Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-24
RAILWAY BILL LOST
Thrown Out of House by Sims
Substitute.
WATER FRONT NOT YIELDED
Government to Build Siding to the
Navy Yard.
VOTE STANDS ESQ 10 NOTHING
Fitzgerald Of New York Says origi-
nal Measure Was All in
Favor Of Railroad.

By a vote of $50 to nothing the House
viding for the construction by the gov
ernment of a siding from the main line
of the p. B. and W. railroad to the
Washington navy yard. This unani-
nous action is held to be extremely
significant. showing that Congress-. or,
at least. the House of Representatives,
declines to yield control of the Ana
costa water front to a railway corpora
tion and views with suspicion the bill
brought upon the floor by the House
District committee, for which the Sims
measure was substituted.
This morning Mr. Sims and his COL
league from New York. Mr.. Fitzgerald.
who warmly supported the Sims sub
stitute, have been simply deluscd with
letters. telegfams and special messages
Of congratulation from residents of the
southeast and southwest sections Of the
city, and even from out Of town, COM
plimenting them on their work IN put
ting the District committees bill out
of business and having the Sims bill
passed instead.
House Welcomes Substitute
Chairman Smith Of the House District
committee called up the committee meas
ure late yesterday afternoon. This bill
simply extends for two years the track
connection with the navy yard. After
Mr.. Smith had explained the measure
and the committee report had been read
Mr.. Sims secured the floor and first tried
to have his bill considered as an amend
ment- 1t was necessary to secure unani-
NOUS consent for this. and Mr.. Sims had
not the faintest idea. apparently, that
unanimous consent would be granted.
member of the committee. he attempted,
and successfully. too. to have his bill con-
sidered as a substitute for the Smith bill.
BY this means the committee bill was
taken or the door and thrown out of
Congress. leaving the House to pass the
Sims bill or none at all. Recess was
taken before the vote. and that IL how
the yeas and nays happened to be called
showed very plainly the temper OF the
House on the proposition. Mr.. Fitxger-
aid made the uneQuivocal statement on
the floor Of the House during considefa-
ton yesterday that the bill had been
drawn directly in the interest of the rail-
road. He denounced the proposition as
an outrage.
This bilI," he said. ..is designedly in
the interest of railroad companies. They
are required under the present law to re-
a 81. 500. 900. contribution toward the grade
crossing expense. This bill does not re-
quire them to remove their tracks. II
compels them to continue their tracks.
and there is no provision that they shall
ever remove their tracks. 1t Is designed.
say. in favor Of the railroad companies
although the pretense Is that 1t is in the
interest Of men employed in the navy
yard.
Fitzgerald's Philippe.
"It illustrates the hypocrisy under which
this legislation is brought In and the tn
famous character Of the rules under which
we are now operating. It shows that this
House, as at present controlled. Is not
attempting to legislate In the interests OF
all the people, but that the managers OF
the House are continually legislattng Oh
permitting legislation to be brought In
here for the benefit OF special interests
for the benefit OF the railroads. for the
benefit Of the paper trust, for the benefit
of every other trust. but not for the bene-
tit of the people"
The. Sims bill provides for the construc
tion by the government, at a cost not &c
exceed $4,000 and within fifteen months
OF a siding on government right Of way
without. grade crossings. from the present
main. line Of the Philadelphia. Baltimore
AMI Washington railroad to the navy yard
The bill was said by members OF the House
this morning to be superior in every way
to the bill reported from the House Dis
trict committee. to pass which an un.
successful effort was made yesterday
Nj. Sims was warmly congratulated or
all sides today for his excellent work in
az one member Of the House put 1t, 'out.
generating the House District committee