Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-05-28
The RAILROAD BILL.

before the close of the session, when 81
amendment plsclpg telephone and tele
grsph companies under control of To,
lit rstate Commerce Commission ant
giving to the commission power t. regu
late rates was sprung upon the Senate
and adopted slmott before the regular
leaders knew Wha! had been done.
This ia the same provision that wal
put into the House bill, and strong op
position from the Aldflch. Eikins force:
was anticipated. At The tina the
Htu'e adopted this feature 1t was pre-.
ditt,d generally that 1t would not "a
thrt ugh the Senate. The action yester-
day makes 1t certain that 1t will form q
Part OF the bill SO finally reported from
the conference committee.
After the Deliver amendments refer
ring to the physical valuation aud stock
aud bond Gestures had bean voted down
aud most Of the senators thought The
6ual vote on the bill was coming. Sena.
tor Dixon offered the telephone and
telegraph amendment. The section was
a long one, re-enstting part OF the pres.
ent Law and adding telephone and tele
graph companiee. Senator Lodge im.
m sdistely protested. He insisted that
1t was net possible for the Senate to di.
ges. this amendment, covering nine
printed psges, In 30 short q time, aud
demanded that ga adjournment be taken
10 order that senators might intelligently
study 1t. Mr.. Dixon explained the
amendment, but was unable to convince
Mr.. Lodge &c to its simplicity, Seps-
;ors Bscoo, and Hale likewise thought
1t ridiculous ID ask the Senate to act at
once on au amendment! OF this sort
without sufficient time for its considers
ton. a motion was made to lsy the
amendment on the table. This was lost t,
81 to %. Again Mr.. Lodge insisted
upon sdjou 'nment, bat the Senate de.
cllned to aoj urn. Mr.. Dixon then said
that, as the objection appeared to be to
the length of the amendment be wou
accept ss q subst tate one prepared by
Senator La FolleIt', stating the case 10
few words.
Mr.. La Folleit, presented bis substi.
lute, which amply provided that the
telephone and t,legrsph companies be
placed under the jurisdiction Of the com.
mission, lie accepted an amendment
from Senator HsyburD, excluding "wire-
less" because be said he did not desire
10 aren, the question, and without in
tending to reflect upon anybody he be.
Iieved 1t important to the country that
| the vote on the amendment be taken at
| once. HI inlImated that II the matter
was allowed to 60 over until tomorrow
the corporations would exert pressure to
defeat it. His prompt acceptance of the
Hsyburu amendment left the chair
ot thing 10 do bu' put the question.
The amendment was adopted without a
roll call.
This is The irst amendment to the bill
emsnaIiug from line in.u'gent republi-
CABS that has been permitted to go
through rs proposed. Every time Mr..
Aldrich has seen ihit he could not de.
feat The insurgent proposition he tas
managed TO have substitute or modI-
dsd form come from the democratic side,
aud has led ca the roll call by voipg for
1t himself, thus robbing the insurgents
of the fall credit. This time, however,
Aldrlch left the Senste before the
amendment came up. Nor Was The
ss'ue Crane 10 The chamber t the time,
Hale, L7dge end Elkins found them.
selves inadequate TO cope with the situs-
ton, aud 1t went through.
The Deliver stock and bond and ply
steal valuation amendments we're slaugh.
tered. A feature of this debate WAS The
division on the democratic side. On
the physical valuation feature, Senator
Stone stated that, while he opposed the
i'll as whole, he would support The
amendment, btcsu,s 1t was 10 accord
With the democratic platform. SeOsior
Newlsuds supported him In this. while
Senators Rsyner, Bailey, and Hughes
took the opposits views
Mr.. Rsyner again attacked The stock
and bond proposals upon the ground OF
their uuconst tu,Ionslity.
~ Mr. RsyOer also denied that the demo-
cratic platform contained any such
pledge, and Mr. Buyhes assert d that
there va; not so mu,h asa hirt TO that
tf sct in the plat orm. Mr.. Some re-
piled to both Hughes aud RAyDer. in
sit ng tlat The provision WAS In accord
with The platform, snd that he had no
doubt OF It's cOnstitutionality. The
amendment Was defeated by q vote OF 46
10 10.
Immediately after The tele phone and
telegraph amendment hsd been adopted
: uatOr Brown offered an amendment
prohibiting auy railroad from acquiring
stick 10 a computing railroad. A similar
provision wss put into the bill 10 the
House, Mr.. Brown argued that this was
q simple proposition ih't should not re-
quire argument. The "Old guard" how
ever, refused to agree to suy further
amendments and Senator Lodge renewed |
bis motion to adjlrn, which was carried.
Senator Aldrich left Washington
sarIy in the afternoon and is not expect
ed back until Tussdsy. II was hoped
hat the 6nsl vets on the railroad bill
could be taken today, but Mr.. Lorlmer
declined 10 postpone bis speech Of
iefeuse against the bribery charges made
'gainst him. Mr.. Lorimer was scheduled
o speak, and 1t Is understood that 1t Is
,is intention to consume the better part
" the day. II .his is so, It will not be
possible ID get through with the bill |
'enst1rs Crane and E kIps, as veil 90
)ummius, Dolllver sud others, are
nxlOus to get the bill out of the way
s speedily IS possible.