The sun., 1910-06-15
RAILROAD BILL ROUNDED OUT
FTLL IGREEMENT on Was
TRE M THE CONFEREES.
Nest sr the House Pre-, Islona Retained
I'hyslcaI Nalnat tion Goes out Com-
nlaslan 90 investigate stOck water
ing Long and short Ilaul Remalns.

ing Long and shori naul RemaIns
wAsHINGroN. June n The conferses
on the Administration railrold bill reached
an agreement this afternoon and the
measure. practically in the form that
n will appear on tho statute books. is
now bsiore the senate and House Both
T factions of the Republican party seem
u bs well satisfied with the conference
report and IL is expected now that the
bill will he sent 10 the White House lor
I the Presidents signature by the end oi
the week
The hill emsrg - from the conference
COMMITTEES with many OF the insurgent
provisions still IN Il About the only
radical proposition dropped by the con
ferees was the Houses physical valua-
tion section and the provisions regulating
tho issuing of railroad stocks and bonds
The bill as il reappears contains a long
and short haul amendment. a feature
that all OF the insurgents and a few reg
ulars have been demanding for months,
a provision authorizing the Interstate
Commerce Commission to suspend the
operation Of rate increases for ten months
pending an investigation into their rea-
sOnableness an amendment shifting the
burden Of proof IN rate cases from the
shipper TO the railroad itself and several
other propositions that the Western
radicals forced into the measure
The House cOnferees emerged from the
conference room with considerably more
20 their credit than Representatives oi
that body have usually obtained In dealing
with the Senate. Chairman Mann 81 the
House Committee on Interstate Commerce
entered the conference strongly en-
tFenched. The House had come within
aiK votes Of accepting the Senate bill
~ a substitute for IL own. and a realizA-
ton on the part Of the senate leaders
| that the House might still take matters
into its own hands and accept the bill
a. IL passed the senate. probably made
the senate leaders Conciliatory. The
senate bill contained provisions that the
leaders had accepted merely 10 shut N
debate and with the intention of throwing
them overheard in conference.
/
brings practically TO an end fight that
has been waged for almost four months.
There were signs of relief on both sides
oi the Capitol by insurgents regulars
and Democrats when the report was re-
csived and seemed 10 he satisfactory "a
nearly all hands The Democrats a. a
paFty will oppose II as a matter of course.
| N.sa aN,Hk Nmt 40 a.
delay lie passage
The President gets IN the conference
report the commission that he has in
sisted upon for the investigation - al
legged stock watering by railroad corpora
tons The President demanded such
a commission when q became apparent
that tha provisions m the House hill
regulating the issuing ~ stocks and bonds
would have 10 be dropped IN conferences.
The President - authorized 10 appoint
a commission and to Ok tho Compenss-
tion uf the memheH. The total apprD-
Driatiun authorized. however, n only
SIS ON. and the commission will have no
power 90 auhpuna witnesses.
In the OPINION II many senators The
commission will not he able to make any
Investigation INTO alleged stock water,
ing of the past and will uc obliged ~ con,
fine its Efforts merely % statistics and
frcts already recorded and n report thsii
recommendations Tor legislation based
upon them
This section of the railrnsd hin as II
now stands i to 60 into ehect Immetiately
after the Presidents signature has hceU
attached q ths measure II - said that
Mr. Taft will name his commission with.
out delay. IN the hope that Il will H. ahl'
a. report - the upening ~ the session
next December
one other section ~ tho hill also "a ts
take snrc. lmmediaisly and hat {, the ont
authpriHns tho Interstate CommerJs
Comni --iOn IN ruspend increases In rate
Tor ten months pending Investigation int
their reas0nableness. President Tar
recommended IN a sgeCial message that
thus fectiOn should bec1WH operative a.
early a. possible IN that the lntsrstat.
Commerce Commission might he able r.
art without delay upon the increases 10
freight rates which have besn held up A.
result ~ the agreements between N,
President and trunk lines IN the Fast anC
West
The bill a. It ernerRes from the confer
enOe committee contains a speCtal pr,t
, vision which rs destined 90 protect th'
railroads in this situation u provide.
, that the committee shall give IN the hear
ing and decision of such casss preferenC,
Il and decide the same a. speedily a.
, possible
All the provisions of the hill except
these two are 20 20 into effect sixty day.
after ia passage
In regard 70 the long and short hau
nrnndaitiOn which had been the stumhlina
block IN the conference for several days
tho conference report accepts the Hous,
section. which although prohiblt ting gen
orally a greater charge for a long thar
for a short haul deleEats ~ 20 the Inter
stats Commerce Commission authority
20 make exceptions M special Casss
Objection was made 20 the Housa s'ctior
, by intsrmountain State me mbers be-
cause they feared this dele CATION nj
authority might bs interpreted by th'
courts a. rendering the provision uncOu
stitutional but they werp finally hrDugh
TO accept u The conference report add
the following provision 20 the Hous'
section.
Whenever carrier by railroad shall &,
7 competition Nith a water route or route
: reduce the rates on the carriage of an
J speciss Of freight 10 or from campetifiy,
points IL shall not b. permitted 10 inoreas
such rates unless. after hearing bv M
Interstate Commerce Commission. o. suaf
be found hat such proposed increase rest
upon changed condition. other than th
elimination Of water competition
The conference substitute provide,
Tor a Commerce Court. az proposed b,
r the House instead ~ Court % Commerce
az proposed by the senate. and provide
thai the crurt shall hs composed of Cir
cult Judges a. 81 forth IN the H0us
bill instead of Judges Of the Circuit
: Court Of Appeais. as the senate pro
] yrkA.A Tha Naaignaftvn ~ the Cvfy,r,.r,.