New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-16
RAILROAD BILL UP
CUMllTNS ATTACKS 1T.
ISavs IT Has Made OTcr 10 Suit
Common Carriers.
Iron The Tribuns Duresu- !

Iron The Tribune Bureau
( Washing.on, March I5.-Debate On the
4 Interstate commerce bill was opsnC1 IN the
/ senate to-day by Mr.. Cummins. who spoke
4 for more than two hours. lie will resume
tomorrow end may not he able 20 finish
4 hts sDecch until Thursday. lie viii ho fol-
lowed bv senators Ciapp. BTistOw, La Fol-
lettc. DoIIiyer and other critics Of tbs bill.
Althoueh the friends OF the measure have
rot adOp1ed any programme, y - under
stood that IL will be defended 10y Senator's
AIdrich. Root, sutherland and .iiS'ns- In
the course Of the next ten days tee friends
Of the administration IN tho senate VIII
hold q series Of informal e0nfereHces WIN
a view 20 agreeing to amendments which
will compose. 50 far as possible difieTenees
ON the Republican side. The leaders are
convinced that they will be able 20 work
out a harmony programme which VIII bring
to Tire support Of this legislation an bu'
four or 1--WE Republicans.
Before taking up the bill; TO- analysis
Senator Cummins made preliminary state
ment. In which he declared that the blu
had not received real or serious ccnsldefa-
ton in the Committee on Interstate Com
merce, hut that a majority Of that commit
tee had accepted without question lte dratt
prepared by the Attorney General. Mr.
Cummins said that nearly every important
railroad president visited Washington and
made known TO President Taft and the At
torney General his opposition 10 certain
features OF tho bill. The iowa Sed1tor said
he did not impute any improper motive 20
Mr. Taft OF Mr.. WickeTsham, but he de-
plored a practice which Ief those desiring
ia 10 rF~f e. efe
House instead of the committees IN Con-
gTess.
Mr.. Cummins said that IL newspaper re-
ports were 20 30 believed every Republican
Senator was expected 10 vote for the bill
as il came from the hands Of the Attorney
General or expose himself "a the dis
pleasure OF the Executive, IL not to ban
ishment from the Republican party. He
doubted 70 the President was within the
bounds Of Executive propriety in attempts
ms 10 prescribe the exact form legislation
should take. For one. he did not intend 20
surrender his independence
Mr Cummins's criticism lost most % its
force IN view OF the fact that Senator
Jonas. after a White House interview this
morning. made the following announce
ment:
President Not Debating.
Il do not mind saying that President
Taft is not insisting that the administFa-
tien bill amending the interstate commerce
laws shall 90 through without change. lie
Is trying 70 get good law, such as Is
wanted by the people OF the country. and
he is not clubbing over details. ~ Is law,
action, he wants-law that viii ~ complete
and satisfactory"
Discussing the progress ~ the hill after
II reached the President. Mr.. Cummins Do
clared that 10 had been greatly changed.
Indeed, he declared, but fer the eirthmark
81 the Commerce Court no one would
recognize the measure that uss horn IN the
dog DAYS uP there in New York" These
changes Ne attributed to the influence Of
rho railroad men which had haea brought
80 bear on the President and the Attorney
General before January H. when the bill
was presented 90 the chairman Of the Com
mittes on Interstate Commerce
lie cid not object 20 the granting Of hear
ings on legislation. he said, His obisction
MAS 10 the course ef the executive officials
H. taking in hand the entire diFsctien Of
Hesitation. II the Attcrnsy General and
the President we're 70 prepare oils il was
'sminentIy fair thar they SHOULD hear those
interested But while The railroad men
and the Attorney General, only one %
them had been heard by the Senate co1n-
mittse.
Objects 10 Commerce Court.
NJ Cummins spakA % the proposed
Court % Commerce as unnecessary and ex-
pensive lie asserted that not % exceed
seven er eight cases a year would come be
fore thu court and that the cost would not
- much less than 10000 = year lie also
argued that any court created for ths trial
~ railroad cases slone would be unVise be-
cause 80 The influences that would sur-
round the selection Of members % The
court and the tremendous power Of the
railroads"
Mr.. Cummins Alse pointed out the pms
sihility 81 an enlargement Of the tuFisdie-
zion 81 the proposed court over that uour
exercised ~ the ciFcult courts PIE thought
the jurisdiction should he made ss specific
az possibls.
More serious and disastrous than any Of
these objections he said. Was the blow %
shippers N taking the Interstate Com
mercA Commission out Of the defence OF
eases. making tha United states the de-
PENDANT and placing the cases entirely in
the hands Of the Attorney General Such
a course. he ccntended, would give the De
partment of Justice the power ~ secret
review, from which there could be no az
pead or redress. This course. he thought,
must necessarily destroy the effectiveness
Of the law.
Mr. Elkins defended the provision FOR the
utilization Of the services Of the Attorney
General. but he wss autagonized by sen
atoT Bailey who said thar il the provision
were retained ths railroads would be move
Interested IN the selection or an ATTORNEY
GsneTal than OF the Preslaent hlmself.