The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-15
Aldrich Bo is, Blu t
Everybody S Laugh
ing Now.
ALL SATISFIED
WITH ''VICTORY"
Regulars, Insurgents and Demo.
Gratis Claim Triumph in Com
promise to Railroad Bill.
Bitter Struggle Is Prornis-
ed Over Measure in
House This Week.

Washington. May H-If Senator
| Aldrich can devise plan that will
| not create too much opposition, con-
| sideration of the railroad bill Is to
| be expedited Senator Crane set about
to-day seeing how far the progressives
| would go in the direction of meeting
/ the regulars half way. He got little
| encouragement. No expression as to
| the probable continuance of the debate
could be obtained. The progressives
! were urged to intimate what it was
| they still would demand, and upon
| what matters they would continue to
| 1-ht; If they would make any con-
| cessions If concessions were offered on
a mutual basis. The amount of infor-
! nation Mr. Crane obtained along that
| line was not illuminating to the gen
| eral situation Mr. Hale, when he
urged Friday that the Senate adjourn
over to Monday. replied to Mr.. Clay
| that he believed such action would
tend to expedite the bill.
To-day after Luncheon Senator'S
Cummins. Clapp. Bristow and Borah
| gathered in Mr.. Clapp's rooms to dis
| cuss the situation. They assert that
| no program was agreed upon, although
| they protested that good deal or
| comfort was obtained out of the result
| on the long and short haul amendment
/ agreed to yesterday.
VIII Fight Bitterly.
! Talking over the coming weeks
| struggle, the amendments that will be
| contended for were considered in de-
/ tail The Cummins amendment to sec
ton Q. providing for the approval by
! the Interstate Commerce Commission
| of every increase in rates before such
| increases shall become effective. will
be fought for to the bitter end This
| is practically the same amendment
1 that was voted down at an earlier
4 stage of the proceedings after two
/ weeks OF debate. The indications are
that the whole subject must again be
| threshed out.
The creation of the commerce court
i is 10 be attacked again. The opposi-
/ ton of the progressives to this feature
! of the bill is pronounced. If they lose
| this fight they will bring their bat
| teries to bear upon the provision plac-
ing in the hands of the Attorney-Gen-
eral the control of all litigation before
| that court and before the Supreme
Court This. they contend. weakens
4 the whole structure of the bill. al
though shippers already have been
i given the right to be represented in
an amendment adopted some weeks
4 ago
/ Sections IL, Il and Is. relating to
capitalization. as now before the
Senate are to be antagonized. Several
substitutes for the pending provisions
/ have been submitted. ProEressives to-
day claimed that these sections as
written by the Attorney General. have
the effect of limiting railroad construc
| ton to the strong lines and operating
to the disadvantage of those that are
/ struggling to obtain a footing where
i they will pay expenses at least
Electric Lines Exempted.
Il One feature of these sections, which
i the Insurgents characterized as lin
II genuous" is the exemption of electric
lines. Under this exemption, they say,
any railroad owning electric lines may
I capitalize that system to any extent
desired. thereby accomplishing by in
4 direction what directly the proposed
law would prohibit.
/ Mr.. Cumrlins has an amendment to
this provision. hut it does not meet
the approval of majority of the In
4 surgents. They say it Is not flexible
enough. In the next breath they adj
! nit that too much flexibility opens the
Z door to evils. Mr.. Dolliver has an
amendment. which the majority of the
4 progressives believe better fits the
!, case.
/ An amendment providing for the
J, physical violation of railroads is like
~ to be offered Such an amendment
already has passed the House. That
;. phase of the bill has been left to Mr.
La Toilette, and he has not yet adj
vised his colleagues what he intends
: to do 1t was claimed to-day, on be-
half of Mr.. La Toilette. that every
amendment so far inserted into the
bill during the debate in the Senate
: that radically changes the text as
originally framed. involves principles
advocated by Mr.. La Toilette during
the fight four years ago for the enact
ment of the original measure.
The provisions for the control, for
the capitalization and physical valua-
ton were suggested by Mr.. La Toilette
at that time, and these are the only
: two of the radical" propositions of
four years ago that have not been
!. included in the conservative" legis-
lation of the present session,
Makes Little Change,
Attorney General Wickersham to-
day expressed the opinion that the
; long and short hauls amendment in
3 serted by the Senate in the railroad
. bill yesterday practically leaves the
| matter where it stands under existing
t laws. The only difference is that the
i burden Of proof that the charge for
I short maui is TeaSonapie Is Snl1ted
' to the shoulders of the railroads. II
/, is true. perhaps, also that the amend
ment made more definite the right OF
: the Interstate Commerce Commission
o to exercise jurisdiction In the matter
i. of fixing rates for long and shor
: hauls. But that any practical BENEFITS
t will accrue to the public through tn,
| operation of the amendments few be-
n tlieve.
President Taft. who has been OPP
posed to any long and short han
clause in the railroad bill, is perfectly
0 satisfied with the amendment, and vii
. 1.-The bill,
o No more laughable situation has
i been created In Congress for some
Ic.S,. ~.