The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-05-13
SENATE PUSHES
RAILROAD BILL
Will Today Begin Voting on the
Long and Short Haul
Amendments.
FIGHT WILL BE CLOSE
ON DIXON PROVISION
SmOOt Makes Argument in De-
fense of Fair Rates for
Salt Lake City.

WASHINGTON, May 12.-Agreeing
to proposition by Senator Elkins to
begin voting on the long and short
haul amendments TO the railroad bill
tomorrow at 4 O'Clock, the senate to-
day took an advanced step IN the CON
slderation Of the bill
The agreement provides the voting
shall be concluded within the 'slegis-
lative day This is an elastic ar
rangement and if the voting should be
prolonged, there might be delay until
Saturday. If the Dixon amendment
should be voted down, number OF
others VIII be offered and under the
agreement they can be debated, If dis
cussion is desired.
The first vote will be on the Dixon
amendment as a substitute for the
Hepburn provision, Both of those pro-
visions seek to stiffcn the present stat
ute, but the Dixon substitute gives
the interstate commerce commission
more discretion than does the other.
Vote Will Be Close.
The organization of Republicans are
confident of the defeat of all amend
mcnts, Conceding that nineteen Re
publican votes will be cast for the
Dixon provision they claim from twelve
TO fifteen Democratic votes against 1T.
The smaller number would give them
majority of FIVE. Not all the advocates
of the provision concedc the claim.
Some of them contend the Republican
detection Will grow 10 twenty-five,
while they assert not more than elght
or nine Democrats will vote with the
regular Republicans
Toward the close of the days ses-
sion the senate reached an agreement
TO meet daily beginning on Monday at
L g ofa
also was understandings that practl-
caIy all other business, even lnclud-
ing appropriation bills, should be ex.
cluded until disposition was made OF
the railroad bill.
During the debate today Mr. Smoot
complained the railroads do not deal
with the shipments from the west 10
the east as thew do with shipments
from the east to the west. Having SAID
article shipped from eastern points
than do Pacific coast cities, Mr. Smoot
asserted in no instance is Chlcago
charged more than New York on IN
uThat,D Mr.. Piles said, "is be
cause Chicago is in the water zone
"No.' responded Mr.. Smoot, that
is not the reason. Chicago has power
enough in the railroad world TO de-
"Why should the railroads wish TO
build m ono point at the expense or
anothcr,' Mr.. Briggs asked.
Dixon Quotes Rates.
Replying for Mr.. Smoot, Mr.. Dixon OF
Montana said by giving TO Los An,
pclcs terminal rates the railroads had
buiIt nm a city of 100000, while Santa
Barbara and Santa Monica; which
twenty-five years ago were about the
same size as Los Angeles, had re-
NAMED comparatively stationary ne
cause Of the denial Of the same favor.
Replving TO n question, Mr.. Smoot
said individuals could not afford to
appeal 10 the Interstate commerce com
mission or the courts, because such a
course would result i'll thelr ruin Whlle
the Utah senator was engaged IN one
of MANY encounters with Senator FL.
kins regarding the rensonabieness OF
the rates 10 thc Pacific coast, the lat
ter made reference to water competl-
ton.
Water Mr.. Smoot exclaimed,
,'water, If the senator from West
Virginia had remained In the chamber
he Would have heard my explanation on
that noint. Instead of remaining, he
GOES out and then hobs up here AGAIN
in few minutes with the cry OF wa
ter,
Tie Controversy piN''N'
Smoot asked Mr.. Elkius whether he
would complain if West Virginia were
required TO pay the rate to Chicago and
back on shipments from New York
.iI would not if the rates were Just
and reasonable Mr.. EllSins re-
spondGd.
After the West Virginia senator had
dwell for some time on the earnings
of the railroads. Mr.. Smoot SAID IT he
JIyIl,insN vrnuld remain long enough he
would undertake to convince hlm OF the
correctness Of his position.
The last speech of the day was made
bv Senator Nixon. who said Nevada
had suffered more from long and short
haul discrimination than others. As
an illustration, he said that while the
freight rate from New York TO San
Francisco, 5000 mules. is about 40 cents
per hundred. that from san Francisco
10 Reno. l5i miles. is $l.20 per hun
dred.