The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-03-12
Speculation as to Just What
the Ex-President
Will Do.
Senator Gore Says Postal
Bank Bill is a Trojan
Horse.
Special to the Irish Standard,

Taft interstate commerce bill which,
it is alleged, will legalize the Union
Pacific-Southern Pacific merger, a bit
ter fight is looming ahead for that
measure
1t was only recently that Senators
Cummins and Clapp condemned this
bill in minority report. They held
! that it creates useless court, reduces
authority of the interstate commerce
commission, and does not prevent the
over capitalization of railroads.
Although the two senators had gone
through tine bill very carefully, they
overlooked one of the craftiest jokers
in the bill, which prominent lawyer
thoroughly familiar with the inter-
state commerce and Sherman anti
trust acts, has just called to their at
tention.
Following is the provision which it
is declared will give legality to the
Union Paciflc-Southern Pacific mer-
ger, which is dragging in the courts
until this bill can become law.
THAT nothing in this section con-
tanned shall operate to prevent any
such corporation which at the date Of
the passage Of this act owns not less
than one-half of the entire issued and
outstanding capital stock of any other
railroad corporation from acquiring
any Of the remainder Of such stock,
nor to prevent any such corporation
which is now operating under lease,
made for not less than twenty years,
a railroad Of any other corporation,
from renewing such lease or acquiring
the reversionary ownership of the les
ser railroad, either directly or through
purchases of the stock of the lessor
company"
This verbiage may seem tangled to
the layman, but it is as clear as a
bright sunny day when compared TO
other provisions of the bill. Lawyers
in and out of the senate who have
that not only will it permit the acquire
ment in the future Of full ownership
of roads by roads which on the day Of
the passage Of the bill already have
not less than SO per cent OF more of
the Southern Pacific stock, for which
offense the Hartman corporation is
now before the court.
1t is pointed out that that case will
drag along until the bill with this pro-
viso becomes law, then the action
will fall of it's own accord, because the
provision will have legalized this VOL
alton of the law. This discovery by an
eminent rate lawyer was brought to the
attention Of senators and representa-
tives, and it was generally accepted as
the boldest as well as the cleverest
piece of jugglery in the bill.
| In the early stages of this legisla-
ton it was explained on behalf of Pres
ident Taft that he wanted this provis-
| ion in the bill in order to protect the
minority stockholders Of a road In
which some other road has majority
interest.
No one suspects that the President
appreciated the far-reaching effect Of
the provision which his shrewd legal
advisers drew up for him. 1t appears
to be another instance in which the
| ,%a- &c
by those OH whom he relies for CO.
operation and advice.
After Colonel Roosevelt is safely
home and the shouting has died down,
the nation will naturally look to him
to choose his company as between the
standpatters and the progressives.
President Taft and Senator Aldrich are
syn,holcal of the reactionary group.
while LaFolette and Clapp are repre-
sentatives of the progressive element
of the Republican party.
If the ex-president disowns Mr.. Taft,
it will be accepted by many as an adj
| mission OIL tue OIL mdUe charge CHdS
he entced the American people into
electing as president man wholly un.
fit for the Office.
! II Roosevelt places his approval on
the Taft administration it will be ac-
copied as slap in the face of the pro-
gressive and progressive sympathizers
1t would appear that whatever course
Mr.. Roosevelt takes. he will come in
for criticism. But it may be that he
has already mapped out an ingenious
policy" that will enable him to meet
the vexatious situation with MINI
mum amount of irritation to all con-
cerned.
There is as wide a difference of
opinion among Washington newspaper
correspondents as to what Roosevelt
will do, politically, upon his return, al