The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-08
Democrats and Insurgents
Oppose Bitterly Certain
Parts Of the Bill
REGULARS BELIEVE THEY
CAN NOW DOCTOR BILL
Democrats Are Hopeful That the BIZ
VIII Finally he Defeated ms They
Are Very Strongly Against
1t as n Whole
BY wArTERsoN sTEALEY

III "
Washington June 7.-(Special. Party
lines fell loose in the House today and
two diametrically opposite extremes in
the republican and democratic parties
contributed the necessary votes to send
ing the railroad bill to conference.
On the one hand, group of democrats.
actuated by the desire to prevent all rail-
road legislation and hopeful that con-
ference committee may fail to agree on a
BILL and in any event that they would
not allow themselves to be placed ip the
attitude of supporting the Objectionable
features of the Senate measure, voted to
send the bill to conference.
| A majority of the House republican reg
ulars, having solely in mind the hope
that the conference committee will frame
up bill eliminating certain drastic fea-
lures of the Senate measure and substi-
tuting the pet provisions of the original
| House measure, voted the same way.
| Against them and defeated by the narrow
majority of six were nearly all of the
democrats and insurgent republicans,
who took the stand that the Senate bin
| is the lesser of two evils and conference
| committee could only report bill worse
than that of the Senate. How 1t will
| work out only time can tell. The regu-
| lars are chuckling in the belief that they
| can now make their own BILL while Sen
ator LaFolette and the nsurgent and
democratic strength express determina-
ton to remain in Washington all summer
rather than accept conference report
| along the lines that the Aldrich-Mann
combination proposes to bring forth-if it
has its way. 1t will be an interesting
fight all along the line, with the prospects
OF an early adjournment not SO roseate
and crash suits in evidence
Lenroot's Motion
Representative Lenroot of Wisconsn
offered the motion by which 1t was hoped
tho hilI as plssed by he sslaits would
be accepted and conference avoided
Chairman Mann of the interstate COM
merce committee had previously moved
that the House disagree to the Senate
bill in Its entirety and ask conferences.
but the Lenroot proposition was prefer
ential under the rules and the test came
over its adoption. After Its defeat the
Mann motion was pressed and carried
and Speaker Cannon appointed the loi-
lowing conferees: James r. Mann, llli-
nois, republican,; Irving P. Wanger'
Pennsylvania, republican; William C. 1,d-
amson. Georgia democrat.
The bill was rushed back to the Senate
in double quick time and the following
| Senate conferees were appointed; Ste
phen B. Elkins, West Virginia, repuo-
lican: Nelson A. Aldrich, Rhode Island,
republican; Murphy J. Foster, Louisiana,
democrat.
The republican insurgents made good
| their promise to deliver not less than .
republican votes in favor of concurrence.
| Twenty-one insurgent republicans voted
for concurrence-Messrs. Cary, Cooper,
| Davidson Kepp, Lenroot and Morse or
| Wisconsin; Davis Lindbergh and Nelson
| of Minnesota; Fish of New York. Gronna
of North Dakota, Haugen. Hubbard, Ken
dali and Woods of Iowa; kinkaid. Hin
! of Washington and Madison and Murdoch
of Washington and Madiso nand MURDOCH
of Kansas.
Voted With Insurgents
| Five regular republicans voted with the
insurgents and democrats in favor of con-
currence. They were Crow of Missouri.
| Foelker of New York, Knsterman of MS
consn, Martin of South Dakota and Muir
| ply of Missouri This brought the total
republican poll in favor of accepting the
action of the Senate up to 26, or just one
| more vote than the insurgents had prom
ised to deliver. Eight insurgents declined
to follow the course of their colleagues
and voted with the regulars against con-
currence. They were Gardner and Ames
of Massachusetts, Good and Picket of
Iowa. Hayes of, California. Miller and
Volstead of Minnesota and Parsons of
| New York.
Speaker Cannon voted in favor of send
ing the measure into conference. The ac-
ton taken by the House through the de-
feat of the Lenroot proposition leaves the
| future of the railroad bill unknown. The
theory upon which 1t was opposed by the
| democrats and insurgents that the
Senate bill. despite its obvious defeats. II
preferable to a conference bill such as
would be framed by Aldrich If he is al
| lowed to have his way. The only check
upon his known desire to perfect .he
bill is the fact that there will be prob
ably enough votes in either house to de-
feat the adoption of very bad confer
ence report.
Both Bills Opposed
The democratic side is opposed to both
the House and Senate forms of the bill.
and voted against them upon their final
passage. But the House democrats-with
six exceptions-were in favor or accept
ing the Senate bill this afternoon as a
choice between two evils, the lesser OF
which was considered to be the bill as
framed by the Senate 1t contains a Num-
Der of good provisions and Is believed by
the democratic side to be superior to any
thing that can come out OF the confer-
ence committee.
The adoption of the Mann motion, send
ing the bill to conference. followed the
receipt of a special message from Pres
ident Taft recting the result of his con-
ference of yesterday with the various rail-
way presidents. and telling of the agree
nent by them to withdraw the proposed
increases and not to file any further at
tempted increases until after the enact
nent OF the railroad bill. or the adjourn
ulent of Congress. with the further under
standing that upon the enactment of the
law each would submit to determination
of the question of the reasonableness OF
the increases. In his message the Pres
ident pointed out that the bill provides
that It's term shall not become effective
until 60 days after its passing and az.
under the agreement reached with the
railways presidents. they may refile their
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