Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-08
r. R. BILL FORCED
INTO CONFERENCE
House Democrats and Insurgents
Combine to Accept Senate
Measure, but Lose
MORE INCREASES WITHDRAWN
Heads of Eastern and Central
Roads Meet Taft and
Agree to Program
Associated Press1


WASHINGTON. June 7.-The furry
over the railroad situation became a
thing of the past today. The railroad
presidents went home, President Taft
went horseback riding and the railroad
bill went to conference.
Representatives of the eastern and
central roads, at a conference with
the president this afternoon, agreed to
withhold all proposed freight rate in
| creases until the new railroad law be-
comes effective, and after that to sub
nit the reasonableness of the increases
to the interstate commerce commits
sion
The railroads of the south declared
they had not as yet filed notices of
increase, but that If they did they
would be ready to abide by the de-
cision of the commission.
At the capitol things were not so
pleasant. President Taft sent a spe-
cial message to congress telling of the
settlement he had reached with the
railroads and urging that the provision
of the railroad bill that gives the COM
mission power to investigate and sus-
pend new rates be made effective i'm
mediately upon the signing of the act,
rather than have it go into effect
along with the other clauses, which
nave q S1Xty-Qdy 1lHllIaIlOn.
President Taft declined to commit
himself in his message or in confer
ence with senate and house leaders as
to the necessity of a conference. He
merely expressed the wish indicated
in his message and left it to congress
to determine the best means of meet
ing this wish
TAFT MEETS MORE RAILROAD CHIEFS
The presidents conference today was
with President McCrea of the PennSyl-
vania, President Brown of the New
York Central and President Finley of
the Southern railroad.
During the conference the question
of the ability of the Interstate COM
merce commission to dispose of all new
rates within the next eleven months
was freely discussed. President Taft
expressed the belief that the present
rates gave a basis for comparison that
would not require a great amount of
time.
When the rate bill was brought up
in the house that body almost accepted
it, missing the consummation by the
slim margin of six votes. The vote
came on a motion by Mr.. Lenroot, an
insurgent of Wisconsin, to concur in
the senate amendments with an addi-
tional amendment to section 8, requir-
ing increases in railroad rates to be
submitted to the interstate commerce
commission in advance.
The close vote was caused by COM
bination of Democrats and insurgent
Republicans and five regular Repub-
licans. Had the Democrats not lost
six votes on their side of the house,
or had the insurgents been able to
hold their full strength instead of
losing eight, the bill would have been
accepted and the session Of congress
shortened many days.
BILL ORDERED TO CONFERENCE
The bill finally was ordered to con-
ference, and conferees on the part of
the house were named. These were
Representatives Mann of Illinois and
Wagner of Pennsylvania, Republicans
and Adamson of Georgia, Democrat.
The senate conferees are Elkins of
West Virginia, Aldrich of Rhode
Island, Republicans, and Foster OF
Louisiana, Democrat.
Not q little surprise was occasioned
by the loss of six Democratic votes,
and much speculation as to the cause
resulted.
1t was pointed out that four of the
Democrats were so-called "Tammany
representative" from New York-Fitz-
gerald, Harrison, Gould and Goldfogle
The other two were Underwood of Ala
bama, one of the Democratic leaders,
and Craig of Alabama.
President Taft recommended the
changes in the senate bill proposed by
Mr. Lenroot in a message to congress
in accordance with his agreement with
western railroad presidents last night.
After two hours debate on the pro-
posal made in the form of a motion
bv Lenroot, the house declined to ac-
cept it by a vote of 156 to 162. A mo-
tion to non-concur in the senate
amendments then was carried and con-
ferees were named.
The senate conferees were named
soon thereafter
The insurgents who opposed the Len
root motion were Gardner and Ames
of Massachusetts, Good and Pickett OF
Iowa. Hayes of California, Miller and
Volstead of Minnesota and Parsons OF
New York. M
The regular Republicans voting with
the Democrats and insurgents were
Grow of Missouri, Foelker Of New
York, Kusterman of Wisconsin,, Martin
Of South Dakota and Murphy of Mis-
souri,.