The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-06-10
ADMINISTRATION MEASURE GOES
THROUGH BY NEARLY uNAN-
lMous VOTE.
All the Insurgents Voted for Bin on
Final Passage, Having Secured sew.
eraI Amendments Which They Con.
sidered vitaI-onIy Twelve Negative
Votes.

under consideration for more than
twelve weeks, and practically no other
business except appropriation bills
were considered in that long period.
Only twelve votes, all by Democrats,
were recorded against the bill.
The practical unanimity with which
the measure was passed was due to
radical changes made in the measure
from the form in which it was drafted
by Attorney General Wickersham, fol-
lowing numerous conferences at the
White House on the subject of amend
ing interstate commerce laws.
All the insurgents" who opposed
many features of the original bill
voted for it last night. Through the
elimination of pooling and merger sec
lions, and by reason of the adoption of
many amendments in the interest of
shippers, the progressive Republicans
claim a signal victory, and most Of the
Democrats expressed themselves as
favorable to large portion of the
measure.
Court OF Commerce.
Had it not been for the retention of
the sections to create a court of COM
merce, it is likely that the vote for the
bill would have been unanimous.
Debate ceased at $3.50 o'clock, when
Senator Elkins, chairman of the inter-
state commerce commission, moved to
take up the bill which was passed by
the house, and after striking out the
body of that measure to substitute the
matter agreed upon by the senate. In
that form the bill was voted upon, with
the result that it was passed by vote
of so to IL.
No Republican voted against the bill,
and six Democrats voted for it. They
were Messrs. Chamberlain, Clay, Gore,
Payster, Simmons and Stone. The
Democrats recorded against it were
Messrs. Bacon, Fletcher, Frazier,
Hughes, Money, Newlands, Percy, Pur-
cell, Rayner, Shively, Smith of Mary
land and Smith of South Carolina.
Just before the voting began SEN
ator LaFollette, one of the ''insur-
gent" Republicans, served notice upon
the senate that unless the senate con-
ferees made determined fight for re-
tention of amendments procured by
progressives and Democrats, it could
not hope to have the conference report
approved.
The new law will take effect in sixty
days after it is approved by the presi-
dent.
An amendment by Mr.. LaFollette
permitting railroads to issue passes to
the widows and minor children of en-
ployes killed in the line Of service was
accepted without division.
At 500 p. m. the bill, having been
perfected in the committee of the
whole, was reported to the senate.
Mr.. LaFollette offered his amend
ment to provide for the physical valu-
alton of railroad property. 1t was re
jected by vote of "a to 80.
The high spots" in the railroad bill
as it passed the senate may be de-
scribed as follows:
The bill provides for the creation Of
a new court of commerce, for the con-
tsideration exclusively of appeals from
orders of the interstate commerce COM
mission.
Sessions Everywhere.
While the offices of the court are to
be in Washington and regular sessions
are to be held there, provision is made
for sittings anywhere in the United
States. The government, rather than
the interstate commerce commission,
is made the defendant in all cases COM
ing before the court.
The long and short haul provision
of the present interstate commerce law
is amended so as to permit greater
charge for short haul than for long
haul, only with the consent of the in
terstate commerce commission. Espe-
cial provision is made against the fix
ing Of lower rate for the purpose of
destroying water competition.
Railroad companies are required to
furnish written statements of rates
from one place to another upon the
written application Of q shipper, under
q penalty of $3.50 for misstatement or
failure to comply with such applica-
ton.
In addition. the shipper can bring
suit for additional damages.
/ X - s. .