The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-11
Final Ballot Is On Purely
Party Lines and Measure
Goes Through
TAFT IS PLEASED AT
RESULT OF THE VOTE
! the Feature That Taft Likes Best
As This Provision Is His
| Own Plnn

Washington. May 10.-Without a single
dissenting republican vote the House to-
day passed the railroad bill, one of the
chief measures that President Taft
wished enacted at the present session
OF Congress. Not only did every
publican place himself on the side of
the measure. either by his vote or by
being paired in its favor. but IL demo-
Gratis Joined the majority to make the
total vote in favor of the measure 200
to 1875.
President Taft said tonigfS he was
deeply gratifed over the passage of the
measure. He was especially pleased with
the comfortable margin by which the
commerce court feature was kept in the
bill, for he regards this court as prob
ably the most important forward step
In the proposed law. As to the amend
ments and additional provisions added
in the House, the President said he did
not feel that this was the time to dis
cuss them nor that he was fully enough
acquainted with the changes to discuss
them. Referring TO the clause providing
for the physical valuation of railroads.
Mr. Taft pointed out that that power
practically now rests with the 1nterstate
commerce commission, and that the diff
Guilty in carrying out such plan al
ways has been found in the enormous
cost of the undertaking.
When all the amendments adopted by
the House while in committee of tho
Whole had been agreed to, Mr.. Adamson
Of Georgia. senior democratic member
OF the minority on the committee re-
porting the bill, moved to recommit it
to the committee with instructions that
it be reported back with the commerce
ciEuse stricken out. This motion was
defeated. 157 to 176.
"The bill makes many changes in the
existing law that II accepted by the
Senate will greatly affect interstate COM
merce. The court of commerce is ere
ated to adjudicate cases on appeal from
the interstate commerce commission. 1t
Is provided that this court shall be or
ganized by the justices of the supreme
court of the United States, Iuture ap-
pointments to membership on the court TO
be made by them.
Stocks and bond issues of railroads
are controlled by the bill Under this
clause a railroad before issuing any ad-
ditional stock must obtain order from the
commission, which must, among other
things, Ak the price at which the seeurL
ties OF the road may be sold. A similar
provision is carried in respect to rail-
roads which are organized throughout
the courts. A provision is made that
upon reorganization of a railroad through
court proceedings stock and bonds can
not be issued for more than fair value
Of the property.
The long and short haul clause of the
measure provides that a railroad cannot
without first gaining permission charge
more for a short than for a long haul
over the same line.
The interstate commerce commission
also is given authority, whenever new
rate is proposed to suspend the taking
effect of that rate for a period of four
months, so that the commission shall
have an opportunity to consider its
reasonableness.
The bill gives to the commission au-
thority over classifications, regulations
and practices of railroads. authority at
the present time being limited to rates
and matters affecting rates.
Under its terms a railroad company
must quote freight rate accurately upop
demand of a shipper and the shipper ID
given the right to route his freight when
ever 1t passes over more than one rail-
road The commission is authorized to e.
tablsn through routes for combining dif|
ferent railroad systems at It's ulscTetlOu
where, as under the present law, 1t can.
not make new through route II such
route is already established. Severe PEN
aties are provided against shippers who.
through false claims for damages or loss
of property. obtain secret rebates.
Champ Clark. leader of the democrats
explaining the democratic course
in opposing the bill on final vote, said:
THE democrats who voted against the btll
did so because they considered that there
were more bad features in the bill than
there were good ones. When 1t was flrst
brought into the House it was railroa4
bill pure and simple. 1t drawn II
their interests. Not a railroad lobby ap-
pcared around the halls of Congress In op-
position to this bill. which speaks moro
eloquently than many volumes could Do
that the railroads were In favor of this
legislation.
Every amendment that was adopted IN
the House helped the bill, but there were
not enough of them. Hrss the court Of
commerce feature and some parts OF sec-
ticns IS, IA and 10 been stricken out I
would have voted for the pill"