Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-16
HOUSE ADOPTS
ESCfi MEASURE
BILL REQUIRES A REPORT OF
RAILWAY ACCIDENTS
CONGRESS HAS STRENUOUS ALL.
DAY SEt Jon
Commerce Commission Is Empowered
to Compel Uniform Equipment
of cars-Canal Law Also
Considered
IAssoclated Pressl

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.-Sittlng un-
til after nightfall, the house buckled
down to business today, passed the
Esch bill, requiring railroads to make
full monthly reports to the interstate
commerce commission of all accidents
and a measure giving the commission
power to compel railroads to provide
uniform equipment for their cars and
then took up for consideration the
Mann Panama canal bill, on which
general debate was concluded.
Much opposition developed to section
of the Esch bill, prohibiting the ad-
mission, evidence or the use in action
for damages of reports furnished by
railroads or reports by the interstate
commerce commission of Investigations
as provided in the measure.
Chairman Mann urged that the sec
tion be allowed to remain in the bill
to encourage railroad companies to
give the commission the benefit of full
information on accidents.
Several amendments calculated to
modify the section were defeated. The
bill becomes effective as soon as it is
signed by the president.
Considers Canal Bill
When the Panama canal bill was re-
ported by the committee on interstate
and foreign commerce the house flmme-
diately resolved itself into q committee
of the whole for it's consideration. Rep
resentatiVe Mann of Illinois, author of
the bill, explained its provisions, after
which general debate began.
The abolition of the isthmian canal
commission and the Capitalization Of
authority for the construction of the
canal and the government of the canal
zone under the president in director
general, were bitterly opposed. 1t was
contended that congress had no power
to delegate legislative or judicial au-
thority to the president
The section of the bill relating to the
judicial power on the zone which, as
amended by the committee, confers
that power in a circuit court and such
inferior courts as the president may
constitute. also was objected to. Rep
resentative Sterling of Illinois endeav-
ored to show that there was work
enough for the three circuit court
judges now on the zone.
The house agreed to take up the bill
again after the holidays.
Assistant Secretary Winthrop of the
navy would have the militia increased
from $500 to 10000 and would have it
placed on the same footing with refer
ence to the navy that the land militia
occupies toward the army. The secre-
tary was before the house committee
on naval affairs today and advocated
an increase of $25,000 over the estimate
of 100000 made by the department.
White Slave Traffic
The effort of congress to suppress
the white slave" traffic has caused a
naturalization of the ancient specter
of "state's rights" and the house COM
mittee on interstate and foreign com
merce, before which the Mann bill Is
pending, is at loggerheads over the
question.
Representative Richardson of Ala
bama took the position that the bill
constitutes an effort by the federal
government to regulate the morals of
the state.
The house committee on immigration
also is meeting q few obstacles in its
consideration Of the white slave ques-
ton.
When the committee took up the
Bennett bill today it was found the
measure clashed in many ways with
the Mann bill now before the COM
mittee on interstate and foreign COM
merce, and an effort to reach an agree
ment between the two committees on
the subject was undertaken.
The immigration committee named a
subcommittee of three members
Hayes of California, Garner of Magsa-
chusetts and Burnett of Alabama-to
confer informally with Mr.. Mann's
committee and endeavor to influence
the withdrawal of the Mann measure,
with the understanding that the immi-
grafton committee would i'm return re-
port the Bennett bill in the house.
The immigration committee will hear
the report of the subcommittee tomorA-
row.
For the construction and mainte-
nance of military and post roads
bridges and trails in Alaska, the war
department today. submitted to the
house a deficiency estimate of sl50,0O0
for the current years needs. Secretary
Dickinson said that there have been
unusually heavy rains in Alaska this
season, causing much damage. Fifty
thousand dollars of the additional
amount is needed for the construction
of road to the new mining district
of IditarOd