The Cairo bulletin., 1910-06-01
CuMMlNS DECLARES HE coNslD
ERs 1T NOW DESIRABLE
LEGISLATION.
RIVER AND HARB0R BILL
Reported From Conference and An
proved in House-~Carrics APP
preparation $5t.974,7ts--
cummisls Going Home.

washington, May 3l.--On the evet
Of leaving for home In Iowa, for the
purpo Of participating in the cam
~ ign in that state, Senator Cum /
Minis today informed the senate
that as amended the railroad bill
would receive his Vote, as it would
also the votes of the progressive
Republican senators who haye stood
with him in opposition to the bill as
1t was prepared by the attorney
general and introduced lly Elkin |
in behalf Of the administration.
The statement was made In al
brief speech dtlivered by himself in
support Of the amendment placing
upon the railroads the burden of
proof In hearings of rate increases.
This amendment was accepted by Et !
kins and became part Of the bin by
general consent, thus constituting
the only amendment prat ented by
the Iowa senator which has been
accepted by the senate,
Considers it Good.
Cummns said that while the bill
left much to be desired he consid-
cred it step forward, He enumer.l
ated the various provisions OF the
measure, and said that with the ex.l
ception OF the court Of commerce
sections he considered 1t in every
way desirable legislation. He felic-
itated himself and MS associates as
pecially upon the expurgation Of the
sections dealing with traffic agree
ncnts and mergers The first of
these he characterized as a reproaeh'
and tho econd as curiosity He
a0aed with the following statement
we hate been as free to commend
What we thought to be right as We
have been to denounce what we be
ieEcd to be wrong"
Aside from the adoption of the
Cummins provision the action Of the
day consisted in the rejection, by
a vite OF 90 to Al, Of Browns
amendment prohibiting the consoli-
dation Of competitive railroads
The principal discusson Of the day
was over Brown amendment and
I.afollette's amendment requiring
the interstate commerce commission
| 10 make a physical valuation Of rail
roads. Previous to the vote on
the Brown provision, speeches were
made in opposition by IEailey, Hey
burn. Nelson, Hughes. Clay, Lafol-
ette formally presented the physical
valuation amendment which he
supported in a lengthy speech
Valuation is Necessary.
lie said that such valuation was
necessary as a basis for fixing rates.
The amendment, lie said, met the ap.
proval of the interstate commerce
| commission, and he predicted that II
defeated it would not be long until
| the railroads would be petitioning
for its enactment.
| The amendment was supported by
| Bailey and Borah and opposed by
| Elliins. Elkins said 1t would cost
| IS, 600, 900 to make such valuation as
| was required, and that by the time
it was finished 'another would be
necessary. No vote wa taken to-
| day.
| Lafollette offered d resolution dl-
| recting the attorney general %
bring suit to enjon the recent rate
increases, but he had scarcely pre-
| sented the measure fwhen Senator
Curtis appeared with the announce
ment that the attorney general had
acted already in that direction.
Early In the day Owen delivered
speech In support Of his resolu-
tion for the election Of senators by
a direct vote
In The House.
In the house nearly the entire ses-
sion was consumed by discussion
of measures relating to appropria-
tions to make effective the recent
legislation creating the bureau OIL
mines. Up to adjournment s4SS.0Oo
had been appropriated for Thu pur'I
pose.
The report Of the conferees on the
river and harhor bill was presented
To congress today and approved AS
finally agreed it carried approprla-
tions aggregating s5i9t7TlS, a net
reduction Of s7p5.50o from tine
amount OF the bill as II passed tas
senate.