The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-05-04
CLAY AMENDMENT
WAS ACCEPTED BY ALL
Hepburn Was Mad But Anger
No Longer Passes Bills
in Congress
(By Associated Press.J

NdSnlnHt0n, II. a., May line 3
disnantlng Of the administration
bin proceeded in both house Of con |
gress YESTERDAY
Section seyent the trallic agree
meAt provision was eliminated bJ
both senate and house: the senate
struck out also section L., which
would have pc mitted any railroad
owning - per cent Of another road t1
absorb il altogether
The section prohibiting railroad
from charging a higher rate for a
short than for a long haul was adopt
cd by the house in the form reported
BIZ the committee on Interstate com
meree, but with an additional prOyi-
sion for an investigation and repoiL
to congress by the interstate com
mcrce commission Of the facts rela
tive To the long and short haul ques
ton.
There is no section correspondents
in this bill, as il is pending in the en-
ate. but an amendment offered VI
senator Hepburn yesterday to modify
the existing law to similar erect pre-
clpitated an extended debate which
was stlll in progress when the senate
adjourned,
Changes We're Many.
Strictly speaking. each house yes
terday was boring holes in a separate
hill-the senate in the senate bill in-
troduced BY Senator Elkins the
house in the bill introduced by Repre-
sentative Townsend but the bills at
the outset were Identical.
Never since it was reported to the
senate, some nine weeks ago, has the
bill moved along with such celebrity
as yesterday The entire program
outlined at the conference OF Repub-
lican leaders was carried out and eX-
tended In rapid succession the Cum
Minis and the Crawford-FiNins amend
ments to the traffic agreement proyi-
sions were withdrawn and the entire
traffic and merger provisions stricken
out
Immediately after the bin was TAX
en up 10 the senate. Mr. Elkins. in
charge Of the bill, proposed to lay on
the table the Cummins amendment,
requiring the approval Of all agree
ments by the interstate commerce
commission in advance Of their tax
Ing effect. But Mr.. Cummins YOlun-
tally withdrew his amendment He
said ne would re-olfer his amendment,
In connection with section TO be
taken up later He declared himself.
however, gratihed over the prospect
of the elimination OF the entire traffic
agreement section,
Clay Amendment Adopted.
The Democrats had agreed 10 vote
against the Cummlus provision IA
consideration Of the adoption of the
clay amendment, striking ont the en-
tire section.
Alte Mr Elkns had withdrawn the
CrawfordElkins substitute. the Clay
amendment striking 0ut the agree.
mcni provision, was accepted WITHOUT
division This action was followed
by the adoption of Senator Nelson's
motion, striking out section l2. Which
covered the questions Of mergers.
Mr. Hepburn prceipitated a debate
by presenting an amendment pr0hib
iting a greater charge for short imam
for long hauls He presented many
instances of alleged discrimination
His statements wero challenged by
Senator Alduch
Admitting that apparently there
We're some cases of injustice, Alr|
Aldrich said the trouble wa To find
remedy tie declared MI Iieyhurns
contentious caricd out would cpn
vert thu great central part Of the
country into barren waste
That Is the old siren song" re-
spoudel Mr. Hepburn, He would not
admit its applicability and declared
il the railroad terminal charges were
fair and rcmuneratiye there could be
no injustice in charging the same
prices Tor a short haul
Voting was begun on amendments
to the long and short haul section |
after two hours debate upon II in tue |
house
The house accepted an amendment
by Mr. Stevens OF Minnesota, provid |
ing 70 an investigation and report to
congress by the interstate commerce
commission OF facts relating to the
long and short haul by the railroads
The section relating 10 the long and
htWi UANA AlAilHt " NN tNfii 1EiAIW ~
in practically the form In which It
was reported. AS agreed to by the
house, the section permits railroads to
charge low rates for long haul IN
view Of water competition only after
such lower rates have been agreed to
by the Interstate commerce commits
sion.
The provisions authorizing traffic
between rail Dads then
was taken up and after rejection OF
se.t.al 1thgg amep1mcrts Nr. Md
den's (lllinois) amendment striking
out the entire traffic agreement. was
agreed to. 40 to 81. many regular
Republicans voting With the Demo
eFats. q number OF insurgents voting
against tie Madden proposition.