New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-04
insurgents Wreck Railroad Bill
and Menace Other
Measures.
BOTH HOUSES USE AXE
Traffic Agreement and Merger
Sections Stricken Out and
Long and Short Haul
Clause Adopted.
rFron The Trfbune R1rsau. :

terState commerce act providing Tor the
admission to statehood of Arizona and
New Mexico. authorizing the establish
ment of postal savings banks and giving
the President authority to withdraw
from entry public lands which may be
regarded as essential to the development
of broad and systematic conservation
policy.
For the first time since the rise of the
insurgent movement the Republicans in
Congress who are seeking in good faith
to carry to the statute books the reforms
recommended by the President find
themselves facing situation which por-
tends the defeat of their well laid plans
They have not perhaps given up all hope
of their ability TO work out a solution or
the perplexing problem. and tonight
some of them express confidence that in
the next few days the atmosphere will
clear. This hope is predicated on the be-
lief that calm reflection on the events or
the last few days will bring certain OF
the insurgents to their senses, that there
will follow SOLDERING sense OF party re-
sponsibflity and that sufficient votes VIII
be available In both branches of Con-
gress to enact an interstate commerce.
bill which will be a forward step in gov
ernmentaI control of interstate carriers.
although not so weeping in it's proU-
sions as is desired by the President
1t is settled that if a railroad bill IS
passed it will not contain any provision
authorizing interstate carriers TO enter
into traffic agreements, despite the plat
form pledge and President RoOSeVellS
advocacy of this reform
Traffic Agreements and Mergers 60
In both the Senate and the House to-
day motions were adopted eliminating
from the respective bills the sections re-
Iatfng to traffic agreements In the SEN
ate the motion to strike out Secuoh
was made by Senator Clay, following ths
withdrawal of the Cummins and Craw-
ford amendments There was little dis
cussion of this question, and Foiica''
vas not demanded
senator Nelson then moved the ei'hlI-
nation of Section Il. authorizing raft
road mergers. and his motion was ADOPT
ed without debate
In the House the section relating 10
traffic agreements was stricken from 'ne
hill on motion of Representative Mao
don bv a vote of 10 to 81 with the
excantion of Representatives Gardner
and HAYES. the insurgents voted against
the section. while most OF the resulai''
under the lead of Representatives Mann
and Townsend. voted to retain H.
Iono and Short Haul Clause IN
Bv the overwhelming vote Of 172 to
As the House retained the long ana SHUT
haul clause Representative WashouI"'
of Massachusetts. moved to strike 'hS
clause from the bill. He made vigor-
ous sneecb in opposition TO it, and de-
o,ared that ii constituted discrlmina-
ton against every large city in the coun-
try The long and short haul provision
7-os defended by Representative Manu.
vbo said there was no justification TOT d
svster, which allowed San Francisco tp
receive it's freight from New YORK AT
half the cost that Salt Lake CITY 10
forced to pay.
,rbere is no doubt that when tns
House reaches the section relating 10
mergers that provision also VIII %
stricken from the bill.
With the sections relating to trallic
aereements and mergers eliminated from
bo+b hills the principal bone OF conten-
tion between the Senate and House may
arise over the long and short haul pro-
vision This is the pending Senats
amendment. and it was discussed al
length to-day. Senators Hepburn anu
Smoot being it's principal advocates "l'ii
Senator AIdrich frequently interruptlnS
10 point out the danger to the seiisraA
h,,siness of the country which would fol-
lou, the adoption of an amendment re-
curing complete reform of existing
,r,eFc rates An Informal poll shows
that there are nineteen Republican sen
Fators. including the regulars from th9
ir+ar-rnountain states. in favor OF long
and short haul clause The Republican
leaders hone that enough Democratic
Senators from Coast states will join them
90 defeat the clause. II is admitted that
the vote will be close, and Vt is pos
eihIe that a compromise which will give
to.,be Interstate Commerce Commission
discretion TO permit a smaller charge
for a long than for a short haul IN cases
where there is de facto water competl-
t,or NAV be adopted The decision OF
the House for an out-and-out long and
short haul clause indicates clearly that
NJ the Senate rejects an amendment OF
this character the cOnferrees Will ma
II almost impossible 10 reach an agree
nent on this important question
Good Feeling Not Promoted
The developments to-day have not
promoted good feeling in the Senate
The Democrats, OF course. are elated. 1or
they believe that the gap in the Repuo-
ucan ranks is growing wider and that
the present session will adjourn with q
record which will prove constant
source OF chagrin TO the dominant party
in the approaching campaign. Ultra-in-
surgents. like Beveridse and La Toilette
called bv some of the friends OF the ad-
ministration black flag" insurgents. en-
tov with the Democrats the exultation
thew find In the present chaotic eondi-
tiou. They profess To see the end or the
present leadership in both branches OF
Congress, and care not whit II TINS emu
IL achieved by the complete overthrow Oh
their party. the defeat Of piatrH>~