New-York tribune., 1910-04-12
RAILROAD BILL SAFE
Test Votes in the Senate Crafty
the Republicans.
INSURGENTS PLAN ATTACK
Make II Clear That They Resent
Wickersham's Speech at
Chicago.
From The Tribune Bureau


UasbIngton April u-Test votes taken
In the Senate today make IL clear that me
administration forces have substsnlai
working majority 10 put through the Taft
bill TO strengthen the Interstate Commerce
act. The Republican leaders are well sat
isfied with the results OF the first day tha'
the hin mas taken I'D for the consideration
of amendments. Substantial progress was
made. although it is apparent that at least
two weeks more will be required to debate
the nendinr amendments The votes to-
day indicate that most OF the Republican
Senator's who opposed the tariff bill have
not returned to the party fold and may be
expected to join with The Democrats III
opposition TO this bill.
In the debate this afternoon several or
the so-called insurgent Senators made II
clear that they resent the speech made
Saturday night in Chicago by Attorney
General Wickersham. The interstate com
merce bill is largely the work of Mr.. Wick
ersham. and or this account the Repuoh-
can critics OF the measure see an oppor-
tunity to even things up with the At
torney General by persistently and vigor-
ously opposing IL. IL is expected that SEN
ator la Toilette will make a general attack
further than the Republican insurgents in
criticising Mr.. Wickersham.
The feature of the debate to-day was
Senator Nelson's vigorous denunciation Of
the bill Mr. Nelson has always been a
low tariff advocate. and was source or
great strength to the insurgents when the
Payne law was before the Senate. Ii was
plain that he was angered by Mr.. Wick
10
course the insurgents ought to pursue. for
he did not spare his words in condemning
the Attorney Generals bill. He declared
that as originally drafted Sections and
70 Of the BILL the former relating TO tariff
agreements and the latter TO mergers. were
intended to protect the railroads from the
provisions of the Sherman antitrust act.
81 do not think IT lay in his mouth after
preparing such a bill TO go out to Chicago
and criticize members OF Congress-" said
Mr.. Nelson.
The Minnesota Senator intimated that he
might favor Section as amended by the
committee. but he would never consent to
the provisions of Section u authorizing
mergers. He said that IL railroads were
permitted TO nullify the Sherman act there
would be a clamor from labor organiza-
without regard to the antitrust law. Com
binations and trusts were growing. Mr..
Nelson continued. and unless restrained by
the strong arm of the law the time would
come when they would exercise a power as
dangerous and complete as that exer-
cised by the nobility in France before the
revolution. AS far he was concerned he
would just as soon see a paragraph dropped
.l-z
man law emasculated or impaired In any
way.
There were four rollcals to-day. all
amendments being defeated except those
offered By Senator Elkins chairman Of the
Committee on Interstate Commerce. The
first vote was on Mr.. Heyburn's amend
ment providing for the creation OF land
courts. This was defeated. "a TO q Most
Of the insurgents voted against the amend
ment. although II was quite generally sup
ported by Western Senators. Three roll
calls followed on amendments by Senators
Clapp, Simmons and Cummins relating to
the jurisdiction OF the proposed Court Of
Commerce. II was insisted by Senators
Elkins. Aldrich. Sutherland and others
that the Elkins amendment 10 the first sec
tion Of the bill Gid not give the new court
any eiVoNSl JullSulCtion llldn IS now pos
sessed by the Circuit courts Senators
Clapp. Cunmins and Simmons urged more
specific language on this point
Mr. Ciapp's amendment was defeated 30
to 25: Mr.. Simmons's amendment, 50 10 81
and Mr. Cunmins's amendment. 36 20 IS
The real test was on the CTapp amendment
On this rollcal Senators Beverdge Borah
Bourne. Bristow. CTapp. Crawford. Cum
minis. Dolliver and Nelson voted with the
Democrats while four Democrats Senators
Foster. Money. Percy and Smmons-voted
with the Republicans All the Democrats
voted for the Simmons amendment Before
the vote was taken on the Elkins amend
ment providing that the court Of com
merce shall have the same Jurisdiction over
the enumerated interstate commerce cases
as that nov possessed by circuit courts
and the judges thereon Senator DoHiver
made a short statement. in which he said
that while he had voted for the Clapp
CUmmins and Simmons amendments he
did not regard them as vital to the bill.
Previous to the taking up OF the rill in
regular order to-day Senator Dixon. of
Montana. presented an amendment making
# unlawful for carriers TO charge more for
short than for long hauls
In proposing that modification Of the law
Mr.. Dixon said that there never could be
any peace in the matter OF railroad regu-