The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-05-14
LEFT ALDUTCH IN HHR LUUCH
DEMOCRATIC ALLIES DESERT ON
TIE RAILROAD BILL.
Lohg and shOrt HAM Clanse Patched IN
~ Regulars and insurgents and
Rnshed into the Measure Qnlrk
SHIFT q FoFees IN the senate.

WASHINGTON. May i3.- Democrats 10
the Senate deserted the Republican
regulars to-day and created a situation
which resulted in the adoption Of long
and short haul amendment 10 the Ad-
mInistration railroad bill The efforts
Of the insurgents n incorporate such
an amendment IN the bill have been op-
posed by Senator Aldrich and his followers
more stubbsrnly than any other propO-
sition advanced by the radicals. and
President Taft also was firmly set against
IL,
The amendment incorporated in he
hill to-day is neither an ins'IrRent nor
a Democratic proposition. Il il a hodge
pOdge Of ideas advocated by the insur-
gents. the Democrats and the RspubG-
can regulars.
10 anybody gets any political credit
for Il Il will he the Democrats. Many
Of the Insurgents are hopping mad Al
the outcome Of their three weeks fight,
the Republican regulars arr disgruntlsd
az having been compelled b yield -
any long and short haul proposition and
the Democrats while protesting IN bs
happy were sore over many features
oi tho days developments. AZ % the
eject % the DemOoratiC-insurgent-reE-
ular amendment one oan get any number
Of opinions. The Republican regulars
declare that Il in eject reenacts the
present law in regard 70 the long and
short haul; some Of the Democrats profess
TO see in it a long step in the night direo-
ton. while several members Of the insur-
gent band contend that all the force and
vitality Of their original amendment
has been eliminated in the compromise
proposition.
One thing, however, seems 10 be &C.
cepted in the amendments. and that Il
that the burden IL shifted from the shipper
10 tho railroad In the matter Of long and
short haul rates. Under the amendmsnt
just adopted the railroad will have 10
satisfy the Interstate Commerce Commis-
sion that an rates involved are just and
reasonable and not unduly discriminatory
nor unduly preferential or preiudicial
Under the present Law Il has in effect been
up TO the shipper 10 attack the long and
short haul rates on the ground Of their
unreasonableness. Il Ia on this feature
% the amendment that the insurgents.
now that their votes have been recorded
for IL, are claiming victory.
The feature Of the situation that gals
the insurgents IL that they have been
Obliged 20 unite with senator Aldrich and
bis followers In support Of a compromise
proposed by the Rhode lrland senator
himself. The stock in trade Of the insur-
gents has been their opposition % the
Aldrich machine and they fear the effect
Of their having lined up with Aldrich on
this important proposition. The general
impression here tonight IL that the
amendment adopted to-day will never be
pat on the statute books: that Il is the In
ientiOn Of senator Aldrich and the other
senate leaders to drop il overheard In
conference.
The long and short haul amendment
advocated by the insurgents and also q
few regulars was introduced by senator
Dixon Of Montana. Il made il unlawful
for any common carrier 20 charge more
for a short haul than for a long had
when the short haul IL included within
the long haul. There was a proviso.
however. that upon application 10 the
Interstate Commerce Commission any
carrier might in special casea after IN
vestigation be authorized by the Com-
mission 10 charge les for longer than
for shorter distances.
This amendment bad been under debate
In the senate for more than three weeks
and senator Aldrtch and the other Repub-
lean org anization leaders had finally
made an alliance with the Democrats
TO vote Il down. The Republican regulars
have bOasted from the floor Of the Senate
that they had the votes 20 defeat the
Dixon amendment and have for thu last
week been challenging the insurgents
70 bring the matter % a vote. II has been
sAid that the Republican organization
had besn assured Of fifteen Democratic
votes against the insurgsnt PROPOSE
ton.
senator Aldrich and his supporters
thought that they had thess Democratic
votes secured until within an hour or 20
before the time ct for the vote on the
amendment this afternoon. Then the
Republican leadsra learned that the
Democrats had deserted them and had
decided 10 vote Tor an Anaendment intro
duosd by Senator Ovsrman q North
Carolina. q Democrat.
The Overman amendment was more
radical even than ths Dixon amsndmant
vsrginG on the fixing q rates on ths
mileage basis. This unexpected action
on the part Of the Democrats threw the
Republican organization In the ssaafs
into constsrnation and thars followed
an unusual scsns on the floor.
senator AldFich, realizing that his
forces stood no show ~ defeating the
lnsurEent amendment without the all
Of the Democrats and fearing the more
radical Democratic proposition. hurried
IN senator Dixon and proposed a COM
promise. Senator Dixon has never besn
cla,~ed among tire simon pure Insurgents
and be accepted the Aldrich proposition.
much 10 the disgust Of some Of tho more
radical Of the insurpsnt band. senator
Aldrich and Senator Dixon then agreed
upon an amendment made up partly u