The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-03-17
PRESIDENTS TITLE Is BANDED
ABOUT REckLESslY IN
DISCUSSION.
MUCH 0RATOR|CAl FIRE
Supporters Of Administration Measure
Are Victims OF Bitter Criticism For
Trying to Put the Act Through
Without Amendment-Mr Aidrieh
Admits That Change May Be Made.

Washington. March i6ln the sharp
est debate yet provoked in the senate
on the administration railroad bill. Bit
ter criticisms of the supporters Of the
bin in trying To put the measure
through without amendment. elected
from senator Aldrich an admission
that the bill could be- amended.
This statement was made during the
second day of Senator Cummins'
speech attacking the BILL but not until
after friends Of the measure had been
accused OF trying To hide behind the
president and behind the fact that the
bill had been drafted at his direction.
For more than two hours the presi-
dent figured In the discussion and for
"A time his title, II not his name, was
banded about with freedom that
amounted to recklessness In this por-
ton of the debate Senators Aldrich.
Bailey. Cummins. Root. Elkins and Ia
con figured conspicuously.
Senator Cummins contended that the
provision In the bin referring To traf
flc agreements would render them le-
gal without their submission To the In
terstdte commerce commission. lie as-
serted there had been conspicuous ST.
lence In the committee on this subject.
Thereupon Mr. Crawford turned tn
Senator Aldrich. who IL a member Of
the committee on interstate commerce.
and questioned him on his fnterpreta-
tion of the meaning of the provision.
ha Int tal Ar
Bailey before Mr.. Aldrich could reply.
"is that the intention of the provision
for the repeal of the antitrust law liz
to reverse the supreme court Of the
United states The effect and purpose
IL to take the railroads from under
the supreme court"
Denies intimation.
Mr.. Aldrich denied the intimation of
the Texas senator and from this col
loquy arose general discussion as To
whether 1t had been the original inten-
tion TO include the railroads in the
Sherman antitrust bill. During this
discussion Mr.. Aldrch said that no
senator who had voted for the Sher-
man law had the slightest idea that
the railroads We're embraced within its
terms. But all the same you are now
trying to take them out OF IT," reitar-
ated Mr.. Bailey
Il beg pardon" responded Mr.. AID
rich. but that is not true. The Sena-
tor from Texas is mistaken as to tho
purpose of the proposed law as is the
senator from Iowa"
he could be mistaken for he declared
the purpose of the law was written
broadly on ita face. There could be no
doubt that 1t repealed the law on traf-
fic agreements. he said
Senator Elkins undertook To refute
this contention by reading the provi-
| sion regarding the agreements and in
so doing broadly asserted that every
one must know the railroads violate
the law every day. This assertion was
challenged by several senator's. but the
West Virginian held to his position,
and asked. Now, why embarass tho
railroads."
True. true responded Mr.. Cnm-
Minis half under his breath.
Control Rates.
Mr. E.lkns contended that even
though agreements We're authorized
| by the pending bill. the commission
still would have control Of rates, and
even more comprehensive control than
| under the present law
III is not the agreement that il pow
erful.' he said. but the rates them
| galraG nj
controls the rates ii Is In command of
| the situation"
Mr.. Aldrich referred 10 il supposed
alliance between the 'insurgent" re-
| publicans and democrats and then af-
ter brief protest from Mr.. Cummins
over this method of presenting the
matter the Rhode Island senator de-
| elared II To be his opinion that no
schedule OF the roads whether under
agreement or not, could go into effect
without the approval of the commits
sion
II that is not made clear in the bill
| am perfectly willing 10 have 1t made
so,s' said Mr. Adrich.
Responding 10 this statement. Mr..
| Cummns declared the only way to
remedy the defect was to withdraw the
repeating provision. To this sugges-
ton and others Mr.. Aldrich responded
that he had found himself in such dis
agreement with Mr., Cummlns that IL
had been impossible In committee to
go into discussion with him over tho
! provisions of the bill
The Iowan replied that he had never
made a single suggestion for an