Los Angeles herald., 1910-05-09
SENATE BATTLERS
DECLARE A TRUCE
Republicans and Insurgents SuS-
pend HostiIitieS in Rail-
road Bill Fight
ROW TO BE RENEWED SOON
-
Taft Whips "Near" Rebels Into
Line to Secure All Repub-
Ican Majority
ROW TO BE RENEWED SOON
Associated Pressl

WASHINGTON, May S.-Under a
flag of truce hostilities between the
conservative Republicans and insur-
gents of the senate over the admins
tration railroad bill have ceased
They probably will be renewed when
Senators Cummins and Dolliver return
from Iowa, where they have gone to
open the campaign.
Senator Aldrich is expected from
Rhode Island Tuesday. If he should
attempt to precipitate a vote on any
important amendments Senators La
Toilette and Clapp will undertake to
hold the floor
Meanwhile the White House will be
the scene Of real activities, the presi-
dent having undertaken to bring into
line some of the so-called NEAR in
surgents" whose attitude on the rail-
road bill has been a matter of doubt.
That work was begun yesterday and it
was claimed Senators Gamble and
Crawford of South Dakota would join
the 45 Republicans canvassed. making
the necessary "all Republican" major
ity for the administration progrm.
MAY RECoMsIT BILL
While an understanding was reached
in the house that the vote on the rail-
road bill would be taken Tuesday it
now seems certain the Democrats Will
seek to have the bill recommitted with
instructions that the sections for the
creation of a court of commerce be
eliminated. The vote, it is conceded,
will be close
In the senate the long and short
haul is receiving more attention than
the stock and bond sections. The pres
ident and attorney general are pressing
for their retention, and inclined to ac-
cede to their demands, the regular Re
Htrf1 lrn a CT
sections.
Some of the regulars. however, would
be pleased if they were eliminated.
Among those who are understood to
doubt the wisdom of their retention are
Senators Aldrich. Elkins and Root. all
of whom cOncede the possibility of le-
gal complications over their conflict
with the state laws.
TAFT FIRM
The president is not disposed to yield,
however, and Attorney General Wick
ersham is represented as willing TO
Vouch for the validity of the provisions.
No special effort is being made to
hold Republicans in line against the
long and short haul amendment. 1t is
generally recognized that local condl-
tions are .ch that many of the SEN
ators from the interior states cannot
avoid supporting this provision. But
regulars
making up among the Democrats the
losses in their own side of the chamber.
Conceding the probable loss of 10 votes
in favor of the amendment, they say
they will get IS Democrats in opposl-
tion to the provision. Their contention
is that most of the Democratic sena-
tors whose states skirt the Atlantic
Pacific and Gulf coasts, as Wen as
some of those along the Mississippi
will approve the provision. If they
get the Is Democratic votes and hold
the 40 Republicans, they will have
majority of 8.
THE MAINsTAYs
The 10 Republicans who, it is be-
lieved. will vote for the amendment are
Beveridge, Borah, BristoW, Brown,
Burkett, Carter, Clapp, Crawford,
Cummins, Curtis. Dixon, Dolllver
Gamble, Guggenheim, Hepburn, La Fol
lette. Nixon Smoot and Sutherland.
The supporters of the provision hope
also to get Senator Jones vote,
The president is said to be urging
Republican senators to keep the long
and short haul question out of the bill,
but is not making it test OF party
LOYALTY. He takes the position that
most of the amendments suggested
would have the effect of placing rail-
road charges purely on a mileage basis.
Refusing TO concede that such would
he the result, the proponents believe If
the provision should be inserted he
would not veto the bill on that ac-
count, as it had been asserted he would
do.
on other points they find the presi-
dent most insistent upon malntalng
strict party discipline. Senator Bran
degee. who is among the staunchest
of the stalwarts, is reported by his
colleagues to have advised the chief
executive to quit kissing the insur.
gents" and to "get out his tomahaWk'
and the president is said to nave eX-
dressed no disapprovaI of the sug-
peStinn.