New-York tribune., 1910-06-01
RAILROAD BILL IS SAFE
Insuruent Senators, It Is Be-
Iieved, Will Vote for It Now.
AMENDMENTS DELAY IT
Half a Dozen Changes Proposed
Which Will Encourage Pro
longed Debate.
From The Tribune Bureau. ]

From The Tribune bureau
Washington. May S1.-The offering Of half
a dozen amendments to the railroad Dill
Just before the Senate adjourned this after
noon may delay a final vote for several
days It was believed that most Of the
oratory would be exhausted to-day, but the
amendments offered this afternoon came
from Senators who are not noted fer their
lack of words in debate, and it is probable
that several more long speeches must be
endured before an agreement is reached for
a vote.
Although the Senate was surfeited with
oratory to-day substantial progress on the
bill was made Before the bill was taken
up Senator Owen made a long set speech
advocating the popular election of Sen
ators, and Senator Beveridge spoke brief
ly on the same subject
Senators Cummfns, La Toilette, Bailey
Stone, Hepburn, Hughes, Borah, Nelson
and Burton were among the contributors
to the railroad debate to-day. It was ex-
pected that a vote would be taken late
this afternoon on Mr.. La Follettes amend
ment providing for a physical valuation OF
railroads. The yeas and nays were or
dered and the rollcall was about to begin
when Senator Stone drew a roll of manu-
script from his desk and began speech on
control of railroad capitalization
| When he had been talking ten or fifteen
minutes he paused to hold a conference
with Senator Elkns- A general smile went
over the chamber and several Senators
suggested that Mr.. Stone speak louder.
| Mr. Elkins' plea that Mr.. Stone suspend
and permit the Senate to vote on the
| La Toilette amendment was unavailing and
| the Missouri Senator resumed the reading
Of his speech A little later Mr.. Stone con-
sented to yield for adjournment until II
| o'clock tomorrow on the understanding
| that he will have the right to take the
floor at that hour.
! The vote on the La Toilette amendment
will be close. Senator Bailey spoke for
| it this afternoon and an effort is being
made to enlist the solid support Of the
Democrats on the ground that the Demo
cratic platform Endorsed physical valuation.
Mr. La Toilette made an inpassioned plea
for his amendment and declared that until
an impartial and thorough valuation was
made the Interstate Commerce Commission
| could not determine whether rates were
! just and reasonable. He estimated that
| the cost of the valuation proposed in his
| amendment would not exceed $2,400,000.
AS soon as the railroad bill was taken
up to-day Senator Brown asked for vote
on his amendment prohibiting interstate
carriers from acquiring any interest IN
competing lines Speeches against the
amendment were made by Senators Bur
! ton, Hepburn, Hughes and Nelson. A1r.
Nelson suggested that the adoption Of the
amendment might revive section u, relat-
| ing to mergers, which was stricken out as
the result of an agreement between the
! friends and critics of the bill.
| The Brown amendment was defeated 40
| to q Eight Democrats voted against it,
namely: Senators Bacon, Bailey, Fletcher,
Frazier, Paynter, Smith, of Maryland; !;
stone and Taylor. The following Repub-
lcans voted for the amendment: Senators
Borah, Bourne, Bristow, Brown, Clapp,
! Crawford, Cumn1ins. Dixon, Dolliver,
Jones and La Toilette.
! After a short debate Senator Elkins ac-
cepted an amendment by Senator Cunamins
providing that in all increases of rates
since January /. 1910, the burden of proof
to show that the new rates are just and
reasonable shall be upon the carriers
This was Mr. CUmmins's last contribution
to the debate IN which he has been so
prominent a figure He left tonight for
Iowa to participate in the campaign, and
will be gone q week or ten days In his
speech to-day Mr.. Cunnins submitted a
review of his efforts to amend the rail-
road bill, and said that he lad not delayed
the bill beyond fair discussion Of its
provisions. He said that in its present
form the bill was a great Improvement
over the measure as it came from the COM
nittee, and he favored its passage. This
announcement is taken to mean that most
of the insurgents will vote for the bill on
final ma