The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-05
Railroad Bill Will Be Kept
Out Of Conference
CONCURRENCE IS THE PLAN
Insurgents and Democrats Want to
Keep the BiII From Being Further
Doctored BY Keeping 1t Out
of Conference

i
Washington. June 4.-(special.)-
Plans are on foot in the House of Rep
resentatives ito put one over Senator
Aldrioh and the reactionary republicans
of Congress by concurring in the Taft
railroad bill as amended by the Senate
and keeping 1t out of conference alto
gether.
If this can be done the Rhode Island
leader will be completely baked in
his ambition to work over the measure
In conference and eliminate the few
teeth that were inserted through coali-
tions between the insurgents and DEM
ocrats in both Houses. Some of the
amendments added in the Senate and
which have improved the bill. not in
fundamentals. but in collateral details,
sare very Objectionable to the followers
of the Aldrich banner. There are also
several amendments which Senator
Aidrich consented to accept for the
facilitation of progress with the bill,
knowing full we'll that In conference
the regulars would attempt TO eliminate
| them.
The regulars will be masters of the
situation II the bill once reaches con-
ference, but 1t is confidently claimed
the situation II they went too far in
trying to doctor the measure. Senator
LaFollette served notice in the Senate
last night that II the conference bill
Is a bad one, he would stay there all
summer. and so would other insur-
gents. rather than allow 1t to pass. and
that he felt sure a combination of
democrats and insurgents would be
able to prevent such bill being
adopted.
A Hollow Victory
But even If their dreams in this di-
| rection are fulfilled, the progressiyes
would win victory that would be hol-
low. because the defeat of the confer
ence report would mean the total
failure OF the legislation and the few
so-called good things that have been
written into the skeletonized remains
| of the original Taft -Wickersham bill
would be lost. for there would be no
legislation at all. The democrats and
| insurgents discussed this situation in
both branches Of Congress today and
conferences are to be held between
now and Monday by these factions for
| the purpose of ascertaining whether
| 1t will be possible to balk Aldrich al.
| together by having the House concur
In the bill as amended by the Senate.
The House insurgents and democrats
| have 1t within their power to DO this
II they can line up their forces solidly
In favor of the Senate bill There are
many democrats and insurgents who
believe that 1t would be better to take
the bill as changed in the Senate than
to take chances with Aldrich and Ell
kins In conference. They regard the
| 81 hot ho 20
bill, but as between getting. from the
conferees a bin that would be worse
than either the House or Senate forms
OF the measure, a number of leaders
In these camps are suggesting that
they should combine and accept the
Senate bill while they can muster the
votes. . .ri
| Senate Bill Substituted
The Senate bill has been substituted
after the enacting clause of the House
measure. SO that under the rules OF Con-
gress the bill has to go back to the
House. 1t will reach the lower branch
OF Congress Monday. The House may
either concur In the bill as amended BY
| the Senate or non-cohcur In everything
that the Senate has done. and throw the
matter into conference. Under the rules
OF the House 1t is claimed that a motion
to concur would have precedence over a
motion to non-concur. The adoption of a
motion of concurrence would end the
| matter and also do away with long
drawn-out struggle in conference. and In
each house over the adoption OF the con-
ference reports
| Some members OF the House are very
/ anxious to have physical valuation pro-
| yision,-in the bill The House adopted
such a provision by vote, the ratio of
| which was about to 1. The Senate by
a close vote defeated the physical valua-
ton proposition.
There are several other things in the
House bill to which some OF the insur-
gents and democrats would like to cling
Members believing that these things
sGould be be retained are suggesting that
the House might carry motion by p
combination of democratic and insur-
gent votes to concur In the better por-
ton of the Senate bill and non concur In
other portions, but are not so certain
whether this can be accomplished under
| the rules, of the House. Even this plan
II adopted. would balk Aldrich, because
lit would narrow the zone within which
the conferees would have anything to dc
with the bill.
Plan to Concur ON Bill
In the judgment of a number OF mem.
bers the better plan of the two would
be to concur in the entire Senate bill
and keep 1t entirely within the control ol
the House where the insurgent- demo.
cratic coalition is strong. and thus rot
Aldrich Of his pet plan to butcher the
bill in conference he will keep II there
rules hanging around conference reports
| Is that such reports cannot be PARTIAL,
accepted. They must be accepted in theiI
entirety or not at ALL The only motion ir
order on such report is to accept or re.
Iject the report.
Conferees, OF courle. could make a BAR
i tial report and leave certain dispute.
sections behind for further considers tior
ir conference. but no one who Is familial
with the methods Of the regulars believe.
that Aldrich would give the progressive.
/, TIE opportunity of voting on partia
conferences report. II he once. gets thu
bill in conference he will KEEP 1t ther.
until he and his associates. who will b.
In the majority on the conference com
n:!ttee. have come to an agreement jrs
as was done In the case of the tariff
President Taft might use his in6uencs
with the conferees in order to retain the
better features of the Senate or HOUSE
bills. Just as he used influence in tho
teriff conference night, but not much hope
IL entertained that he would be able. tt
force the regulars against their will tc
abandon their intentions.