transportation company, receiving
property for transportation from a
point in one state to a point in another
state shall u inf -
ladtng therefor and shall be liable to
the holder thereof for any losses, dam
age or injury to such property caused
by its negligence Of any common car
rier. railroad or transportation compa-
ny to which such property may be de-
Tweed Or over whose line or lines such
property may pass. and no contract, re-
ceipt, rule or regulation shall free such
common carrier, railroad or transporta-
ton company from the liability therein
imposed. Provided. that nothing in this
section shall deprive the holder of such
receipt or bill of lading from any rem
edy or right Of action which he now
has under existing laws.
Right TO Recover.
THAT the common carrier, railroad
or transportation company issuing
such receipt or bill of Iading shall he
entitled to recover from the common
carrier, railroad or transportation com
pany through whose negligence the
loss, damage or injury shall have been
sustained the amount of such loss. dam
age or injury as it may be required to
pay TO the owners Of such property
Several amendments were suggested
providing for both inclusion and exclu-
sion Of express companies and proprie-
tary cars under the bill, but no action
was taken. Senator Foster desires
that express companies shall be in
clUded and gave notice that he would
call for vote on such an amendment
at the next meeting of the committee.
There was also a number of amend
Continued on Page 2.