Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-03-13
RAILROAD BILL
MUCH AMENDED.
Important Senate Measure Is
Greatly Modified and Passed
BY Upper Branch.
ROADS CAN'T OWN COAL MINES
Nor Are They Given Right 10 Exercise
EIninent Domain Privileges
Over Water.

The senate yesterday afternoon
spent some good hard hours thinking
Of the future of Utah In connection
with it's railroads. There was ex-
pressed by all a desire To recognize the
good that comes 10 a community from
the common carriers. to be just to the
roads aud give them avery privilege
that will help them to expand, but also
to be careful for the people and not
give away carelessly set OF privileges
that would duplicate i'll Utah the
Southern Pacific's hold on California
The ideas advanced In the debate
were applied specifically To senate bill
70, the well known railroad measure,
1t was read carefully clause by clause,
with the purpose Of leaving In all that
could help the railroads and Utah. and
of taking out all that IL was feared
would ut some time initiate against
the state in its operation for the bene-
hts of the roads
Expurgated with care the bill finally
PASSED with Lawrence, Love, Seely and
Gardner voting against IT; and all
other members of the senate supporting
ii In its amended form.
1he bill was the special order for
$3.50 O'Clock, and when Secy. Campbell
began to read II he was interrupted
in order that amendments 10 the title
might be inserted. This was to make
the lille conform 10 the requirements
that 1t shall actually set forth the
purpose OF the measure. The nexE
amendments came when subdivision
was reached.
STEAMSHIP AMENDMENT.
Lawrence objected to allowing the
railroads TO own steamship lines In the
manner proposed by the bill. The Sec
ton provided that roads shall have
the right TO acquire, own, maintain,
operate and navigate steamships sail
ing vessels and boats Of every descrip-
ton, and generally to carry on the
business of u common carrier by water,
and 10 purchase, own, hold, pledge or
otherwise dispose OF the capital stock,
bonds or other obligations Of any cor
poration owning or operating amy
such ships, vessels or boats"
Lawrence succeeded In insertlng
his amendment, after explaining that
while there were no waterways In
Utah. he did not like TO have his state
go on record as granting merger priv
ileGes that are contrary to tire national
policy. It Is as follows;
provided. that this section shall
not be construed to permit any rail-
pledge. or otherwise dispose of the
capital stock, bonds or other obIiga-
tions Of any corporation owning or OPP
Grating such ships, vessels, or boats
where such corp Grafton may be Il eonl-
peting line with such railroad COM
Tany. or with amy other corporation in
which said railroad company may own
any Of the capita stock, bonds or
other obligations thereof"
The next change came when the
clause at the end of the bill was
reached. The word legally was In
serted on motion of Lawrence before
a reference 10 rights accrued under
the several acts OR parts of acts In
this section" The word was inserted
ia safeguard the state from thus legal
ling any right" which had been TAX
en- in excess of the established laws.
should 1t ever be developed that there
are any of such.
l3enner x. Smith and Lawrence had
a lively tilt over another amendment
to make subdivision 2 apply to all
roads organized under the laws of
other states, and the am endnnent car
ried by a vote OF to 7. Lawrence.
however. led back again in a few mo-
ments by asking what the necessity
was for the bill.
NECESSITY FOR MEASURE.
II should like to ask tho author Of
The author has NOT the privilege
Of the floor" was the reply. ''Tt was
drawn think by railroad attorneys,
au1 handed TO me, j merely intro
duced it,
SMITHS DEFENSE.
Continuing 10 explain his attitude
towards the bill. and his reason for
bringing it in. Senator Smith said:
Il think II my duty to lay before
this body any measure which any citt-
pen OF the state deems worthy of con-
sideratiou, III this objectionable Sec
tion could be amended so as 10 pro-
vide that the companies could operate
mines 'subject to snch regulations as
may be prescribed by law would
support It, I don't know oS anything
that would be more beneficial 10 the
State than to be able 10 regulate the
cost OF coal at the mines, the cost of
transportation to the markets and the
price To- consumers. The great Ob1ec-
zion has been that We are paying too
much for our coal. and / ann in.
clined to think that to be the case and
that the railroads are partly RESPONSE
BILE for the existing conditions,
would say lot the railroads mine and
the legislature regulate. or course
We would have TO allow fair margin
OF profit"
Then you would favor maximum
rate bill, or straight regulation" This
from Lawrence,
Senator Smith replied that he would
favor giving The state power TO regu-
late,
PRESIDENT LOVES POSITION.
President Love left the chair to
lolq In the discussion at this Juncture.
when his attention was called 10 the
faet that the bill was merely codih.
callon or existing laws, he interjected.
Yes, but you viii remember that II
took two hours TO pass that law In
1901. It was passed with little con-
stderatlon.
LAwRENCE's ONSLAUGHT.
Lawrence then made his principal