The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-06
ALBANIAN SAYS THAT
LEGISLATION IS UNW|SE
Judge Richardson Declares That He
VIII Not Vote for the Bill as II
Stands and Makes Many
Objections TO 1t
BY wATrERsoN sTEALEY

Washington. June 5.-(Special i'm the
judgment of not a few members of Con-
gress, both the Senate and House railroad
bills are such thoroughly bad measures
that they favor using every effort to pre-
vent final disposition and allowing Con-
gress to adjourn without the enactment
Of railroad legislation.
This group contends that there is really
no sincere public demand for change in
the existing law and that either the
House or the Senate bills or bill framed
in conference would carry vicious fea-
lures calculated to more than Offset any
improvement which might be made in ex-
listing law
1t is therefore expected that any unani-
nous consent asked by Chairman Mann
to send the bill to conference will be
promptly objected to, probably by Rep
resentative Adamson of Georgia, the sem
or democratic member of the committee.
which would force the bill back to the
interstate and commerce committee, re-
ported back to the House and take its
place on the calendar.
From there 1t would probably, be
brought before the House on a special
rule.
Owing to the fact that there is little
likelihood of enough insurgents joining
the democrats some kind of a bill will
become law. but in the meantime there Is
general democratic sentiment on the
House side to enter into no agreement to
facilitate the passage of the measure
Views of Richardson
xxrl.po 10 ,s l,i+ta,t,, nrrasad m nv hill
Representative Richardson of Alabama.
the member of the interstate and foreign
commerce committee who drew the nni-
nority report against the measure when
1t was reported to the House. greatly pre-
fers the Senate measure, and If opportuni-
ty afforded would vote to concur in the
Senate amendments in toto on the princi-
pie of taking the lesser of two evils.
1.-THE capital stock provisions of the
House bill. sections 13, Il and 15 to-
gether with section 12 the merger provi-
sion, are all stricken out in the Senate
bill" said Judge Richardson tonight
These sections are TO my mind the most
vital and dangerous features of the leg
islation proposed We cannot hope to
get any better bill in conference than the
Senate bill now is
l"A yer., imnortant provision of the
Senate bill also is that no injunction or
temporary restraining order against a
state law can be issued except by a bench
of three judges one of whom must be
a supreme court Justice or circuit Judge.
regret. of course, that a provision Tor
physical valuation is not In the senate
bill | will not vote for the bill, senate
or House. as it now stands, and | have
not the slightest idea that conference
committee would improve either Dill.
Unwise Legislation
"The legislation proposed is improve
dent unnecessary and unwise, ana rear
will bring about depression in raliroad
operation that will be of the greatest IN
iurv to the country. This gigantic move
ment. embracing so many of the railroad
lines of the country, is of the utmost sig
nidcance II is a struggle on the part OF
the railroads for existence against raui-
calism and drastic legislation, fatnereu ny
the administration simply to popuiarize
Itself 1t looks to me as II the movement
authorized by this legislation against the
common carriers presaees sehetoi '
cial disaster.
awe cannot afford to drive the rail-
roads ont of business. and when we un--
dertake through the interstate commerce
commission TO take charge OF the intri-
cate business affairs of the carrier II SIM
ply means rapid approach 'o
ment ownership -.
..rhara is no other view to be taken OF II.
II Is a neculiar thing that while wages,
material and everything entering INTO tne
oneration of a railroad have increased,
that legislation is planned TO decrease
rates for the transportation OF freisnt'
"Jf any opportunity presents itself to de-
feat the entire legislation and let the
Hepburn law stand as it is, will cheer
fully support it,