The San Francisco call., 1910-03-07
FIGHT TO CENTER
ON RAILWAY BILL
Progressive Republicans and
Democrats Say Measure
NuIIifies Hepburn Act
Steamship Companies Fear Pro-
vision Giving Commerce
Commission Authority
rSpeoial Di,eotch TO The Call

fSpcCIdi Disodtch 10 ne Ndu1
WASHINGTON. March 6.-The ad-
ministration railway bill will be the
next big measure to come before the
. senate. Il is not 10 be taken up for
10 days or two weeks, but will then oe
made the unfinished business ana
pressed for passage.
II is estimated that six weeks 10 TWO
months viii be required for debate. Inc
bin viii be bitterly opposed by the
progressive republicans and democrats
who declare that ii nullifies the Hep-
burn act. on account OF the irritation be
tween the president and the progresslVes
and between the TWO factions u fePub-
Iicans in the senate an open rupture Is
expected before d vote is reached.
one of the defects in the railway plIl
10 which attention viii be called on the
floor OF the senate is that if the bill is
PASSED as il stands now il Will permit
the Hartman merger. At least, TINS
is the view taken by some good law
yers about the senate. They hold that
the bill would compel the government
10 drop the Hartman merger suit for
. the reason that under the proposed law
such 4 merger would be legalized
Steamship companies along the At
lanttc are said TO be greatly alarmed
over me provision Which pAoiNCS ASeeSN
wise steamers under the supervision OF
the interstate commerce commission.
Some Of them go so far as TO say that
. the bill proposed Will practically an
:.nihiIate the coastwise and inland water
g. transportation companies"
The postal savings bank bill viii be
received by the house tomorrow and
: promptly sent to several weeks OBJ
T. Iivion in committee. The administra-
tion Dill viii have the center of the
: senate stage and the house will con-
tlnue its consideration Of appropriation
. bills
Members Of the house are beginning
10 analyze the amendments made TO
. the postal savings bank bill last sat
llrdav The one that is causing the
most comment is that which will pre-
:: vent postal funds from being invested
in per cent government bonds, while
making all higher interest bearing Sc
. curities available for such investment
o. iu time OF war or other eXigency.
SLAP AT PRESIDENT
In the light OF President Tafts New
York speech calling attention 10 the OBJ
legation Of the government to see. that
holders of per cent consols should
not suffer loss. and suggesting that the
government give the holders relief oy
using postal funds TO buy these low
class bonds. some members OF congress
see in the senate action direct slap
at the president
In only one other way is the adoption
of the amendment explained. and that
is by the fact that those who were in
charge Of the bill believed it could be
passed only by making concessions to
insUrgent senators. 1t was charged
on the democratic side that the adop-
tion Of the Borah amendment was not
in good faith and that it would be
dropped in the house and finally elm
mated in conference.
STATEHOOD BILL OPPOSED
All reports from the senate COM
nittee on territories indicate that the
statehood bill is in trouble, and that
Senator Beveridge will have difficulty
in getting it passed. The exact cause
for the delay is not apparent beyond
the dissatisfaction expressed with the
qualifications for voting in the pro-
posed new states. Senator Beveridgt
continues to insist that it will pass. He
expects soon to be absent from the city
for several days and the hearings viii
go over until his return.
Another effort is being made in the
house to have a small omnibus public
bill in order 10 give some assistance
TO certain districts whose congressmer
are in distress. The senate is opposed
10 LllN b4lAs ilOANNtAs pOlANS " lt4s
large rivers and harbors bill in sup
port OF its objections to another porl
barrel measure at this session. The
latter bill probably will not be brought
out of the committee on commerce be-
fore March Is or 20
The postofice appropriation bill Il
still before the house. All last week
was occupied by members in making
political speeches. Conside-a ton Of tn,
measure will Teoufre several laws y,aora
The naval bin is about ready to b'
reported, but the legislative, executiv,
and judicial bin will be the next II
order in the house.