The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-03-08
RAILROAD BILL
IS CHANGED
House Committee Strikes Out Pro-
visions on Control of Competing
Lines--Majority Report Is Full.

WASHINGTON. March by 4
vote OF Is 10 the house committee
on Interstate and foreign commerce
today struck from the administration
raihoa bill The provisions relative 10
control by railroads OF competing lines
one OF the provisions would have
alloWed railroads which own over 30
per cent or the stock OF competing
lines 10 purchase the remainder OF tho
stock aud would have legal!2ed all
past purchases OF stock.
Defending and explaining the Taf,-
Elkins railroad bill. as reported by the
senate committee on interstate com
merce. the majority OF the committee
Ned their report in the senate today.
The defense Is directed 10 some NJ tbs
charges made IN the Cummins Clapp
minority report presented last week.
Nearly one-third OF the majority re.
port is devoted TO the commerce court
proposed IN the bill In favor OF hay-
ing special court 20 handle all APP
peals from orders OF the interstate
commerce commission. The report
says that al present railroads may ap-
peal TO any court OF the United States
ana Not Cnly does much delay result
tut there - considerable difference OF
decision. with resulting uncertainty
in the law The creation OF special
court viii nrevent delay and confusion
IN the enforcement or the law"
Chairman Knapp. OF the interstate
commerce commission is quoted as
having favored the creation OF sucl
II court
The report declares that the scope
OF the .evicw OF the commissions or
der IN ths court of commerce will not
be wider than II is now in the United
States circuit courts. The Cummins
Clapp report charges that the author
ity TO be conferred upon the commerce
court Is muck greater than is held By
the federal courts In answer 10 the
statement OF the minority that there
would De little work for the court. the
majority report reckons there viii be
ample bushes. and If there should be
q lack OF II. the commerce court
judges. being United States circuit
court judges could be sent To help
In the regular work OF the heavy cir
cults
The report contends that the pro
vision In the bill making II the duty
az the attorney general 10 act for the
United States IN appeals from decis-
ions OF the interstate commerce com.
mission. proposes great improve
ment over the present law under
which the commission hires lawyers
20 represent II in appeal cases.
The CumminsClapp report sets
forth that the change would have a
bad effect on the governments inter.
est
The report makes an interesting in
depreciation OF plank in the last ma
tlonal Republican platform The plank
said railroads ought TO be allowed To
make certain agreements regarding
freight and passenger rates. subject
90 the approval OF the interstate com
merce commission"
The Taft-Elkins bin says that rail
roads making such an agreement file
II with the committee any time within
~ days after il has been made
The majority report says the Ian
guage OF the platform clearly did not
provide that such agreements should
BE- made. only with the previous APP
proval OF the commission Cummins
and Clapp think the platform did mean
previous approval
The committee majority believed the
widespread contention that a shipper
should have the right 70 direct the
routing Of his shipments would re-
suit in Injustice II was proposed. for
instance. to make the initial line re.
sponsiblc for loss or damage on con
Meeting lines that II would not have
chosen as part If the route So the
bill was made 10 provide that ship
per could have mis- choice between any
two or more established through
routes
The criticism that the bill did not
prevent holding companies from con
trolling competing railroads is ans
wered by the statement Ia the report
that the Sherman antitrust act pre-
vents such control Combinations OF
express. telegraph and telephone com
panies were not dealt with in the bill
because they also are covered by the
Sherman law