The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-04
R. R. BILL PASSES
Goes Through the Senate With
But IL Dissenting Votes.
Every Republican Member Lined
Up for 1t.
COURT OF COMMERCE..
Members Are to Be Appointed
COURT OF COMMERCE.
Members Are to Be Appointed
by the President.
Commerce Commission Given
Power Over Wire Lines.

washington, June 4.-The senate
passed the administration railroad bill
at 9;55 o'clock last night. 1t had
been under consideration for more
than twelve weeks and practically no
cther business except appropriation
DIS were considered in that long per-
lou. Only twelve votes, all of those
by Democrats, were recorded against
the bill.
The practical unanimity with which
inc measure was passed was due to
the radical changes made in the meas
ure from the form in which 1t was
drafted by Attorney General Wicker
snam Following numerous conferences
at the White House on the subject of
amending Interstate commerce laws
All of the insurgents" who opposed
many features of the original bill vot-
ed for it. Through the elimination OF
pooling and merger sections and by
reason of the adoption of many
amendments in the interest of ship
pers the progressive Republicans
claimed to have won signal victory
and most of the Democrats expressed
themselves as favorable to a large
portion OF the measure.
Had it not been for the retention of
the sections to create q court of COM
merce it is likely the vote would have
been unanimous.
No Republicans voted against the
bill, and six Democrats voted for It.
They were Messrs. Chamberlain, Clay
Gore, Paynter, Simmons and Stone
The Democrats recorded against it
were Messrs. Bacon, Fletcher, Frazer
Hughes, Money, Newland, Percy. Pur-
cell, Brayner, Shively, Smith of Mary
land, and Smith of South Carolina.
just before the voting began LoFol-
lette, one of the insurgent leaders,
served notice upon the senate that un-
less the senate conferees made a de-
termined fight for retention of amend
mentS procured by progrcssives and
Democrats it could not hope to secure
approval of the conference report
The new law will take effect IN
sixty days from the date approved by
the president.
Features of the Bill.
The high spots in the railroad bill
as it passed the senate may be describ-
ed as follows:
TIE bill provides for a new court
of commerce." for the consideration
exclusively of appeals from orders of
TIE Interstate Commerce commission.
The court is TO consist of five judges
to sit in Washington. Their powers
are to be coordinate with the judges
CT the federal circuit court, TO receive
the same pay and are to be appointed
in the first instances ny the president
for terms, respectively, Of one, two,
three, four and five years. Each as
circuit judge. is to be sue :Geded by a
designation from the circuit bench.
these and other vacancies to be filled
by appointment by the chief justice of
the supreme court.
While the offices of the court are to
be in Washington and regular ses-
sions arc to be held here, provision
is made for sittings anywhere in The
| United States. The government, rath-
err than the Interstate Commerce COM
TT t. 10 6nfA olaf IN, oil
cases coming before the court, and
the commission is permitted to inter-
vene as are other interested parties.
The defense is placed under the di-
rection of the attorney general, but
the commission and interested parties
are permitted to have counsel and to
carry on the suit in case of failure of
the attorney general to do so. Appeal
may be taken to the supreme court.
The long and short haul provision of
! the present interstate commerce law
would be amended so as to permit a
greater charge for short haul than