Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-28
Will Take Place of Section Twelve,
Cause of Debate.
MEMBERS THROWN IN CONFUSION
Delay in Final Passage Of Measure
Certain to Result.
BILL BETTER THAN PRESENT LAW
Roads, as Measure Now stands, Cnn-
not Rnise Rates without Per-
mission of Interstate Conn
merce Commission.
(From a staff correspondent5

WASHINGTON, May 97.--Cspecial Tele.
railroad bill seemed imminent and when
the clouds had shown a rift of sunlight
and when everybody seemingly thought tho
long debate was at en- end Senator Brown
Of Nebraska presented an amendment to
take the place Of section y OF the bill, and
for an indefinite period. Mr.. Brown Of
fered his amendment almost at the close
of the days proceedings and which so
Jared the senate that 1t decided to adjourn
In order to look at it in cold type.
Senator Browns amendment is as follows:
THAT no railroad corporation which is u
common carrier subject to the law to
regulate commerce approved February T.
1887, as amended, shall hereafter acquire
directly or indirectly any interest Of what
soever kind in the capital stock or pur-
chase or lease railroad of any railroad
corporation owning or operating a line OF
railroad which is directly and substantially
competitive with such first named corpora
ton to which such acts to regulate com
merce applies. and any such corporation
which acquires any interest in the capital
stock or (which purchases or leases a rail
road contrary to this section or which
holds or retains any interest In the capital
stock or in a railroad here after acquired in
violation of this section shall be fined
5000 for each day or part of day during
which il holds or retains such interest un-
lawfully acquired"
| Senator Browns amendment which was
offered as clarifying proposition to the
other section of the BILL plunged the senate
| in confusion An adjournment was the only
| way out of the seeming difficulty. II came
like thunder clap from a clear sky,
wholly unexpected, yet, at the same time,
with the weight of President Taft behind it,
for as Senator Brown said to The Bee
correspondent, the amendment was sub
stantally in the terms Of the president and
that President Taft regarded the amend
ment as essential in order that the bill
might be perfect as possible in all its parts
rs. Measure step Forward.
The bill as 1t stands today IL nothing else
is added to It, is a tremendous step for
ward in the regulation Of the railroads and
not only railroads. but telegraphs and tee-
phones within the puIview Of the law, 1t
also provided for the ad5G. .4cnt Of the
long and short haul feature apd the wearl-
some debate Is more than co npcn3ated for
with this feature added to the bill.
Under the amendment OF the senate rail.
roads can not raise rl.cs without porms-
sion of the Interstate Commerce commits
sion, and that body has eleven months In
which to decide the case Under the exist
! ing laws railroads can notify the Interstatt e
Commerce commission they will raise rate,
l at a certain fixed time and rates viii bC
raised because the Interstate Commerct
: commission has not the power to prohibit
( such raises.
n All this is corrected under tho presen
e BILL and wit ha long and short haul clause
y prohibiting railroads to raise rates and will
y telegraphs and telephones placed under tn,
operation Of the law. the country viii walk
UP some morning and find the railroad rat
bill passed which will demonstrate tha
President Taft is working out his campaign
of remedial legislation in a most offcctlv
way.
Senator Cummins, when he came off tn
floor Late this afternoon was "all in owe
Senator Browns amendment and he cou
say nothing except to predict an lndefinit
period OF debate on the amendment
More conservative members of the senate
however, believe that vote can be had o
: tn bill certainly by the middle of next week
. DOIliVcr Amendment Beaten.
The Dolliver amendment TO the railroaI
:, bill, to provide for federal regulation of Tn
> issuance Of railroad securities so as to prc
= vent overcapitalization was defeated 4
the senate today nineteen to forty seven.
y, AS soon as the railroad bill was take
= up today Senator Doliver formally pre
= sented his amendment designed TO TAX
the place Of the capitalization section
which were eliminated yesterday. His prc
vision related entirely to the question q
the issuance OF stocks and bonds and COY
cred ten printed pages.
The especial object OF the amendmer
was to place such restrictions on the (,
: suance of securities as would prever
, abuses.
This amendment embodied the views {
the insurgents and while they had no hor
II OF getting favorable action, they man
!. tested much interest I'm the proceedin,
They wanted to place people on record
II Senator Doliver took the floor TO e.
" plain his provision
al An amendment to the railroad bill In
II troduced by Senator La Toilette TO pl
telegraph, telephone and cable compani,
y except wireless, under the interstate con
IS merce act was adopted by the senate will
l. out a roll call