The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-04-29
SENATE WILL VOTE ON AMEND.
MENT TO RAILROAD BILL RE-
GARDiNG AGREEMENTS.
REACH UNDERSTANDING
cummns' Substitute TO Be Taken Up
for Consideration First, and lndica
tons Are II viii Be Defeated
EIkins Crawford Provision Will Re.
ceive Attention Then--Bristow Talks.

Washington, April 2s.-Whcn the
senate adjourned tonight there was n
reached tomorrow on the traffic agree
ment provision of the railroad bill.
The first vote win be on the Cummins
substitute, requiring approval Of the
rates obtained In agreements In ad-
vance Of their effect. with this pro
vision defeated, as probably II viii be.
the ballot then Will recur on the FL
kins- Crawford amendment. which has
been accepted as the committee pro-
vision. The supporters of the admin
istratIon are claiming a majority of
seven or eight votes In favor Of this
section.
Senator Bristow of Kansas today re
sumed his discussion OF transconti-
mental and interior rates. saying the
railroads Disseminated against in
terror points xnd in favor of coast ter
minals. Mr.. Elkins said one cause of
] low transcontnental rates was the
competition Of the Canadian roads.
That's "A reflection on the Amer
lean roads" promptly responded the
Kansas senator, who asserted there
should be no good reason why the Cor
eign roads could operate more cheaply
than the American roads. When Mr..
Elkns called attention to the connec-
tion of the Canadian government with
the Canadian roads. MIR Bristow de
clared the American government had
built the Union Pacific and had pre-
scented IL to its owners,
Mr. Smoot came to the assistance of
| Mr.. Brstow in contending for the
adoption Of the long and short haul
amendment, whereupon Mr. Elkins
charged the effect would be to raise,
rather than To decrease local and nom
competitive rates The Utah and Kan
sas senator's said their states were
willing to take their chances on that
Opposes Court.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Bristow's
| speech. Senator Clay took the floor,
He spoke in special opposition to the
court feature of the bill and the pro-
visions authorizing traffic agreements
between railroads and permitting COM
binations. Contending the Crawford
Elkins traffic agreement provision
would nullify the anti trust law In its
application to railroads, Mr. Clay re-
ferred to the prosecution of President
Gompers and other officials of the
American Federation of Labor and
asked
III the labor organizations are bound
by the nt-trust law, should the rail
road magnates be exempt"
Senator Borah amplified his previ-
Gus argument to show the Crawford
Elllins provision violated the anti
trust law lie was followed byF Mr.
Crawford who eontended his section
would only exempt such agreements
as are approved by the interstate COM
merce commission.
Messrs Aldrich and Bailey engaged
in prolonged controversy during
(which the Rhode Island senator asked
the Texan whether an agreement be-
tween two roads at The present time
would not be lawful Mr. Bailey said
it would. provided the agreement Were
not in restraint of trade. MIR. Aldrlci
contended this concession covered the
whole case and urging there was little
difference among senators, said:
1.-The trouble Is. the senator from
Iowa (Mr Cummns) Is not willing Il
let any other person write the pro-
vision unless the writer uses his lam
guage."