Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-01
CUMMINS To VOTE
FOR RAILROAD BILL
Iowa Legislator Considers LegiS-
Iation Step Forward and De-
sirabIe in Many Ways
Reject BROWN AMENDMENT
Effort to Prohibit Consolidation of
Competing Railways
Meets with Failure
TAssoclsted press1


WASHINGTON, May S1.-On the eve
of leaving for his Iowa home for the
purpose of participation in the cam
paign in that state. Senator Cummings
today informed the senate that as
amended the railroad bill would receive
his vote, as it would also receive the
votes of the progressive Republican
senators who have stood with him in
opposition to the bill as ii was pre-
pared by the attorney general and in
troduced by Senator Elkins.
This statement was made during a
Drlet speech delivered by Mr.. Cummins
in support of an amendment placing
on railroad companies the burden of
proof in hearings on rate increases.
This amendment was accepted by SEN
ator ElAins and became part of the
bill by general consent thus consti-
tuting the only amendment presented
by the Iowa senator that has been ac-
cepted by the senate.
Mr.. Cummins said that while the bill
left much undOne, he considered 1t a
step forward in railroad legislation,
and with the exception of the court
of commerce sections, in every way
desirable. He felicitated himself and
his associates especially on the eX-
purgation of sections 7 and IL, dealing
with traffic agreements and mergers.
The first of these he characterized as
reproach and the second as a Gu
riosity
He closed with the following state
ment:
I'VE have been as free to commend
what We thought to be right as We
have been to denounce what we be-
lieved to be wrong"
Aside from the adoption of the Cum
Minis provision, the action of the day
consisted in the rejection of Senator
Browns amendment prohibiting the
consolidation of competitive railroads
This amendment went out in an ad-
verse vote of 20 to Al.
The principal discussion of the day
was over the Brown amendment, and
on Senator LaFollettes amendment re-
quiring the interstate commerce COM
mission to make a physical valuation
of the railroads.
MI Bailey spoke against the Brown
provision on the ground that the regu-
lation of consolidation should be left
entirely to the states; Mr.. Hepburn, on
the ground that the subject was cOv-
cred by the antitrust law, and Messrs
Nelson, Hughes and Clay, upon the
ground that if the subject of consOlida-
tion was revived, advantage might be
taken of the fact to replace many OF
the Objectionable features of sections
and u in the bill
Mr. LaFOllette supported his physi-
cal valuation amendment in a long
speech. He said that such valuation
was absolutely necessary as a basis fol
the fixing of rates. The amendment
he said, met the approval of the inter
state commerce commission, and he
predicted if defeated it would not be
long before the railroads would be pc
titioning for its enactment into law.
The amendment was supported by
Senators Bailey and Borah, and op-
posed by Senator Elkins, who said il
would cost $5,OOO,000 to make such a
valuation, and that by the time it was
finished another would be necessary.
When, late in the day, it looked as II
it would be possible to obtain vote or
this amendment, Senator Stone took the
floor with the intention of delivering a
set speech upon another amendment
which he said he would introduce. He
refused to yield the floor for a vote.
The senate will meet at II o'clock to-
morrow.