Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-05-10
THEY PROVE TO BE CONTROL
LING FACTOR IN SHAPING
LEGISLATION.
FINAL RAILROAD BILL
WILL BE UNREcoGNlzABLE
Valiant Fight on Objectionable Feat
ures Of Measure Show What Handful
Of arainy But Determined Men Can
po-other Changes to BE Made in
Senate.
Especial Correspondence


Washington, May Developments
! in connection with the railroad bill III
both houses of congress In the last
/ few weeks have shown that the insur-
gents are the controlling factor in
shaping this piece OF legislation.
As the situation stands in congress,
a small body of aggressive men, fight
| ing for what they believe to be right,
! hold the balance of power in either
! house. They are able to dictate the
course of legislation to a large extent
on almost any question which they
! take up in which the public is vitality
| Interested
| They are doing this because of sew
eral reasons. One of these reasons is
that the insurgents generally are men
above the average of the representa-
tvs and senators in point of intellig-
ence and ability and Furthermore are
all fighters. Many of them would rath-
er get tangled up in parliamentary or
political fight or a fight involving the
shaping of legislation, than eat. An
other reason is that in the fights they
have been making. such as the one on
the railroad bill, on the tariff, or on the
rules of the house, they have been con-
scious of having the backing of power
full public sentiment in their own states
and districts.
Backed BY Constituents.
What has happened with respect to
the railroad bill is an excellent Illus
tration of what power can be welded
by small body of determined and able
men in either branch of congress who
are backed up by their constituents
1t has been made certain that the
railroad bill as it is likely to be passed
will be so completely changed from the
bill which was originally introduced
at both ends Of the capitol that it will
scarcely be recognizable in comparison
This is true despite the fact the word
went out when the bill was first intro
duced that it was the intention TO pass
the bill just as it had come from the
White House and the attorney generals
office. Moreover. the understanding
which senators and representatives
gained was that the president wanted
no changes made in the bill and that
on the part of republicans he would
regard it as unfriendly to seek 10 have
vital changes made. This did not pre-
vent the insurgents from at once begin
ming a fight for the amendment of the
bin in vital particulars. Features of it
were bitterly condemned. In the senate
committee on interstate commerce.
Senators Clapp and Cummins fought
10 nave amendments made but were not
successful The bill was reported out
without amendment but CIapp and
Cummins made a minority report in
Wnlch they made an arraignment of
certain parts of the bill which attracted
wide notice. This report has exercised
large influence on the fate of the
bill and has had a great deal to do
with the changes that have been made
in it both in the senate and house.
Two Bad Sections Killed.
1T is due to the fight made by the
insurgents that section Z and section
IL have been stricken out of the bill
Section was the traffic agreement
section and would have legalized these
agreements Insurgents have freely de-
clared that in its original form it woula
have relieved the railroads from the
Sherman law. Much has been said to
the effect this was the chief thing the
railroads wanted in the way of new
railroad legislation, along with legali-
cation of the merging of lines. which
was provided for in section IL. At any
rate. these two highly important sec
tons have been stricken out and will
not be restored
Largely due to the efforts of the in
surgents. telephone and telegraph lines
have been put into the house bill and
made subject to government regulation
and provision has been made for val
uation of the railroads. Moreover. i'm
portant changes in the house bill with
respect to the court of commerce and
giving the shipper the right to appear
by counsel in cases appealed from the
Interstate commerce commission to the
courts have been made. largely because
the insurgents fought for these things.
Other Changes Coming.
Before the bill gets thru the senate.
the insurgents there are likely to force
other changes. They expect to be able
capitalization in the senate bill entire
ly or to replace them with provisions
which they consider will be more effec-
tive. And they hope to prevent the de-
partment Of justice from taking over
the conduct Of cases which are APP
pealed from the commission to the
courts. If they prevent this they will
have wrought a most vital change in
the bill
When the bill gets thru conference
the insurgents will again be active and
if provisions are put in which they are
strongly opposed to they may turn
down conference report or two.
Not little of the capacity of the in
surgents to make the railroad bill con-
form about to what they want has been
due to the fact they have fought on this
matter just as they did in the tariff
contest. They have studied the bill with
care and have come to the floor pre-
pared to unload facts, figures and in
formation on their brethren among the