Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-25
NEWCOMMERCELAW
Senate Committee Adopts Ad-
miniStrati0n Bill.
CARRIED BY TWO MAJORITY
Measure Approved Practically as
Revised by Attorney General.
MINORITY TO PRESENT VIEWS
Divergence Of Opinion Regarding
Amendments and Provision for
Court Of Commerce.


to create a court of commerce and amend
the interstate commerce laws was con-
cluded today by the Senate committee or
interstate commerce. and it was ordered
reported.
The vote on the bill was to 4. The
majority report will recommend the pas
sage Of the bill in form practically as il
was revised recently by Attorney Genera
Wickersham. The minority also will make
a report
There were three absentees when the
committee met today They were Tillmar
of South Carolina, Foster Of Louisiana
and Taylor of Tennessee. With these
three democrats absent the result was a
foregone conclusion, resulting as follows
For the administration bill-Senators
F.lkins CIV. va-), Cullom Qll.,, Aldricl
tR. ID Kean On. j.. Crane (MassJ and
Nixon (Nev).
Against-c1app CMinn), Cummins Uowa,
Newlands CNev.) and Hughes (CoD-
No Amendments Proposed.
No contest was made against reporting
the measure today. so far as the presenta
tion Of amendments was concerned. lht
majority of the committee had made 4
plain, following the statement made 10y
the Attorney General, that 1t would sup
port the bill In the form desired by TN
administration. The minority. therefore
oontented itself with obtaining the adop
! ton of O. motion that any member migh
have the right to present his dissenting
view with the majority report.
The bill, which was reported to the Sen
ate bv Mr.. Elkins soon after that bod,
convened today. is the same as was IN
troduced January II in the Senate bA
| Senator Elkins. and in the House by Rep
| resentatiye Townsend of Michigan. VIII
| amendments suggested by Attorney Gen
eraI wickersham. February "A. and b,
| Messr.. Eakins and Townsend reintro
duced. The only changes made are Of mi
1 nor phraseology.
Terms of Minority Report.
Senators Cumn1ins and Clapp will unit
! in a minority report taking exception t.
| many of the features Of the measure
| They regard the bill as step backward
and especially oppose the provision Great
| ing a court to deal with questions arislnt
out of the operation of the interstate com
merce law and to the changes in the exist
| ing law regarding agreements between rail-
roads on the questions OF rates
Speaking jointly after the committe
| meeting the two senators said:
/
court Of commerce as wholly unnecessary
| first. because of the few cases that WOul'
| arise under it, and. second. because w
| believe it unwise to create a court Z
| try railway cases alone in view OF tn
| influences that would surround it. Ii
| three and half years only twenty-si
cases of which it would have jurisdiction
| have arisen, and under the decisions
| the Supreme Court it would have still
| fewer unless the bill itself should give
enlarged jurisdiction.
| Repeats Rate Clause.
| The bill repeals the provision of tn
| antitrust law dealing with the subjec
of rate agreements between railroads AM
we shall oppose the measure on that ac
count. We shall insist that the republican
platform shall be carried into the bi
and that no agreement shall go into ef
! feet until approved by the commission
! I'VE believe that the proposition I
| change the law SO that all suits brough
| to set aside the orders OF the interstat
! commerce commission shall be brough
against the United States and given owe
| to the Department of Justice, excluding
| the commission and interested parue
| from any participation In the conduc
| of the suits will most seriously impair TN
| efficiency of the interstate commerce iav
and will oppose the change.
| .The bill gives the proposed commerce
| court discretion to set aside the anti
] trust laws SO as to permit the purchase
| of competing lines. We do not consider
this a wise step and shall use our en-
| deavors to have ii eliminated from ths
! BILL
Points to Be Covered.
| The minority report Will cover these
and other points. 1t is not known wheth
| er it will be signed by other members O
| the committee.
An agreement has been reached by ths
Senate leaders that the railroad bill shall
be taken up Immediately following the
vote Oh the postal savings bank bill
which has been set for March 3 and vii
| thereafter be continued the order ol
business until a vote can be had upon it
The first open fighting of the Senate
| insurgents will begin when the bill IL
! considered in the Senate. Senators Cum
MINIS and Clapp will have lined up with
| them several other insurgents when tbs
| Senate takes up the measure.
The administration bill is a recogni
| ton of the evils that ought to be correct
ed said a prominent insurgent senator
| today, but it does little to correct them
BEFORE HOUSE COMMITTEE.