Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-05
CHANCES IN RAILROAD BILL
Section to Legalize Traffic Agree
ment Stricken from Measure.
SECTION TWELVE ALSO GOES OUT
Provtsios AuthoriEfnE Purchase OF
stocks Of CorapetinE Line. Meets
Even ouicker Death-COm-
ment by DoIIiver.

WASHINGTON. May 4-The dismantling
Of the railroad bill proceeded in both
house yesterday.
Section :. the traffic agreement provis-
sion. was eliminated by both senate and
house, the senate struck out also section (
Il. which would have permitted any rail-
road owning 50 per cent OF another road.
TO absorb IT altogether The section pro-
hibiting railroad from charging higher
rate for a short than for long haul was /
adopted by the house In the form reported /
By the committee on interstate commerce. I
but with an additional provision for an in /
vestigaton and report to congress By the /
Interstate Commerce commission Of the I
facts relative to the long and short haul /
question
There IL no section corresponding 10 this /
in the bill it is pending in the senate. /
but an amendment offered by Senator Hey I
burn today to modify the existing law to |
similar effect preciptated an extended de- /
bate which was still in progress when the |
senate adjourned.
Strictly speaking each house today was
boring holes in a separate oill-the senate /
in the senate bill introduced by Senator /.
Elkins, the house in the bill introduced by !
Representative Townsend but the bills al
.
made different in various respects By the
committees which reported them. Each
version OF the bill has vet 10 be passed in
its own house and will have to undergo the
tender mercies Of the other. Whether
either will ever emerge from the final stage
Of Joint conferences is a thing nobody is
now prepared to prophesy.
Traffic Section killed.
Never since IL was reported to the senate
nine weeks ago has IL moved along with
such celebrity as today. The program out
lined at yesterdays conference Of repubh-
I can leaders as carried out and extended.
In rapid succession the Cummins and the
4 Crawford Elkins amendments TO the traf-
/ fic agreement provision were Withdrawn
and the entire traffic and merger provts-
1 ions stricken out
Immediately after the bill was taken up
/ in the senate. Mr.. Elkins. in charge Of the
/ bill, proposed TO lay on the table the Cum
Minis amendment, requiring the approval
I OF all agreements by the Interstate Com
! merce commission in advance Of their TAX
! ing effect But Mr.. Cummius saved the
trouble OF taking a vote by voluntarily
taking his amendment out OF the running.
I The democrats had agreed TO vote against
the Cummins' provision in consideration
Of the adoption Of the Clay amendment
striking out the entire section.
Mr. Elkins explained that the majority
OF the Interstate Commerce commission was
willing 10 permit the section to 60 out be-
cause OF the apprehension felt by some that
it would affect repeating the antitrust law
so FAR it applied 10 railroads. He ex-
pressed his purpose OF supporting the Clay
amendment. but explained that. in order to
get Il before the senate. il was necessary
10 get the Cummins provision out of the
way. To effect that purpose he moved to
lay the Cummins amendment on the table.
Cummins' Amendment Off.
Mr.. Cuunins then announced tho with
drawaI OF his amendment. He expressed
his conviction that II adopted the provision
would be beneficial to the public, and said
he would re-offer it in connection with
section to be taken up later. He declared
himself 20 be much gratified over the pros
pect OF the elimination Of the. entire traffic
agreement section
The motion to lay on the table was
promptly withdrawn by Mr.. EIkfns who
followed this action with the withdrawal
of the Crawford Elkins' substitute.
The last action was acquiesced in by MI
Crawford. but not without protest The
contention that the Crawford amendment
would constitute a compliance with the
platform was challenged by Senator Clapp.
who said the purpose OF that declaration
had been to insure against monopoly, which
he said the Crawford amendment would
not accomplish.
The Clay amendment. striking out the
agreement provision, then was presented
but was not acted upon Immediately.
Senator Stone said he did not concur in
the invitation recently extended by NJ
Rainier TO the insurgents 10 come into
the democratic fold. He thought they would
do more good where they were.
The Clay amendment was then accepted
without division. and this action was fol-
lowed Immediately BY the adoption Of
motion by Senator Nelson striking out
without division. section Z. which covered
the questions Of mergers
Mr.. Hepburn then precipitated the de-
bate Of the day by presenting an amend
ment prohibiting a greater charge for short
than for long hauls. He spoke at length in
support OF his amendment presenting many
instances Of alleged discrimination. Many
Of his statements were challenged by Sen
ator Aldrich, and a controversy eusued, in
which several senators participated.
Cases of Injustice.
Admitting rnat apparently there were
some cases OF injustice. Mr.. Aldrich said
the trouble was 10 find a remedy. De-
claring that many cities. such as St Paul
kansas City and Denver had been built up
; by the railroads, he asked Mr.. Hepburn
whether ne advocated their snnihiliation in
the interest. for instance, Of some unknown
place in Idaho. He declared that Nj
Heyburns contentious carried to their
legitimate result. would convert the great
central part Of the country into . barren
waste.
That is the old siren song" responded
Mr. Hepburn. He would not admit It's ap-
i pIicability and declared that IL the ter
minal charges Of the railroads were fair
and remunerative. there could be no in
justice in charging the same prices for
short haul"
The Hepburn amendment was still under
consideration when the senate adjourned
Voting was begun on amendments 20 the
long and short haul section after two
hours debate upon II in the house
BY fitty-five TO rs. an amendment by
Mr.. Hardy OF Texas to strike out the pro-
I vision permitting the Interstate Corr-,sr-.