The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-03-01

President Taft's proposal that Congress
shall create an interstate commerce court
of appeals 20 pass on cases arising from
the Interstate Commerce Commission was
indorsed yesterday by the House Commit
tee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce
which has the administration railroad bill
under consideration.
The commerce court provision was
adopted by vote of ten TO eight. all or
the members Of the committee being pres
ent Representative Mann, Of Illinois.
chairman of the committee, and Repre-
sentative Stevens. Of Minnesota, Rspubli-
cans. joined with the six Democrats in
casting negative votes. Ten Republicans
stood by the administration proposal. and
this means that the administration bill
win be reported to the House substan-
tialiy as it was outlined in President
Tafts message TO Congress.
Administration leaders are very much
elated over the action OF the House Com
Inittee yesterday. It was the court fea-
ture OF the railroad bill that provoked
good deal OF controversy in committee.
Chairman Mann announced his opposition
10 IL some weeks ago. and for a time it
was believed that the measure might
reach the House minus this provision. The
vote on this proposition was taken late
in the day, at the conclusion Of a meet
ing that lasted several hours. Attorney
General Wickersham was given another
opportunity to be heard. and when he
had concluded his argument the commit
tee went into executive session.
Reasons for Opposition.
According TO members of the commit
tee it looked for time as if the court
provision would be defeated. Chairman
Mann and Mr.. Stevens spoke against it,
taking the position that the court, Instead
Of expediung the handling OF interstate
commerce cases. would retard them
They also expressed the opinion that a
special court in this Instance was not
only unnecessary, but undesirable The
debate disclosed that the ten Republi-
cans who stood by the Presidents pro-
gramme believe that the administration
measure should be reported with little
OF no change and that ii should be taken
up in the House at the earliest possible
date. The Republicans who voted for the
court provision are: Messrs. Wagner. of
Pennsylvania; Esch. Of Wisconsin; Town
send. Of Michigan: Kennedy, Of Ohio:
Washburn of Massachusetts; Calder, of
New York; Knowland, of California.
Hubbard. Of West Virginia; Miller. of
Kansas, and Stafford. of Wisconsin. In
addition 10 Messrs. Mann and Stevens.
Republicans. the following Democrats
cast negative votes; Messrs. .Adamson
and Bartlett. of Georgia; Richardson. of
Alabama; Russell Of Texas; Sims. of
Tennessee, and Peters. Of Massachusetts.
To Be First Taft Law.
From present indications the railroad
bill will probability be the first big ad-
ministration measure laid on the stat
utes. The court provision is bound to
provoke lively debates in the Senate and |
in the House, but that it will be written |
into the laws Is generally believed. The
opposition in the House will not be pro |
longed. Representatives Mann and Ste
vens and other Republican opponents of /
the court feature will speak their pieces |
against IL, but viii not attempt obstruc- !
ton. The prospects are, therefore, that /
the railroad bill viii not consume much 1
time In the House.
The situation is quite different in the /
Senate. An elaborate minority report on /
the bill has been prepared by Senators
Clapp, Of Minnesota. and Cummins. OF |
Iowa, members of the Commerce Com
mittee- that recently submitted the bin to
The Senate. It is the purpose OF these
insurgent Senators, as we'll as others who
agree with them, to debate the bin at
great length. Predictions are made that
the measure viii be under discussion in
the open Senate at least six weeks.