The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-05-11
In Amended Form. Administra-
ton Measure Is Supported
by All Insurgents.
FOURTEEN DEMOCRATS
ALSO SWING INTO LINE
Mann's Amendment Defeated
by Close Vote Before Meas
ure Is Adopted.


single dissenting Republican vote. the
house today passed the railroad bill, one
OF the chief measures President Taft
wished enacted al the present session OF
congress. by 200 10 l26. Fourteen Demo-
Gratis joined the majority. President
Taft tonight said lie was deeply CraiIficd
over the passage of the measure He
was especially pleased with the com
Portable margin by which the commerce
court feature was kept in the bill, for
he regards this court as probably the
most important step in the proposed
law.
Referring 10 the clause providing for
the physical valuation OF railroads, Mr.
Iatt pointed out that power now prac-
tically rests with the interstate com
merce commission. and that the diff
Guilty In carrying out such plan always
has been found In the enormous cost OF
the undertaking.
When all the amendments adopIed nv
the house while in committee OF the
whole had been agreed 10, Mr.. Adamson
of Georgia, senior Democratic member of
the minority on the committee reporting
the bill. moved to rccommit 1t with In
structions that IL be reported back with
the commerce court clause stricken out.
This motion was defeated, 157 TO IFS.
Purport of the Bill.
The bill makes many changes in the
existing law that, if accepted by the
senate will greatly affect interstate com
mercc. The court of. commerce is ere
ated TO adjudicate cases In appeal from
the interstate commerce commission. II
is provided this court shall be organized
by the Justices of the supreme court.
future appointment TO membership on
the court to be made by them.
Stock and bond issues Of railroads
controlled by the bill Under this clause,
railroad before issuing any additional
stock must. obtain an order from the
commission which must, among other
things. fix the price at which the Sc
curities OF the road may be sold. a
similar provision is carried in respect TO
railroads organized through the courts.
4 provision is made that upon the re-
organization Of "A railroad through court
proceedings. stocks and bonds cannot be
issued for more than a fair value OF the
property.
The long and short haul clause Of the
measure provides a railroad cannot. with
out first gaining permission. charge more
for short than for a long haul over the
same line
The interstate commerce commission
also is given authority whenever a new
rate is proposed 10 suspend the taking
effect OF that rate during consideration
OF its reasona blcness.
AS amended the bill proposes TO bring
the telephone and telegraph companies
under the control of the interstate COM
valuation of railroad property 10 aid the
commission in the consideration OF rail-
road rates and gives 10 the commission
authority over classifcations, regulations
and practices OF railroads.
Rights of Shippers.
Under its terms a railroad company
must quote n freight rate accurately
upon demand OF shipper and the snip
per is given the right TO route his freight
whenever it passes over more than one
railroad. The commission iiseii Is au-
thoriZed to establish through routes
whereas under the present law 1t can
not make a now through route IL such a
route is already established.
Severe penalties are provided against
shippers. who through false claims for
damages, or loss OF property, obtain secret
rebates. ,
Spreading of the bill las II passed the
house today, Mr.. Mann, chairman ol inc
committee on interstate ana Ioreien com
Under the existing conditions. through
the observance Of the existing long
and short haul clause very large pro
portion OF the freight of the country Is
carried by the long distance around IN
stead of being carried by the most ui.
rect route whereas If the railroads are
compelled To cease doing that cach Woulu
carry the same amount OF freight by INC
most direct route and be able TO save
expense and reduce railroad rates
Champ Clark. leader OF the Democratic
y.
In opDosinG the bill on final vote sane;
The Democrats who voted against LnI
bill did so because they consioefcd tn1I
there were more bad features in The Dili
than there were good ones Wnch II
was first brought into the house, 1t was
railroad bill pure and simple ~ was
drawn in their interests. NOT rahroan
lobbyist appeared in opposition To TINS
hin which saws more cloquenlly than many
volumes could do. that the railroads were
In favor OF this legislation Every
amendment adopted in the mousse hSIPcr
thc bin but there were not enough oil
them. ,,.
Had the court OF commerce feature
and some parts OF sections il, IL ana ID
been stricken out I would have voted tor
the bill"
Praises by Mann.
.,1, is lhc hest bin ever passed by the
house." said Mr., Mann Oh h'h'is' ''
Ti,@ rneular Republicans and insurgents
voted soldly In the, aihrmallEG, iVa, ,nr ibc
Democrats Joining them in volimG lot li,c
massage of the bill. These DcmoTIdtS
wcrc: Bartlett OF Nevada. Garner SlNes Me,,,
pie and Hardy Of Texas. liaNGus OF 49,
YORK Hughes OF New Jersey. Jameson oI
Iowa I<it"hIn OF North Carolina. NICHOLS
of Pennsylvania. Page and Pou ot Norln
Carolina. Russell and Smith OF IeNas anu
Saunders of Virginia. oo t,o
measure had been ordered Mr. Mann or
fcred an amendment Tor inc rcl,IS'a, ,,o ~ ~,
of section - authorizing tH' P"i -,
.a tirnoar Of Tho stock OF non competing
,ransportsfion companies. Mr.. Mann eH-
pIained that as presented by rraaA h.m 'ho ,o
, il' ~, -, ,n,Ittec of the whole before
being stricken out. IFS amendment was
defeated. I69 to 1sO :, ,,o, hos
This Mann amendment Us Wlla' ne
come 10 be known as inc H'e'e'' 'N
ton" , d;vIdcd
The vote OF the Insurgents was dlNluea
Some Democrats voted for IT. some i'e
publicans against IT,
Not Recommitted,
Rv n viva voce vote the louss ,r,t a,i
,prccd TO the bill amended III con
n1ittan OF thc whole and Mr.. Adamsoh o'