Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-05-03

Washington, May 3-The senate
adopted the Clay amendment to strike
out the entire section of the railroad
bill relating to traffic agreements.
Nelson's motion to strike out Sec
tlon IL of the railroad bill which would
permit mergers between railroads was
adopted by the senate without divi-
sion.
Things Happen Quickly.
Washington, May 3.-Moves of
radical character in connection with
the administration railroad bill
eventuated rapidly when the measure
was taken up in the senate late this
afternoon. Elkins at once announced
he would move to lay on the table
the Cummins amendment to the traf-
hc agreement section. He coupled
this statement with the announce
ment that the majority of the COM
mittee would then support the
amendment by Clay to strike out the
whole of section seven.
Cummfns Satisfied
Cummins gained recognition and
withdrew his amendment A motion
was then made by Clay to strike out
the section. Before the vote was
taken several senators stated their
displeasure at the program but said
they were powerless to prevent it.
Never Perfected.
Section z, which occasioned all the
trouble, never was perfected in the
senate. The Cummins and EIkins-
Crawford provisions We're offered as
complete substitutes for the section
The Cummins provision wodld have
legalized traffic agreements, but would
have compelled railroads to procure
the approval of the interstate com.
merce commission before making
changes of rates. The EIkins-Craw-
ford provision would authorize the
making of traffic agreements, but
would permit railroads to put into
force changes of rates without first OBJ
tanning the approval of the commits
sion.
Saw Danger In 1t.
The insurgents" claimed this pro-
vision would repeal the Sherman anti
trust law so far as it applied to rail
roads and would put an end to compe-
tition as to rates. Both factions con-
tended that their amendments were in
compliance with the republican ma
tional platform which declared the
interstate commerce laws should be
amended so as to permit railroads to
make agreements as to rates subject
to the approval Of the commission
Taft Reads the News.
Cincinnati, Ohio, May 3.-Presi- |
4
today the dispatch from Washington
dealing with the critical situation in
which the administration railroad !
bill has been placed. The president |
would make no comment for publica- |
tion regarding the attitude of the |
insurgents toward the measure.
Holds Insurgents to Blame
That he holds the insurgents re-
sponsible for the legislative delay is |
now fully recognized. Taft is far |
from having lost all hope, but it is
believed that he is plainly discour-
aged by the lack of support from the /
men who nominally belong to the
party of which he is the titular head.
No Majority I'm Either House.
AS there seems to be a lack of
working majority in either branch of
congress chances for the various ad-
measures seem anything
but bright.
Only Subject Discussed.
Washington, May 3.-The only sub
ject of conversation on the senate floor
this morning was the decision of the
administration leaders to eliminate
from the railroad bill the sections re-
lating to the traffic agreements and
the legalizing of railroad mergers
Feeling on the floor was tense. The
senators claimed they
were still certain of their ability to
defeat the Cummins amendment to re
quire change of rates to be approved
by the interstate commerce commits
sion before taking effect. But this
vote depends upon an agreement that
the whole section then be limited.
Stick by Guns.
When the bill was taken up today
the insurgents were sticking by their
guns and were insistent that the traf-
fic agreement section must be brought
to vote. Dolliver and the other ''in-
surgent" senators. were of the opinion
The senate proceedings today would
mark an epoch in the history of the I,
railroad bill. The insurgents were
No., -