The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1910-04-15
Senate Discusses the Administration Railroad
Bill Indirectly in Discussing Gigantic Merger
Lodge Attempts Defense of Merger
Arguments COUer Wide Range of Accu
SGtiOn- Tries to ShOw Roosevelt Suit
Dismissed by Attorney General

Washington. D. c., April 13,--Inci-
dental consideration of the admnistra-
ton railroad bill the merger of the
Boston and Maine railroad with the
New York, New Haven and Hartford
railroad through the railroad holding
law enacted by the Massachusetts leg
islature in 1909 was discussed at
length Tuesday in the senate.
The principal speech attacking the
consolidation In unstinted language
was made by Senator LaFollette.
Federal legislation is matter in
which interstate commerce was large
ly concerned" he declared, the people
Of Massachusetts had been taken off
their guard by the authorization to
the holding company and approvingly
quoted the chairman OF the Massa-
chusetts house committee on rail
roads when he stated that Governor
Draper had been compelled to accept
Mr. Mellens ultimatum
When LaFolette concluded Lodge
of Massachusetts entered upon a state
ment of facts intended to show that
Mr.. LaFollette's outline of the situa-
ton had not been accurate He de-
clared the New Haven road and the
Boston and Maine road were not com
peting lines and he said that the nee
essity for the consolidation had been
found in the poor financial condition
of the latter road, which was such as
to render It impossible for II TO make
necessary improvements.
He asserted that the holding bin
had been framed as to safeguard ef-
fectually the interests OF the people
of Massachusetts and deprecated the
agitation Of a subject by one who was
not familiar with the entire situation.
He intimated that New England
would be able to settle its own affairs
and declaring that he held a brief for
the New Haven road, said that he
spoke only for the people Of his state
where the consolidation was affected.
The arguments covered a wide
range of accusation, but aside from
the speakers desire to hold aloft the
merger as a bad example the evident
purpose was to contrast the Taft adj
ministration with the Roosevelt ad-
ministratlon TO the disadvantage of the
former.
The criticism Of Attorney General
Wlckersham was especially stringent
and pointed. Il was towards the close
of his speech that Mr.. LaFollette made
his sharpest reference TO Mr. Wicker
sham. He was deYoting himself to
the condemnation of the pending bill
when, rising to his tiptoes, he exclaim.
ed: "Mr. President, is this the wise
legislation embodylng no sudden im-
pulse. but matured views expressed
i'm party council, which the attorney
general IN his recent speech at Chi
cago said Is pressed for enactment?
Is It for legislation such as that that
the attorney general commands all
who would not be read out Of the re-
publican party 10 get in line?"
Senator LaFollette then devoted his
remarks to the Massachusetts state
Legislation authorizing the acquisition
of the Boston and Maine stock by a
holding company, but failed to find
In this legislation anything like the
importance attached TO It by Mr.
Wickersham He asserted that Mr.
Wiekersham had permitted state leg
islation TO supereede, and consumed
the large part Of the days session be-
fore responses by Senator Lodge and
Senator Gallinger were made
Both Of the New England senators
defended the merger and upheld the
law under which It was made. Mr.
LaFollette presented this transaction
in great detail for the purpose, he
said, Of illustrating the possible ef.
feet Of the enactment into law Of the
merger provision of the pending rail-
road bin. He traced the consolidation
from the beginning, but gave especial
attention % the Massachusetts legis-
latlon under which the combination
was made effective. It was practic-
! ally charged by LaFollette that this