Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-03-17
Administration Accused Of At
tempt to Relieve Carrying
Corporations from Operation
of Sherman Anti Trust Act,
CUMMlNS SCORES
MEASURES PROVISIONS
Aldrich Is Forced to Admit Pos
sibiIity of Amending Bill to
Conform Somewhat With the
Views of HarSher Critics,


4
Washington. March lG.-lr the
lsharpest debate yet provoked in the
senate on the administration railroad
Din bitter criticisms Of the supporters
of the bill IN trying to put the meas
/ ure through, without amendment, ellie
| tied from Senator Aldrich an admis-
sion that the bin could be amended.
! This statement was made in tho
second day of Senator Cummins
speech attacking the bill hut not un-
| til after friends Of the measure had
been accused of trying to hide behind
the president and behind the fact that
/ the hill had been drafted Mt his di-
reetion
| For more than two hours the prcsi
dent figured in the discussion and tor
q time his title. If not his name, was
handled about with "A freedom that
lamounted To recklessness In this por-
! ton of the debate Senators Aldrich,
4 Bailey. Cummins. Root. Elkins and
4 Bacon Figured conspicuously
Senator Cummins contended that
the provision ia the bll referring to
traffic agreements would render them
legal without their submission to the
Interstate commerce commission He
asststst tiefe bad been vnnspicuon1
silence IN the committee on this sub
ieet MIR Crawford then turned To
Senator Aldrich who Is q member Of
The committee on interstate commerce
and questioned him on his interpreta-
tion OF the meaning Of the provision.
THE whole truth interrupted Mr
naileY before Mr. Aldrich could re-
piv. is that tho intention Of the pro-
vision for the repeal of the anti
trust law is To reverse the supreme
court Of the United States. The ef-
feet and purpose is to take the rail-
roads from under the supreme court
AIR. Aldrich denied the intimation
of the Texas senator and from his
colloquy arose a general discussion as
to whether It had been the original
intention to include the railroad IN
the antitrust bill. During this dis
cussion Mr Aldrich said no senator
who had voted for the Sherman law
had the slightest idea that the rail
roads were embraced within its terms.
"But all the same YOU are now trying
TO take them out of IL, reiterated
Mr. Bailey.
II beg your pardon, responded Mr..
Aldrich but that is not true. The
senator from Texas Is mistaken rs TO
the purpose OF the proposed law as
is the senator from Iowa.
air Cummins would not admit that
he could be mistaken for he declar-
ed the purpose OF the law was writ
ten broadly on its face There could
he no doubt that IT repealed the law
on traffic agreements he said.
Senator Elllins undertook to retutc
this contention by reading the proNis-
ion regarding the agreements ana IN
so doing broadly asserted that every
one must know the railroads violate
the law every day This assertion was
challenged by several senators but
the West Vrsinian held to his posi-
tion and asked Now why embnrrass
the railroads
"True. true. responded Mr.. Cum
minis, half under his breath
Mr.. Elkns contended that even
though agreements We're authorized
hy the pending bill the committee
still would have control of rates and
even more comprehensive control
than under the present law
sit is not the agreement that Is
he said. but the rates
themselves. and so long as the com
mission controls the rates it is in
command of the situation.
Mr. Aldrich referred to supposed
alliance between the "insurgent re-
pnblicans and democrats and then af-
Ter "a brief protest from MIR. Cum
mons over this method Of presenting
the matter the Rhode Island senator
declared II To he his opinion that no
schedule of the roads. whether under
agreement or not could go into ef-
'ect without the approval OF the conf
mission
"If that is not made clear in the
bin ! am perfectly willing To have
{ made So. said MIR Aldrich.
RESPONDING 10 this statement Air
'ummins declared the only way tn
'emedv the defect was TO Withdraw
he repeating provision To this sue-
.cstion and others Mr.. Aldrich re-
.pondcd that he had found himself ia
.uch disagreement with Air Cummins
lat il had been impossible In conn
uittoe. to go into discussion with him
10 the provisions OF the bill.
The iowau replied that he never
iad made % single suggestion for an
.mendmcnt i'm committee and that
Mr. Aldrich had heard none from him.
Consequently hc was quite unable 10
understand why Mr. Aldrich has made
he statement
IN this connection the presidents
lame WAS brought into the discussion.
Mr. Cummins WAS still discussing
he terms of the alleged anti-trust re-
ical aud referring To some of the pro-
.isions when Mr. Aldrich stated that
such was the purpose OF the presi-
lent and tine attorney general"
This statement brought AIR. Nelson
a his feet with a strenuous protest
THE senator must not hide behind