Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-05-11
SENATE To ACT
NEXT ON THE
RAILROAD BILL

Washington, May IL. = Senate dis
cussion Of the administration railroad
bid was resumed today with renewed
interest. the result OF the action Of the
house in passing the amended meas
ure. Leaders of the regulars think
the senate will soon act favorably upon
the bill.
Leaders In the senate discussion are
Senators Aldrich, Lodge. smoot, Bailey,
Dixon and Piles.
1t was by a vote of 200 to 1875 that
the house passed the railroad bill.
An attempt to recommit the measure
was beaten by vote of 157 to 1T6.
By vote of 100 to 100 the house
defeated the amendment offered by
Mr.. Mann Qlllnoisl, authorizing the
acquisition by railroad companies of
the stock of noncompeting transporta-
ton lines
Republicans who Joined with the
Democrats in killing this amendment
were Draper, Gardner. Greene. Rob
erts, Washburn and Weeks, Massachu-
setts; Higgins and Tilson, Connecticut;
Sheffield. Rhode Island; Wiley, New
Jersey; Woods. Iowa; Marren, Illinois;
Lenroot, LiHhergh and Nelson, Wis
consin, and Pointdexter, Washington.
1t was this combination of Demo-
Gratis, insurgents and regulars from
New England which prevented the
restoration to the bill of the section
legalizing railway mergers. The sec
tion voted on was a modification of
that originally reported. 1t prohibited
the merger of competing lines, but per-
mitted a railroad to acquire stock in a
noncompeting railroad.
For the first time this session the
Republicans presented a united front
to the minority when the final vote
was taken on the bill The insurgents,
with the assistance of the Democrats,
having amended the bill in material
respects, moved gracefully into line
with the regulars, thus presenting
picture of Republican solidarity In the
house that has not been witnessed in
that body for many months. Speaker
Cannon beamed ON the house as the
vote proceeded.
"Just as l told you" said veteran
Democrat "We've seen knockdown
and dragout among the Republicans on
this bill, but when it came to the
scratch they all stood by the admin
istration."
Having succeeded In bringing the
Republicans of the house together on
the railroad bill, President Taft is now
trying his hand as compromfser In
connection with the measure providing
for the establishment of system OF
postal savings banks. The subject was
discussed at a White House confer
ence. Representative Weeks of Massa-
chusetts, chairman of the committee
on postoff1ees and post roads, and Rep
resentatives Gardner of New Jersey
and Fassett Of New York, members OF
the committee, went over the postal
savings bank bill with the result that
an agreement Is expected on it at an
early date There is a number Of pro-
visions in the bill that have been in
controversy before the committee for
some weeks. Conservative members
of the committee have insisted that the
funds OF the postal banks should be in
vested In government securities, as pro-
| posed by President Taft. The indica-
tions now are that the bill as reported
will provide that postal deposits to the
extent Of 90 per cent will remain In
the communities in which they origi-
mated and the other so per cent In
! vested in a new issue of bonds bearing
the face value of $24 and multiples
thereof, from the proceeds Of which
the government shall take up 8 per
cents now outstanding. The compro-
mise will further provide that deposits
of postal funds shall be secured by
government bonds and other securities
against which the taxing power shall
| lie