The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-03
SENATE AND HOUSE
CLASH OVER BILL
Thunder, Lightning and Me-
teoric Showers Expected at
R. r. Measure Conference
REPRESENTATIVE MANN
WILL ATTACK ALDRlCH
Latter Objects, to Evaluation of
PropertySeveral Features
Upon Which There is Dis
Agreement.

WASHINGTON, ID. C., June D.
There are diferenees enough between
the Senate and House railroad bills
to afford a fins ashting field for the
conference comSui1tes that will he
charged with the duty OF finding a
compromise. Every conflicting point
will have the backing of majority
in either the Senate or House and the
conferees who concede the elimina-
ton of a provision will be assured
tanning when they return and con-
fess to their colleagues.
Threats are plentiful enough as ag-
gressive statesmen declare that II the
sections they fought for are removed
from the bill the conference report
shall never be adopted. Such threats
are often made and rarely fulfilled.
but they generally presage season
of thunder and lightning.
When Senator Aidrich and RepTs-
sentative Mann clash in the confer
ence committee. the ensuing scene
will be calculated to thrill the on
lockers. who will be only the other
members of the committee. Both so
into their contests prepared for every
angle, and 1t promises to be a joyous
and halcyon occasion when they meet
10 make a bill satisfactory to the
Senate, the House and the President.
Barring some eleventh hour
amendments that will be- dropped by
the conference committee without
much dispute, each OF the champions
will be strongly devoted to the pro-
duct of his branch OF the Legislative
mill.
In the matter Of a commerce court
the Senate bill says that the five
judges shall be selected by the chief
justice of the Supreme Court Of the
United States, while the House insists
all justices OF ali courts shall have
a hand. - -
For Ev0iua tion.
In the House bill 1t In provided
that the interstate commerce COM
mission shall have authority to make
a valution OF the property of the rail-
roads. Two attempts have been made
in the Senate to adopt such a provi-
sion, and each has been beaten by
two votes. Another effort for it's
adoption was expected to be made
to-day just before the final vote on
the bill was taken in the Senate.
The House bill says that the In
l-terstate commerce commission shall
have authority TO regulate the Issue
of stocks and bonds by railroads.
Such provision appeared in the
Senate bin as it came from the In
terState commerce committee, but 4,
was afterwards eliminated by Aid
rich and Elkins. They said difficult
problems were involved and that the
subject should be considered in the
future in a separate bill. In an effort
to get stock and bond regulation back
into the measure, Senators Cummins,
Clapp and Stone offered amendments,
but they were beaten.
Striking Features.
There are many features In the
Senate bill, most OF which have been
| adopted within a few days, that do
not appear in the House measure
One OF the most important is the
Overman amendment. which provides
that the operation OF a State law
cannot as at present be suspended
by one United States district Judge.
An Injunction having that effect
| can be issued only by three Federal
Judges, one OF whom must be a jus
| tice OF the Supreme Court or a Cir
| cult Court judge.
| other provisions not In the House
| bill give the interstate commerce
| commission power TO prevent rail.
ways from manipulating rates 80 al
| to drive water competition out OF
existence: remove control OF the rates
OF trafffc. wholly by water. from the
commission and give shippers the
! rirht To determine which Of Compel
| ing lines shall carry their goods.
| Both the Senate and House have
voted to place telegraph and tele-
| phone companies under the jurisdic-
/ ton of the interstate commerce com
| mission, and have adopted sections
dealing with the practice OF railroads
! In charging higher rates for shorter
1 than for a longer haul