The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-29
DENT SAYS RAILROAD
BILL IS DANGEROUS
Postal Savings Bank Bill Is
Disappointing
COMMERCE COURT IS BAD
EstnbIishment of Postal Savings Bank
Is violation of Pledges of Demo-
cratic INSTRUMENTATION OF
Special Courts
COMMERCE COURT IS BAD

Montgomery, June Especial IS.
r. Dent congressman from the sec
ond district in a carefully prepared
interview in the Montgomery journal
today, says some of the features Oh
The railroad bill are dangerous and
that the postal savings bill is not what
the people expected.
1.-THE second session of the Sixty
nrst Congress, which has recently ad-
1ourned" said Mr.. Dent, was In many
respects a very remarkable one. A great
deal of legislation was enacted, ana
although the session lasted for nearly
seven months, the most important leg
tslation was enacted during the last
IN DAVIS. This is accounted for by rea-
son of the fact that the republican
party in both houses was badly split
and defnoralized. The majority party
however, recuperated to some extent
under the leadership of the President
during the closing days of the session.
The President did not get all the leg
islation which he so anXiously sought
1.-THE railroad bill, as finally enacted
Is not by any means the measure drawn
nv the administration and originally
,n+roduced in the House. 1t was changed
10 some extent by the committee and
considerably mutilated both in the
House and Senate.
"One of the principal features Una.
the President seemed so desirous OF
was the prevention of stock watering.
This part of the bill undertook to give
to the Interstate commerce commits
~. anti ra
regulation of stock and bond issues
of railroad companies engaged in inter-
state commerce. The House passed this
feature, but the Senate struck the same
out entirely. AS the bill went through
the House. the democrats, with the aid
of the insurgents and few regular
republicans, passed an amendment pro-
viding for the physical valuation Of
railroad properties engaged in inter-
state commerce. This provision was
eliminated in the Senate.
"While there some good features
in the railroad bill, the establishment
of the commerce court was an abso-
1utely unnecessary expense. If not a
dangerous piece of legislation, in thai
1t is apt to centralize all litigation
between common carriers and shippers
Mt Washington.
Postal Savings Bank
LIZ coldDilSiIueut Oh Il postal saw
ings bank, If constitutional viola ties
the pledges of the democratic platform
which demanded that the funds deposit.
ed should be kept in communities
where deposited
THE admission of Arizona and New
Mexico was forced through the Senate
by the democrats. But for the action
of the democratic senators in threatening
to defeat other measures if the state
hood bill was not passed. there would
have been no legislation on this subject
IT deplore the action of Congress in
the creation of special courts for the lit
igation of a certain character, such as
the court of customs appeals, and the
court of commerce. Eliminating the ques.
ton of the expense, / believe that the
administration of the law can be better
accomplished according to the old time
theory of the fathers, in the selection of
judges trained in all branches of the
law.
Creations of Commissions
Another thing for which this Con.
gress will be especially remembered is
the creation of various commissions to
investigate different subjects and report
their findings for the enlightenment of
Congress-; such as the commission to
Investigate the difference in the cost OF
production of protected articles in this
country and abroad; a commission to
inquire into stock ana bond issues of
railroads and ascertain how the water
ing of the same may be prevented; and