The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-05-14
SHORT HAUL CLAUSE
IS A COMPROMISE
Senate Insurgents Yield
When Complete Victory
Is Within Reach.
AMENDMENT CALLED
STEP IN ADVANCE
HOUSE Provisions More Stringent
and May Be Adopted by
Conferees.

The bitter fight IN the Senate, which
ended n the adoption Of a IonE-and-
Bhorf-hauI clause amendment to the
railroad bill, was widely discussed to-
day about the Capitol The opinions
vary as to the effect OF the long
and-shorb-hsul amendment which was
adopted
Thai the adoption OF the amendment
was. however. = defeat for the regular
Leaders and q Victory for the combins-
CtnH @ Democrats und Republicans who
hG7e been fnsUrging against Senator
AAdrieh and the other regular leaders
On She Tong sJd-short-hauI question. IS
pretty genera y admitted.
The regular leaders VIII not conceee
their defeat. and are laying claim to
victory, but this is not apparent A
Few days ago the regular leaders were
vigorously asserting they would pre-
vent any change in the existing long
eno-sSort-haul law They asserted they
They assured the President they would
De able 70 block amendment Of the
ong-and-short-haul law.
System Entirely Changed.
But at the Iast moment their forces
suddenly Crumbied TO pieces, and while,
By the adrOit management Of Senator
AldEich, they we're alba 20 effect q par
tiaI compromise, the fact remains that
the system Of dealing with the long
a-nd-short-haul question has been revo-
lutiouized by the amendment which the
Senate adopted
BY the amendment adopted, which II
made up chiefly Of the Dixon and pawn
Ser amendments, a railroad cannot in
Ine future charge more for short haul
man Tor a long haul. unless il can
maze z showing 10 the Interstate Com
IneTcs CoTnmi ssiOn that satisfies that
oooF mat ror special reasons and con-
ulIlons II g entitled 70 have an evCao-
ton made in its case
me railroads have heretofore been
ne 1Udge OF the conditions under which
1iley charged more for a short haul
than for long haul Under this So
TEN. as was shown on the floor OF the
oensIe n the debates. gross abuses have
prevailed. especially IN the West en psrr
OF the United States
House Amendment Stronger
The Interstate Commerce Commission
under the Senate amendment VIII have
the power to correct the gross abuses
which have prevailed The House
amendment IS stronger than the Senate
amendment, and there IS a possibility
that when the bIl comes out OF con-
ference the long and short haul provf-
sion VIII be stronger than the Senate
provision
MOST OF me INSURGENTS RTl1 Democrats
while admitting they wanted a stronger
provision than the compromise amend
ment whichgwent through, hold that the
amendment adopted Is q long step in
advance.
Thaf the regular leaders were sweet
Of their feet IN their attempts to pre-
vent long AMI short haul legislation IS
cue 20 the hard work Of some OF the
Senate Democrats who for days have
been trying to line Up Democratic votes
TO get the long and short haul law
Aldrich had won over twelve DemOcre tic
votes 20 prevent any change IN the Law
Senator Bailey was assisting the reEu-
lar leaders in fighting the various
amendments proposed and in trying 10
prevent any change in the law as it
stands
AIdrich Rushes to Cover.
But Democrats ike Overrnan and Clay
Insisted the Democrats ought 70 line
CD for q change in the law. The re-
suit vas that before it came time 10
g5te yesterday the regulars suddenly
found they were beaten by two or three
votes.
Senator AIdrich made e sudden rush
20 cover when he learned this and pro-
posed 70 Senator Dixon a compromise
consisting OF the Dixon amendment, plus
e part OF the P3Tnter amendment
Senator Dixon acceIted this at 4 time
when he probably could have pat his
original amendment through without
change. In this he was Outgenera.led
by Senator Aldrich. Senator EIkins, and
the other regular leaders. and 10 this
extent they won a victory IN that they