The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-05-01
RAILROAD BILL IN DANGER
HARD SHEDDING To GIT THE
MEASURE PASSED.

The Housr Insurgents Prrparsng to KlrE
10 Rev Over ihs Appolnimenl NJ
Cenferess -Fssr mat They Nav Ne
sold Qua sRaEs IN the Way of the nan.
WASHINGTON. April 81. 1t may require
heroic action on the part Of President
Taft 10 save the Administration railroad
bill. While the regular organization in
the Senate il IN command Of the situation
the insurgents and Democrats In the
House have demonstrated on several
occasions in the last week that they have
the votes 10 Incorporate in tho measure
any amendments that may suit their
fancy.
Tbs fear IL expressed by regulars and
by some insurgents that the bill will be
loaded by the House in such a manner
a. 20 make an agreement on II imprac-
ticable Another possible complication
was suggested to-day Although the
House hill il more satisfactory 10 the
House insurgents than the measure that
IL pending in the Senate, some House
insurgents are fearful that they will
lose out when the measure Is taken up in
conference. For this reason they are
contemplating a move which Il carried
out will kick M a merry row.
Under the rules Of tho House the chair
man Of tho committee that reported the
bill and the ranking Republican and Dem
ocratic committee members ordinarily
would be named as conferees Messrs
Mann Of Illinois and Wanger Of Penn
svlvunia, Republicans aud Mr. AdlmsOn
Of Georgia will be named a. Conferees
unless the insurgents inteTpose by in.
sisting that the representatives, Of the
House shall be- elected instead Of APP
pointed by tho SPEAKER While the
insurgents very generally have faith in
Mr.. Mann = fairness, they ars inclined 20
believe that members should he selected
Who could h. depended upou 10 fight
70 the last ditch Tor the bill passed 10y the
House.
The House has Incorporated two i'm
pOrtant amendments ~ the hill One
Of them makes telephone and telegraph
companies common carriers and the other
authorizes the Interstate Commerce Com
mission 20 make a physical valuation
~ railroad property. The first was pro
sontHd by a Democrat. Mr. Bartlett Of
Georgia, and tho second nv a regular
Republican Mir Madden 1f Illinois
The Insurgents insist that both II thess
am ndments shall remain m the till
They know. however. thar neither stands
ghust 81 a show in The senate and that
even 4 adopted by that body they will
probably fail Ia conference.
Another point Of controversy between
the regulars and insurgents IN both the
House and S'nate IL the provision relating
TO trHfhC agreements. I b. insurgents
declare that unless this section " the hill
- 50 amended a. Co provide that such
agreements shall no subject 20 approval
by the Interstate Commerce Commission
before becoming oper alive the effect
would h. a. bneak down the sherman
antitrust law 50 far as railroads are con
cerned. This Is disputed by friends Of the
Administration hall
President Taft has talked to regulars
and insurgents about his railroad bill
in the last week He has told them
frankly that the measure must h. passed.
The President insists that Il l. incumbent
upon the two factions % git together on
this pieoe of legislation. which has first
place on the Administration programme.
To insurgents the President has said that
h. does not object ~ reasonable amend
ment Of the hill He has intimated %
regulars that Il they find tho task too
difficult for them he will look 10 the
insurgents 70 pilot the measure through
the stormy legislative seas.