The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1910-05-18
BY Associated Press.


ing to accept any modification Of the
law making the interstate commerce
commission defendant in all suits
growing out of the proceedings against
railroads, the progressive republicans
today engaged in vigorous opposition
to the amendment to the railroad bill,
introduced yesterday by Senator
Smith of Michigan.
Washington, May 1S.-The fight the
progressives are making on the rail.
road bill brought another offer from
Senator Aldrich for d compromise yes
terday afternoon. Senator Cummins,
as spokesman for the progressiyes, re-
fused to accept the compromise and
the section under consideration was
carried over for further consideration
today.
The fight yesterday began on the
amendment offered by Cummins to
make the interstate commerce COM
mission the defendant in suits brought
to set aside the orders of the commits
sion. The progressive position is that
the system that now prevails by which
the interstate commerce commission
defends its own orders in the courts
is the best that can be devised and
that the attorney general, through
some assistant, should not have con-
troll of the cases. The regulars are
fighting for control of the litigation
by the attorney general, not thar they
give any reason for taking such posi-
ton, but because the president wants
it that way. There seems to be no
reason for the president wanting it,
except that his attorney general says
it is right.
The progressives have no confidence
in Wickersham, They believe his ac-
tion in stopping the litigation in New
England, which sought to prevent the
New Haven system of railroads taking
control of all the transportation lines
of those states, shows he is not in
line with the idea of dealing with rail.
roads that prevails throughout the
country.
Cummins made it clear that tie pub
lie would be best served if the inter.
state commerce commission and the
shipper were left to manage the lfti-
cation and Bristow went back to his
map Of the United States, which still
hangs on the wall of the senate. Aid
rich does not like that map. Every
time Bristow takes the pointer and
assumes the attitude of couMifs
schoolmaster he tells the senate some
thing about rates that sets the noun
tain senators to insurging and Elkins
and Aldrich are thoroughly tired OF
that map. Other senators look on
with interest, for Bristow usually gives
information from that map that is OF
direct interest to them.
Bristow used his map Tuesday to
show that the rate on flour from Kan.
sas City to Grand Junction, Col, Is
eighty cents a hundred pounds. To
points several hundred miles further
west, the rate is ffty-six cents hun
dred He explained that under the
long and short haul clause recently
adopted by the senate the interstate
commerce commission could say that
the rate to Grand Junction must not
be greater than the rate to points fur
ther away If the railroads should
raise the rates to the further west
points and SO shut out -four made from
Kansas wheat from the market the
commission could say the lower rate
had been reasonable and must be con
tinued. Then the railroads probably
would enjoin the enforcement Of the
order of the commission and unless
the commissioners could fight the case
themselves there is no telling when
decision can be had
Senator Smith of Michigan offered
as an amendment to the Cummins
amendment the proposition that was
adopted in the house. That provided
that the attorney general shall have
charge Of all cases. but the shipper
and the interstate commerce commits