Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-04-13
LAFOLLETTE ON
RAILROAD BILL
WISCONSIN SENATOR MAKES VIC.
OROUS ATTACK ON ATTORNEY
GENERAL WICKERSHAM.
Opposes Railway Merger and Law
Governing Same.

OOhCEhlIAB same
WASHINGTON, April 13.-Inciden-
tai to the consideration of the admin
istration railroad bill the merger OF
the Boston & Maine railroad with
the New York, New Haven & Hart
ford railroad, through the Massa-
chusetts holding law, was discussed
at length in the senate.
The principal speech attacking the
consolidation in unstinted language
was made by Senator La Toilette and
consumed the larger part of the day Is
session. Brief responses by Senators
Lodge and Gallinger were made at
the close OF the Wisconsin senator's
speech. Both the New England sena-
tors defended the merger and upheld
the law under which it was made.
Attacks Merger Provision.
Senator La Toilette presented this
transaction in great detail to illustrate
the possible effect of the enactment
into law of the merger provision col
the pending railroad BILL He traced
the consolidation from the beginning,
but gave especial attention to the
Massachusetts, legislation under which
the combination was made. 1t was
practically charged by the senator
that this enactment had been con-
summated at the dictation OF Presi-
dent Mellen of the New Haven rail
road, who, he iRtimated, represented
the Morgan Rockefeller interests.
He quoted from a member of the
Massachusetts legislature stating that
Governor Draper had responded to al
ultimatum from the New Haven int
erests. He undertook to show tn
federal merger suit instituted during
the Roosevelt administration had
been dismissed at the dictation of At
torney General Wiekersham under the
Taft administration for the made
quate reason that the Massachusetts
legislature had passed the holding
bill under which the consolidation
was effected.
Criticism of Wickersham.
The argument covered a wide range
of accusation, but aside from the
speakers desire to hold aloft the
merger as a bad example the evident
purpose was to contrast the Taft ad-
ministration with the Roosevelt ad-
ministration to the disadvantage OF
the former. Senator La Follette's
criticism of Attorney General Wicker
sham was especially stringent and
pointed. The responses by Senators
Lodge and Gallinger were just as
positive in defense Both the New
England senator's defended the attor-
ney general as a lawyer and as
man.
II was toward the close of his
speech that La Toilette made his
sharpest reference to Mr.. Wicker
sham. He had practically concluded
his exposition of the New England |
merger and was devoting himself to
CONTAMINATION Vi NAG RCMdAhh bAAAs
when, rising to his height. he ex-
claimed: sis this the wise legisla-
ton embodying no sudden impulse
but matured views expressed in party |
council which the attorney general
in his recent speech at Chicago said |
is pressed for enactment Is IL for
legislation such as this the attorney
general recommends all who would
not be read out of the republican
party to get In lines"
Senator La Toilette took up the
Massachusetts, legislation authorizing
the acquisition of the Boston q Maine
stock by holding company, but fail
ed to find in this legislation any
thing like the Importance attached
to it by Mr.. wickersham. He assert
ed Mr.. wiekersham had permitted
state legislation to supersede federal
legislation where interstate commerce
was largely concerned. He declared