Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-05-14
ADMINISTRATION RAILROAD
bill S7|RS UP MORE FUSS
EXCITING SCENES ENACTED FLOOR THE SENATE ON
THE VOTE ON AN AmENomE NoMENT-REeULARs ALL
STRENGTH cLA'mED-m woRbs sANoIEo BACK AND
FORTH DURING THE MEETIN

! shorter, whether they arise from
competition by water or rail; then it
may authorize a common carrier to
charge less for longer than for
shorter distances for the transpor-
tatlon of passengers or property, but
in no event shall he authority be
granted unless the commission is
satisfied that all the rates involved
are just and reasonable and not un-
justly discriminatory, nor unduly
preferential or prejudicial.
And provided further, that no rates
or charges lawfully existing at. the
time Of the passage Of this amenda-
tory act shall be required to be
changed by, reason Of the provisions
OF this section, prior to the expire
ti0n Of six months after the passage
of this act, nor In any case whe
application shall have been filed be-
tort the commission, in accordance
with the provisions of this section.
until determination of such appli-
cation by tho commission.
OF the u Votes in favor of the
amendment, ~ were given by re.
publican senaforD who have opposed
the Insertion s,of any long and short
haul prov1siop in the railroad bill:
13 by democrIts, and the remainder
by insurgent republicans.
The negative vote was equally d.
vided between republicans and dem
ocrats. Fot Several days the "regu-
lar" republicans had been boasting
that they had Q clear majority to de-
feat all Of the long and short haul
amendments. They based this claim
upon a canvass which tended to
show that . majority of the senate
would vote to defeat the Dixon
amendment. which the insurgent re
publicans, Joined by a number of
regulars from the inter-mountain
section, and pepbably a majority of
the demOes'ats had agreed to SUD-
port.
The regulars had been assured, o.
q number Of democratic votes. Just
before four o'clock it came to the
knowledge of Senators Aldrich and
Elkins that, while the democrats or
their list would vote against the
Dixon amendment, they proposed
later to support an amendment intro
duced by Senator Overman of North
carolina. Such provision would
be particularly obnoxious to the op-
ponents Of long and short haul
provision, and they were unable in
hasty poll to show a majority agains,
the Overman Amendment.
Senators Carter Of Montana and
Smoot OF Utah, ardent supporters OF
long and short haul provision,
which would prevent determinations
against the inter-mountain country.
received overtures from the regular
republicans, who offered a comprom-
ise In the form of portion of the
original Dixon amendment and a pro-
viso taken from an amendment Of
fered by Senator Painter Of Ken
lucky.
Picturing the political effect of a
humiliating defeat through the adop-
tlon of an exclusively democratic
amendment, that would put the
whole question on a mileage basis.
the regular republicans encountered
little difficulty in bringing a large
of the senate to their way
OF linking. The compromise, which
was finally adopted, was put in the
hands of Smoot and in turn pre-
sented to Senator Dixon, who offered
1t as modification Of his own
just prior to four o'clock.
through the clumsy handling of
SCISSORS and paste brush, the COM
posite compromise was sent to the