Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-14
ONFEREES AGREED
ON RAILROAD BILL
Early Passage of Measure in
Both Houses Is Expected
by Leaders. Y
FINAL KNOTS UNKINKED
AT WHITE HOUSE TALK
Conference With President Followed
by News of Agreement.
TAFT WINS MAIN POINTS
Gets Commission to Consider Com
troll of Stocks and Bonds-Re-
deems Party Pledges. l.

AS al " 4lcuSts. c4
The conferees on the railroad rate
bill reached an agreement about 1:30
this afternoon. and the conference re-
port was Immediately presented to the
ord and Senator Elkins will call IT up
for consideration tomorrow.
Representative Mann. chairman OF the
House conferees. said to a Star report
er this afternoon:
Everybody will be pleased with the
bill which the conferees have finally
agreed upon. 1t is a better bill than
the measure passed by the House and
Mann Thinks Bill Good.
1T will be acceptable to the shippers
and Is not unjust TO the railroads re-
gard 1t as good piece of legislation for
the best interest Of the whole country"
The bill as agreed upon retains the pro-
vision fixing ten months as the period in
which rates shall be suspended pending
investigation by the interstate commerce
commission. The House provision on the
long and short haul clause is retained.
The conferees eliminated the provision
relating TO capitalization Of railroads on
the ground, explained by Mr.. Mann.
that they. did not feel like enacting a
rigid provision of law which would Affect
such immense interests. Instead. they
gave commission which will collect ex-
pert information upon the subject as we'll
as on the application of the constitution.
Mann Amendment Retained.
The conferees retained the Mann ameu1-
meut to the interstate commerce law re-
lating to regulations and practices at
fecting transportation.
These amendments are regarded as OF
the highest Importance to the shippers.
The burden of proof Of reasona bleness
of rates is placed upon the railroads.
The House provision TO telegraph.
telephone and cable lines is retained.
The House provision preventing rebate
by fraduient claims for damages and false
billings is retained. This is regarded as q
very essential feature of the pill.
The Attorney General is to represent the
state commerce commission can be heard.
Peculiar Feature of Conference.
The last hours of the conference on
the railroad bill were marked by the
peculiar spectacle of the House conferees
holding out for Incorporation in the bill
of an amendment put on by the Senate.
and of the Senate conferees insisting
of
ment.
This was the clause determining the
period OF suspension of increased rates
pending investigation by the interstate
commerce commission Of their fairness
me House bill had provided for four
months and the Senate made IL ten
months. a compromise suggested by
the President fixed six months as the
period
1t had been found that the sentiment in
the House was favorable to the ten
month amendment put on In the Senate.
That amendment had been put on by the
insurgent vote, and the Senate leaders
when they accepted it thought they could
fix it in conference.
Acceptable to the House.
But it turned out to be so acceptable to
the radical sentiment OF the House that
modification was impossible. The Sen
ate conferees struggled for two days oves.
this, but We're up against a stone wall
The reason for this obduracy was that
the threat had been repeatedly conveyed
to the conferees by men in the House fol-
lowing the progress of the conference
that if the conferees dropped this ten
month amendment a motion would be
made in the House to discharge the con-
ferees and adopt the Senate bill with all
its crudities and alleged impossible
ties
such a motion would prevail. once it
should come to a vote. They recalled
that, by a majority OF only six votes
had this very thing been prevented the
those on the inside know that a vital
section of that majority had voted to
send the bill to conference q result
of the personal pleading Of Representa-
fereeS.
Had Confidence of House.
In this connection IT may be said that
all along the House conferees have en-
joyed the absolute confidence OF the
men In the House who are working for
a reasonebl bic and fair bill They had
implicit faith in Chairman Mann. and
were ready to back him up with a ma
jority.
The Senate conferees at last realized
this situation, and, with great reluctance
and much heaving of big signs of regret,
accepted the ten-month amendment.
The House provision on the long and
short haul was also part Of this spirit
of insistence among the rank and file Of
the House membership They were not
moved by the argument that the House
provision might be declared unconstitu-
tional They announced their willingness
to take chance with the courts inter
probation of the language Of their amend.
ment.
Democrats Called In.
The republican members OF the confer
ence committee went into session at the
Capitol at 1890 o'clock. Shortly after the
republican conferees assembled Senator
Newlands and Representative Adamson.
the democratic members, were called in.
The conferees on the railroad bill have