Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-10
MAY LOWER FLAG OF TRUCE
Peace Now lowering Over Senate
May Change to Open Hostility,
IowANs HEADED EASTWARD
Cummins and DoIIiver May Renew
Fight Mt National Capital
AIdrich 10 Also NearInE
the Goal.

WASHINGTON, May s-Cnder a flag of
truce, hostilities between the conservative
and progressive republicans OF the senate
over the administration railroad bill have
ceased temporarily. They will be renewed
probably when Senators Cummins and Dol
liver return Thursday from Iowa, whore
they have gone to open the campaign. Sen
ator Aldrich Is expected to return from
Rhode Island Tuesday. IL he should at
tempt to precipitate vote on any i'm
portant amendment Senators LaFollette
and Clapp will undertake to hold the floor
Meanwhile the White House will be the
scene of the real activities, Presidnt Taft
having undertaken to bring into line some
of the so-called near insurgents" whose
attitude on the railroad bill has been
matter of doubt. That work was begun
yesterday and it was claimed that Sena-
tors Gamble and Crawford Of South Da-
kota would Join the forty-five regular re-
publicans previously canvassed, making the
necessary all republican majority" for the
administration program.
While an understanding was reached in
the house that the vote on the railroad
bill would be taken Tuesday, 1t now seems
certain that the democrats will seek to
have the bill recommitted with instruC-
lions that the sections for the creation of
court OF commerce be eliminated. The
vote, 1t is conceded will be close.
In the senate the long and short haul
provision is the immediate subject of con-
troversy. but is receiving little more at
tention than the stock and bond sections
which come further along in the bill and
which are far more puzzling. The presi-
dent and the attorney general are pressing
for their retention and, inclined to accedo
to their demands, the regular republicans
will make a stand for the sections. Some
of the regulars. however. would be pleased
If they were eliminated.
Among those who are understood TO
doubt the wisdom of their retention are
Senators Aldrich, Elkins and Root, all OF
whom concede the possibility of legal COM
plications over their conflict with state
laws They are not disposed to yield, how
ever. and Attorney General Wickersham
is represented as being willing to vouch
Tor the validity Of the provisions.
Matter of HaHls.
No especial effort is being made to hold
republicans in line against the long and
short haul amendment 1t Is generally
recognized that local conditions are such
that many of the senators from the in
terror states cannot avoid supporting this
provision. But the regulars count con-
fdently upon making up among the demo
Gratis the losses on their own side of the
chamber. Conceding the probable loss OF
nineteen votes from that side in favor
of the amendment they say will get fiji
teen democrats in opposition to the provi
sion.
Their contention is that most OF the dem
| ocratc senators whose states skirt the At
| lantic, Pacific and Gulf coasts, as we'll a:
some of those along the Mississippi, will
| antagonize the provision II they get the
fifteen democratic votes and hold the forty
republicans they will have a majority Of
eight.
The nineteen republican votes which Il
| Is expected will be cast for the amendment!
are those of Senators Beveridge, Borah
Bristow, Brown. Burkett, Carter, Clapp
Crawford, Cummins, Curtis, Dixon, Dol
liver. Gamble Guggenheim. Hepburn, LIE
Toilette, Nixon, Smoot and Sutherland. The
supporters of the provision also hope to ge
| Senator Jones vote.
PresIdents Attitude.
The president is said to be urging repub
lican senators to keep the long and shor
haul question out OF the bill, but Is no
making it a test of party loyalty. He take
the position that most of the amendment
suggested would have the effect OF plac
ing railroad charges purely on a mileage
basis. Refusing to concede that such woul,
be the result the proponents declare thei
conviction that II the provision should b.
inserted he would not veto the bill on tina
account as has been asserted he would do
On other points they find the presiden
most insistent upon maintaining strict part.
discipline Senator Brandegee, who
among the staunchest of the stalwarts I
reported by his colleagues as having ad
vised the chief executive to quit kissing
off the insurgents" and ito get out hi
tomahawk," and the president is said I
have expressed no disapproval OF the sug
gestion.
President Taft will be absent from Wash
ington the early part of the week on a vis
, to New York and Passaic, N. j.