The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-19
WAITING FOR ACTION
+. AMONG THE DEMOCRATS
In an Amendment Tackled Upon
the Bill as offered BY
Michigan Senator

washington, May 1S.-Abandoning all
hope of reaching any common under
\ standing on the railroad bill with the in
,surgents, the republican senators moved
Ian early adjournment of the Senate to-
day to permit the democrats to get to-
lgether tonight to consider propositions
hooking to the completion of the bill. Pre-
Ivicus to the adjournment. Senator Aldrich
made an effort to obtain an agreement
20 take the final vote next Wednesday,
but there were several objections and the
request was not pressed.
1t was the general understanding about
4 The Senate chamber that the democrats
would be asked to assist in expediting the
bill by permitting amendments to be laid
on the table, by refraining from speech
making, and by other means with the
understanding that in return the last
three sections OF the bill relating to cap
1talization would be withdrawn.
The democrats generally have opposed
these provisions because of their sup
posed infringement of the rights of the
states. Many of them are anxious to
4 dispose of the bill and are willing to re-
sort to any proper means to hasten its
passage
The democratic conference tonight was
held in the Senate office building and was
ATTENDED by about a dozen of the demo-
cratic lawyers.
After considering propositions advanced
|lby the republican regulars they decided to
submit their views to their colleagues in
time to consider any suggestions that
may be made at tor1orrow's session look
| ing to the fixing of day for final vote
on the bill.
As a result of the labor of the day, the
Sepate accepted by a majority of II votes
the House provision regulating the de-
fense of cases arising out of orders of
| the interstate commerce commission
| offered and amended by Senator Smith of
Michigan and as latterly modified at the
suggestion of Senator Hughes of Coloor-
ado This provision as it passed the
House places the conduct of such cases
in charge of the Attorney General and
permits the interstate commerce commits
| sion to intervene.
Mr.. Smith had the provision so mod
flied as to permit of ample notice to
the commission and he accepted aft
erward a suggestion from Mr.. Hughes
which also permits the intervention of
shippers or other parties at interest,
and not only prohibits the Attorney
General from disseminating such cases
| without notice to the intervenors but
auth orizes them to proceed with the
cases even after the Attorney Gen
| eral may have withdrawn from them.
The vote on the combined proposi-
Ition of the Michigan republican and
| the Colorado democrat stood 40 to 23.
| Thirty affirmative votes were
cast by republicans and the other three
lily Senators Fletcher, Hughes and Nc
| Emery. democrats Ten of the mega
| Rive votes were by republicans as fol-
lows: Beveridge, Borah, Bourne, Bris-
tow, Burkett, Clapp, Cummins, Dixon,
Golliver and LaFollette.
| The success of the Smith Hughes
provision was admittedly due to the
| Adoption of the House section. which
Us generally conceded to be more favor
able to shippers than was the pro-
vision In the original administration
Bill. With out some concession 1t would
have been impossible to get any DEM
ecratic votes and a considerably larger
number of republicans would have
heen lost. Indeed until the change
. was made there was a fair prospect for
Nhe defeat of the original provision
and for the success OF the Cummlns
| 5lAamendment substituting the interstate
| ccmmercel commission for the govern
n1ent as the defendant i'll these cases.
In addition to the defense provision
| Ahe Senate also accepted an amendment
| proposed by Senator Aldrich extending
| FROM GO to 120 days. the period dur
| lng which the interstate commerce
| commission may suspend for fnvesti-
fgation any new rates or classi1cations
made by railroad companies. This also
I Was a concession in the interest OF the
| shippers and was accepted without d1-
| vision and without debate.
The entire discussion of the day was
| based upon the Smith Hughes amend
| snent and was participated in by
| Nessrs. Aldrich, Smith, Elkins Borah,
.Cummins, Clapp, Newlands, Rayner'
i4Ieyburn and Hughes.
The general contention for the
Eemendment was that it afforded the
hest possible protection to the public
while on the other hand 1t was argued
HNhat the Attorney General. besides be-
| ing subject to political influences.
would not be as we'll prepared to con-
| Auct the defense as would be the In
( Nerstate commerce commission.