The Washington times., 1908-04-05
CONFEREES SPLIT
ON TRANSFER RULE
IN TRACKAGE BILL
Disagreement Will Be
Reported and House
Must Take Initiative.

After a session of an hour and a
hail. in the office of the Senate Dis
trict Committee yesterday afternoon, the
House and Senate conferees on the
trackage bill agreed 10 disagree. On
this the conferees were unanimous. This
IS the first essential point on which
the conferees have been able 10 concur
absolutely.
As a result, the conferees will report
back TO the House and Senate Mon
day that they have disagreed Ii will
then be up to the House 10 decide what
10 do about the matter Inasmuch as
the Senate passed the bill for the extern
sion Of the street railway tracks 10
Union Station and the amendments 10
the measure were added by the House,
and these amendments are the subjects
OF difference between the -cOnferees, It /
viii rest with the House TO decide what
IS to be done. it is a certainty that the
Senate viii adhere TO its bill. and If
there is any modification Of the bill as
It passed the House, the initiative for
modification viii come from the House
end Of the Capitol.
May Hasten Agreement.
The disagreement of the conferees !
does not necessarily mean that Con-
gress will adjourn without taking steps
for the extension of the street railway !
tracks to Union Station. While on the !
face Of things q means delay, on the
other hand the very fact n disagreement
IS reported may hasten an agreement /
when the bill again goes to conference, |
as Il is expected 1t Will. The House
can insist on its amendments or it can
rccede from them IN whole or in part
Should It insist on them and the bill go
back to conference under those condi- !
lions. there will be no possibility of an ,
agreement, and it will mean that the !
public will walk 10 Union Station for |
another year.
Senator GalHnger, chairman of the
District Committee and head Of the con-
ference committee named by the Senate.
said last evening that he assumed Con-
gress would pass a bill for the extension
of the tracks before the end OF the ses-
sion He hardly thinks il likely that /
the trackage situation will be left as it
is indefinitely without action by Con-
Gress.
Split Over Transfers.
Senator Gallinger would not discuss
the details of the conference. The two
points Of difference that proved insur-
rnountable were the universal transfer
amendment aud the amendment which
gives the Commissioners power to make
all needful rules and regulations for the
government Of the railroads This
amendment imposes n heavy penalty for
violation Of any of its provisions or for
violation Of any order or regulation OF
the Commissioners. The penalty is a
fine not to exceed 5000.
AS a substitute for these two amend
meuts. a proposition was submitted 20 |
the conference yesterday to place the
street railways Of the District under
the control of the Interstate Commerce
Commission. While there was consid-
cradle support for this plan. it was
impossible TO secure its adoption. Rep
resentative Sims insisted on the univer-
sal transfer proposition and would not
yield upon IT,
Quote Court Decisions.
One Of the arguments that was urged
in conference. and is being urged else
where against the amendments Of the
House, is that both are unconstitution-
al. As to universal transfers, the street
railway officials declare emphatically
that there are plenty of Supreme Court
that show the amendment on
this subject to be unlawful.
It is asserted the recent decision OF
the Supreme Court in the Minnesota
rate case Is I'm point both as to the
universal transfer amendment and as
to the amendment that gives the Com
missiOners control over the street rail-
roads because excessive penalties
are imposed for violation Of these pro-
visions.