The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1910-05-17
COMMERCE COURT
RETAINED BY Taft
President Made Retention Of Provis-
ionaI Personal Matter in Every
Conference for Weeks.

washington, May H. President
Taft's efforts saved the commerce
court provision in the senate railroad
bill. whether he has been able to get
the regulars out of trouble for other
sections of the bill or not. The presi-
dent made the retention of the COM
merce court feature a personal mat
ter in every conference held in the
last three weeks. In conference Sat
urday night he made an appeal to
the western senators, particularly
those who had been. voting with the
progressives, to stand by that par
ticular part of the bill and sustain the
administration. The appeal was sue
cessful in great part and today all the
senators who were in the conference,
except Borah, voted with the Aldrich.
following to retain the commerce
court sections.
The progressives had adopted their.
policy, which is to offer every amend
ment that they think ought to be in
the bill and vote for it. They knew
they had no chance except it be by
accident to take out the commerce
court sections and were not surprised
when the Cummins amendment, hay-
ing that for its purpose, was beaten
by vote of 81 to 2S. Cummins came
forward at once with another amend
ment to limit the number of judges of
the commerce court to three instead
of five. That was beaten, S5 to 30.
On the first amendment Bristow,
Beveridge, Borah, Clapp, Cummins,
Dolliver, Crawford and LaFollette were
the only republicans who voted to
strike out the presidents pet section.
They had the support of the demo-
Gratis who were present but the organ
ization had all the other votes.
The next amendment offered came
from Bacon, and at his own sugges-
tion there was no roll call This
brought the fight down to something
about which there is serious conten-
ton. The bill makes the United
States the defendant in cases where
there is an appeal from the decision
of the interstate commerce commits
sion. That means that the Attorney
general will control litigation. He can
say there is no merit in the case and
no justification for the action of the
commission.
Cummins proposed that the inter
state commerce commission be made
the defendant. The new Cumnlins
amendment was under consideration
when the senate adjourned yesterday
afternoon until today, when it was
taken up at II o'clock this morning
On this question there is much better
reason for expecting a fight and a
chance for the insurgents. The presi
dent has not made it a personal mat
ter and the propriety of letting the
attorney for the railroad board and
the shipper have control will be i'm
pressed on the senate today
A number of senators who deserted
Aldrich in the long and short haul con
troversy will not leave him again unit
they reach question in which they
are afraid of their constituents. Aid
rich knows that thoroughly, ant
knows it was discussion and publicity
that made him lose the long and shori
haul fight For that reason the ordel
has been made that there shall be ne
debate on their side All the after
noon yesterday the regulars listened
while the progressives talked. Th'
administration and its forces had th'
votes and Aldrich merely attended K
having them cast
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