Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-06-11
The Railroad Bill

Washington June 11.-President
Taft at a'cOnference in the White House
today with Attorney General Wicker
sham, Speaker Cannon, Senators Al
drich and Nelson and Representative
Mann, reiterated his determination to
stand for the stock provision in the
present railroad bill. In the event that
it is withdrawn in its present form he
insists that a clause be added IN
conference providing for the appoint
ment Of commission to study the
question and suggests some arrange
ment designed to correct the evil aimed
at by the present provision. 1t IS now
pretty definitely known that the Opposi-
ton to the stock and bond provision -
sufficiently strong to prevent the reten-
sion of the feature Of the bill. The
democrats OF the Senate are opposed to
it with the exception Of one member
and there is some opposition on the
ound, 81 the violation OF states rights.
| 1t is probable, however, that the confer
ence will provide for the appointment
Of the commission the President de-
sires. The report will be made by him
to the next Congress when the question
will be reopened and further effort
will be made by the president to carry
through his programme.
Three provisions Of the bill were
considered: The long and short haul
clause, the clause extending to ten
months the peaiod for suspension by
the Interstate Commerce Commission
of rate increases pending hearing by
the commission, and the stocks and
bonds provisions.
Despite the persistent rumors that
the stocks and bonds provisions cannot
pass the Senate, the real difficulty is
plain unadulterated ignorance. FoT
this reason the cOnferees at the White
House today discussed Mr.. Mann's sug-
gestion for presidential commission TO
study and report on the subject OF rail
road stocks and bond issues looking to-
wards legislation next session.
1t is admitted by all conferees, aud
the president that some legi Ia ion on
this point is essential but Mr.. Mann will
not permit crude legislation on so com
plicated subject. There is still a
probability, if Flkins or Aldrich can
convince Mann that they know what
they are talking about, that there will
be little legislation on this point in
the conference report. a presidential
commission In any event is very prob
able. This plan would be to appoint a
body Of experts to study every phrase
Of the question.
The conference is faced with fight
on the long and short haul clause, at
least so far as the House conferees are
concerned. They will insist upon the
House long and short haul clause.
Upon the ten months extension, "
clause, the House conferees will give IN
to the Senate.
It was learned today that the prog
ress Of the conference on the railroad
bill is most encouraging to the House
| tOlltIttS. II Wis dulhOi idAiN'ig 80 -
that the bill as it will come from the
conference will be practically the House
measure with the exception that the
physical valuation provision will be
eliminated and that instead OF the stock
and bond section there will be pro-
vision for commission to be APP
pointed by the president which will
investigate the stock and bond
question. 1t is understood that
the president has receced from bis
position in regard to the suspension
of alleged unreasonable rates and that
the bill as it comes from the conference
committee will fix the time at ten
months as proposed in the House bill.
Representative Mann said today
You can say that things are shaping
themselves so that we will report back
to the House a better bill than was
passed by either body" 1t is under
stood that the suggestion for a com.
mission to examine the stock and
bond question came from Mr.. Mann.