The Washington times., 1910-05-07
Developments Revive Hope
for Passage of Taft
Measure.
HAUL QUESTION
ISSUE IN SENATE
TOO Much WickeTSham," Is Cry of
Many Members of Upper
House.
By JOHN sNURE.

That the tangle in Congress over the
railroad bill is likely 20 be unraveleo II
q short time is now regarded as prob
able by the leaders.
As the situation stands now, the
chances are decidedly in favor Of legIs-
latiOn- It is PROBABLE not only that a
BIZ viii be passed. but that il VIII be
a measure which viii be a long step
forward in Government regulation OF
railroads Up &C now. there has been
much talk Of legislation being sidetrack-
ed and Of the bill either dying IN con
ference or OF being left over until next
session But the conditions at present
are such as TO make il unlikely that
LEGISLATION can be prevented
Senator Aldrich VIII return TO Wash
ington ea1ly next week On his return,
he viii confer with leading insurgents
for the purpose Of reaching an agree
ment as to the provisions that are TO go
into the bill
Hope to Smooth Way.
It IS likely that as the result Of these
conferences the way will be TO a con-
siderable extent SmoOthed in the direC-
ZION OF legislation. though the jnsur-
gents will not go into any caucus which
VIII bind them TO do this or that All
they are willing to do is TO confer with
view 70 getting over some Of the most
difficult Situations with respect to rail-
road legislation
II is reasonably certain that whatever
measure Congress finally decides on
vii be accepted by the White House.
Until within the last LWelty-tOur
hours. there has been much pessimism
ABOUT whether any legislation would
ce put through Congress Not a little
OF this has been due to the fact that
some OF the strong men among the
i1T = p z in Sci or
their belief that they thought Con
gresS should pass the appropriation
bills and adjourn. and not pass rail-
road legislation at this time.
Feeling Is Strong.
But there IS a strong feeling at both
ends OF the Capitol that il viii not DO
70 adjourn without passing a bill.
The House members pretty geenraIIy
want something done, and do not want
to so home to their constituents and
have il thrown up 70 them by their
PEOPLE that after all the talk this ses-
sion, railroad legislation has been a
EZZle-
Most Of the Republicans in tia
House think Il would be bad political
" 70 fail to pass a bill. Many OF the
Senator's on the Republican side feei
the same way The President il is
declared has come TO the conclusion
that he viii stand for the bill, de
spite the striking out of sections Z
- u
From now on the fight over the bill,
so Tar as the Senate is concerned, wills
rage around the long and short haul
clause question the capitalization
control question: the question OF
whether the railroads should not be
permitted 10 make increases in rates
without the approval of the Interstate
Commerce Commission and the cues
ton Of whether the Department OF
Justice shall take over to itself the
RSndllnE OF the cases arising in the
courts from appeals from decisions Of
the Interstate Commerce Commission
Court of Commerce.
There will be a fsht also over the
establishment Of the proposed court
OF commerce As 10 the long and
short haul question, the regulars viii
probably be able to control in the
Senate and prevent any change from
the existing law
As to capitalization control, II IS not
believed that when he bill is finally put
through, II VIII contain sections I3 Il
ana 10 which are the capitalization sec
Mons Nor Is II likely to contain any
thing In their place, though this cannot
be said TO be a certainty The House
Committee on Interstate Commerce rrIt
into the bill provisions for capitalization
control which are by many considered
stronger than the provisions in the bill
prepared by Attorney General Wicker
sham They have strong support in the
House and viii be accepted by that
body. in fact. have been accepted In
committee Of the whole
Insurgents May Fight.
The Senate insurgents viii make a
fight against elimination Of the capital
fzauon control. idea They do not want
the provisions Of the Senate bill now.
but want something substituted for
them
So FAR, they have refused all tenders
CT compromise as 70 these sections, and
il may be the House viii baIk II con-
fTO1red with the elimination Of these
balk II confronted with the elimination
or these sections In conference So the
outcome Of the capitalization control
question is in doubt
Aside from the long and short haul
question. the biggest question 10 be set
tied by the Senate is whether the In
terstate Commerce Commission shall
defend its own orders in the courts, or
--hether the Department Of Justice shall
dc IT.
"To Much Wickersham!" the Cry.
Many Senators look on this question
as OF the utmost moment They say
that II the commission does not have
The handling OF these cases. the inter
state commerce laws efficiency viii be
wrecked. a hard fight VIII rage around
this question in the Senate. and il viii
not be surprising If the Department Of
Justice IS not granted the power IL de-
sires
Many Senators who are saying little
are reSentfUl over the fact that the
railroad bill was largely framed by
Attorney General WickersIsaU- They
are saving. Too much WlCEeTSham-'
A strong Senate disposition Il notice
able 10 prevent the Attorney General
from taking over the direction OF the
LITIGATION arising from decisions OF the
Interstate Commerce Commission. and
there is certain 10 be an entertaining
debate over IL before e is settled
HANG A I5-YEAR-OLD BOY.
DE LAND. Fla. May Fifteen
vear-oId Irving Hanchett, convicted of
the murder Of CIevie Tedder. a thirteen