The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-10
The President in a Speech De-
livered at Passaic, N. J..
Expresses Optimism Regarding
the Action of Congress.
THE RAILROAD BILL
Has Not Been Seriously Dam
aged, He Declares.
Reviews the Status of the Adj
ministratiOn Measures.

Passaic, n. J.. May 1O.-In a speech
before the Passaic board Of trade here
last night President Taft declared with
a great deal of emphasis and amid
an outburst of applause that the rail-
road bill has not been emasculated in
any vital way and predicted a satisfac--
tory law would be passed
1.-THE bill" said the president. "still
retains its important features and
am hopeful that within the next few
weeks we shall see the passage of the
bill in both houses, the adjustment of
the differences between the two houses
and its final enactment
In a review of pending legislation
Mr.. Taft expressed the belief that the
following measures would be enacted
into law:
Statehood for Arizona and New
Mexico.
Postal savings banks.
Anti-injunction.
The so-called validating bill of the
conservation measures.
The publicity of campaign expendi-
lures.
The railroad bill.
The president said:
you have been doubtless advised
by your newspapers that there is GER
tain legislation pending in congress IN
which the administration has a very
intense interest growing out of the fact
that it was promised by the platform
of the Republican party and has been
recommended by the president to con-
gress and I feel as If it might not be
without some use for me to say what
the condition of the legislation is and
what the prospect is for its passage.
I'm the first place, the bill grant
ing statehood to New Mexico and Ar1-
iona passed the house some months
ago. but 1t is still pending in the SEN
ate. Objection was made to the bill
as 1t passed the house in regard to
which disfranchised Mexicans not
speaking English, who has heretofore
by reason of length of residence &C
Quired under previous laws the right
of suffrage. There is a hesitation on
the part of the Republicans in the SEN
ate to pass a bill which is so likely to
add four Democrats to the senate or If
not Democrats, Republicans of that
radical type that are entirely out Of
sympathy with the more conservative
notions of the cast. Still there is a
promise in the platform distinct and
clear, that this bill shall pass and
am anxious that the party shall meet
its obligations in this regard, and en-
act the necessary legislation. do not
think that l shall be disappointed.
The Conservation Bills.
1.-The conservation bills with refer
ence to the public domain by which the
government shall retain over the undis-
posed lands a power OF disposition or
readjustment of interest in water pow
er sites, coal lands, oil lands and phos-
pilates. are not in a very advanced
state. The conditions are such as to
make imperative in the interests of the
conservation the passage of only one
law. That law has passed the house
and I am very hopeful that it will pass
the senate. 1t ratifies all the with
drawal of public land heretofore made
amounting to upward of 60,000.000 acres
and it specifically empowers the presi-
dent to make other withdrawals when
he desires to ask congress to pass laws
varying the existing laws for the dis
position in class of public lands.
The president reviewed the whole
legislative program which he said was
progressing satisfactorily, and contin-
ued: Finally, come we to the bill
amending the interstate commerce law
The bill is pending in both houses. It
has been amended in the house and
also in the senate and with that free
dom of touch, for which headliners and
correspondents are so noted. we have
been told with much emphasis that the
administration bill has been emascu-
lated in both houses I am not as IA
miliar with its condition in the house
as l am with it in the senate but 1
think that possibly the state of the bill
in the senate will show what is the
fact, that the bill has not been emascu-
lated in either house and that it con-
tains almost all of the remedial feat
ures of the original administration bill
and thai those things which have been
omitted are neither substantial nor
vital.
"In the first place the bill contains a
series of sections creating a commerce
court which is to absorb all the juris-
diction now had by the circuit and dis
trict courts on review by injunction
suit or otherwise of the proceedings of
the interstate commerce commission.
Advantage of New Court.
''T1le advantage of the court is tina:
we shall have a court of experts at
Washington very familiar with the
whole business of interstate commerce,
and the decisions affecting it and which
will be able to dispose of the business