The Oakes times., 1910-06-30


These were not suhicient in number to
secure the ayes and noes. Had the
ayes and noes been ordered there 10
no doubt but the Bacon proposition
would have carried. but Senator Ba-
con, because his own party associates
had deserted the floor. was unable to
secure the support Of enough members
to force the roll call
From the rear Of Senator Bacon's
seat and out through the swinging
doors of the Democratic cloakroom
there came the confusion of voices
and ripple of laughter as some good
Democrat gave expression Of approval
to the story told by some other good
Democrat, and in that cloakroom and
in other places. instead Of upon the
floor, the minority party lost the op-
portunity to be represented upon the
tariff board which shall make such in.
quiry as can be made under the weak
law and. which shall affect the making
of future tariff schedules.
Victory for Prosressives.
Progressive Republicans won
decided victory in the conference
report upon the railroad rate bill.
They did not secure all that they
contended for. They did secure
more than they had any reasonable
hope could be wormed out of the con.
ference. The victory was the more
remarkable when .. is considered that
these Progressives had lined against
them not only the Aldrich influence
of the senate but the president of the
United States upon the principal mat
ters for which they were contending.
The reactionaries made much out
Of the fact that the fight of Repre-.
sentative Lenroot to accept the rate
bill as 1t came from the senate had
resulted in defeat for the Progress.
stves, but 1t is that fight and the show.
Ing which was made in the vote upon
this proposition which was the con.
trolling factor and which finally gained
for the public whatever has been
gained in the railroad rate bill.
The principal contention of the con.
ference was upon the long and short
haul clause of that provision of the
bill written by Senator Cummins which
gives the Interstate Commerce COM
mission ten months in which to re.
view proposed increases in rates. In
presenting the matter to congress,
Senators Cummins and La Toilette
clearly pointed out that there should
be no such limitation. that the Inter
state Commerce commission should
have all the time that 1t needed with.
out any fixed period being written into
the law. President Taft contended
that the period of ten months was too
long and that this time should be re.
duced. and he used all the influence
he could bring to bear upon the con.
ferees to get them to reduce the time
to six months. This was provi.
sion distinctly to the advantage OF
the railroads and In the interest Of
those who desire to raise rates and
against the interest Of the consuming
public.
Strange Features Of Conference.
The conference presented the spec.
| tacle Of Senators Aldrich and Elkins,
who were delegated by the senate to
fight for the enactment of the senate
bill. retreating from the provisions OF
the measure of their own house from
the moment that they went into the
conference. They never stood and
made an honest fight to enact into the
law the good provisions which the
Progressives of the senate had forced
into the bill. Allied with Mr.. AL
drich was the president.
When all other matters of contro.
versy had been settled and there re.
mained but this one question. the
great question in controversy to be
determined, Mr.. Mann gave signs OF
weakening and called upon some of
the Progressives in the house to know
just what attitude they would take in
the event that he reported in the bill
with the six months time which the
president wanted inserted. He told
them that the president was very in.
sistent upon this point and that he
would be guided largely by the ad.
vice which he received from them
They told him that they would never
accept bill which did not provide
for at least ten months time within
which the Interstate Commerce com
mission could review proposed raises
in rates. They pointed to the fact
that the senate bill as whole was q
better bill in the public interest than
the House bill with the physical valua
tion and its stock and bond features
eliminated.
The ultimatum of the Progressives
was carried by Representative Mann
to the White House. 1t grieved the
president and Senator Aldrich, but
they recognized that they were W
against stone wall and, although II
might offend the railroads, they con
scented to accept 1t.
JOHN J. kiANNAN.
|
NJ. & ST. L. PASSES DIVIDEND.