New-York tribune., 1910-06-07
FIGHT OVER RAILROAD BILL
House Insurgents Would Accept
Senate Measure.
REGULARS FOR CONFERENCE
Result in Doubt-Democrats
See Joker" Which Might
Allow Relating.

Washington, June 6.-The railroad bill
caused more informal conferences ana
miniature caucuses on the floor and In the
cloak rooms and lobby of the House OF
REPRESENTATIVES to-day than have been seen
there for long time The proposal that
the House accept the Senate bill when IT
comes up tomorrow was the cause
1t was said tonight that about thirty or
thrty-flve Republicans, mostly insurgents.
were prepared to vote to accept the bill as
II came from the Senate. The Democrats
had reached no decision as to what their
attitude would be, and 1t was evident from
Individual expressions that the minority is
badly divided. Representative Champ clark
spent most of the afternoon trying to get
consensus of opinion frem his fellow
Democrats.
A conference. lasting an hour or so, was
held in the Democratic cloak room. sen
ators Shiyeiy. OF Indiana, and Hugnes' OF
Colorado and Representatives clark ana
L nderwood, of Alabama, took part IN IT,
II was the opinion of those In the best
rosition to know that the Democrats Wouid
not vote in sufficient numbers TO adopt the
Senate bill to procure it's passage through
the House.
Whether the House votes to accept the
Senate bill. to send it to conference or L"
tack on q few amendments, tiA-tS - o 49,
prospect of a spirited contest.
Democratic leaders in the House to-day
discovered an alleged Joker in the SENATE
biH which they say would permit the Tail-
roads to engage In rebsting without fear Of
prosecution 1t is in the form of an addi-
tio9 10 that section of existing law which
prescribes a penalty OF $3.50 for failure to
ouote a rate 10 shipper on request, or for
1u;snunting 2 rate. The pTeyiso. which Is
said to nullify laws prohibiting rebates, was
presented by Senator ShiTeiy, Democrat,
and is as follows:
Provided however. that, notwitnsta tanding
ANYTHING in this section contained, any
person or company saHefs S s,T of the
provisions of this section shall nave me
right TO recover such damage by sun
against the carrier IN any co"Ih "A bV"i
petent jurisdiction.
The theory Of the Democratic members
If the House who pointed out this feature
of the bill was that 1t would open the way
fo, railroads to giTe rebates under the
E7,ise of paying damages TO shipper
LAWYERS Of the Senate, both Republicans
and democrats. ridiculed the suggestion
spd said that it probably was advanced
ia cast doubt on the wisdom Of accepting
the Senate amendments TO the railroad hh
without a conference.
REPRESENTATIVE Underwood, Of Alabama
declared that the Senate amendment "eOid
effectuaHy restore 10 the railroads the
power TO grant rebates
''The Standard Oil fine of soe, ,oGo, ,oto was
imposed as the result of q misquoted rate
he said ''Jf this section were to become
a law the railroads might misquote rate
to a shipper and pay TO him as damages
ANYTHING they wished. The only penalty
they would incur under the circumstances
would be a fine of $3.50, and the payments
In damages might amount TO millions. The
shipper. of course, would not need TO bring
actual s,Iit. as the railroad would confess
the damages and pay the shipper. 1t would
not matter whether it was called damages
or rebates, the effect would be the same
Representative Sims, of Tennessee,
Democratic member of the Committee on
Interstate and Foreign Commerce, said that
i, his opinion the Senate section would re-
s+o-e 40 the railroads the privilege of re-
batting.
II do not want to say" said Mr.. Sims,
that the Senate intended the section to
road that Vav. but that is the effect Of the
provision
Hurry calls went out to-day fer all apSeil
members of the House, Republicans and
Democrats, to come back posthaste pre-
nared for a contest tomorrow over the
question of whether the House shall concur
in the Senate amendments to the railroad
hill or send il to conference. Republican,
leaders we're particularly active, and they
proceeded to arrange pairs for all members
of their party who could not be reached.