Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-05-17
THREE WEEKS FIGHT OVER
AMENDMENT TO RAIL BILL DE-
FEAT FOR SENATE LEADERS.
HOUSE AMENDMENT MAY
FINALLY BE ADOPTED
Considered Stronger Than Clause
Agreed to In Upper House-Demo-
Gratis Refuse to Be Whipped Into Line
In Support of Adrich Plan to Defeat
Amendment.
Especial Correspondence

Especial correspondence
| Washington, May 1.-THE bitter
| fight in the senate which ended in the
adoption of a long and short haul
amendment to the railroad bill is wide-
| ly discussed about the capitol The
opinions vary as to the effect of the
long and short haul amendment which
was adopted
That the adoption was, however, a
defeat for the regular leaders and a
victory for the combination of demo-
Gratis and republicans who have been
insurging against Senator Aldrich and
the other regular leaders on the long
and short haul question is pretty gen
orally admitted. The regular leaders
will not concede their defeat and are
laying claim to victory but this is not
apparent. A few days ago the regular
leaders were vigorously asserting they
would prevent any change in the ex-
listing long and short haul law. They
asserted they had ffty-five votes to
accomplish this. They assured the
president they would be able to block
amendment of the long and short haul
law. But at the last moment, their
forces suddenly crumbled to pieces and
while, by the adroit management of
Senator Aldrich, they were able to
effect a partial compdomise, the fact
remains the system Of dealing with the
long and short haul question has been
revolutionized by the amendment
which the senate adopted
What Amendment Means.
By the amendment adopted, which
is made up chiefly of the Dixon and
Paynter amendments, a railroad can
not in the future charge more for
short haul than for long haul unless
it can make a showing to the inter-
state commerce commission that sat-
isles that body that for special reasons
and conditions it is entitled to have
an exception made in its case. The
railroads have heretofore been the
judge of the conditions under which
they charged more for a short haul
than for long haul. Under this sys-
tenn. as was shown on the floor of the
senate in the debates, gross abuses
have prevailed, especially in the west
ern third of the United States.
The interstate commerce commission
under the senate amendment will have
the power to correct the gross abuses
which have prevailed. The house
amendment is stronger than the senate
amendment and there is a possibility
that when the bill comes out of con-
ference the long and short haul pro-
vision will be stronger than the SEN
ate provision.
Most Of the insurgents and demo-
Gratis, while admitting they wanted
stronger provision than the compromise
amendment which went thru, hold that
the amendment adopted is long step
in advance.
Democrats Were Aides.
That the regular leaders were swept
off their feet in their attempts to pre-
vent long and short haul legislation
is due to the hard work of some Of the
senate democrats who for days have
been trying to line up democratic votes
to get the long and short haul law
changed About week ago, Senator
Aldrich had won over twelve demo-
cratic votes to prevent any change in
the law. Senator Bailey was assisting
the regular leaders in fighting the var
ious amendments proposed and in try
ing to prevent any change in the law
as it stands. But democrats like Over
man and Clay insisted the democrats
ought to line up for a change in the
law. The result was that before it
came time to vote the regulars sudden
ly found they were beaten by two or
three votes Senator Aldrich made
sudden rush to cover when he learned
this and proposed to Senator Dixon
compromise consisting Of the Dixon
amendment plus a part of the Paynter
amendment Senator Dixon accepted
this, at a time when he could prob
ably have put his original amendment
thru without change. In this he was
outgeneraled by Senator Aldrich. Sen
ator Elkins and the other regular
leaders, and to this extent they won
victory in that they wrested COM
promise from Dixon at a time when
they were defeated completely.
Senate in Confusion.
Unprecedented scenes of confusion
marked the final phases of the struggle
over the long and short haul question.
The Dixon-Paynter compromise prop
osition was sprung suddenly by Sena-
tor Dixon, just a few minutes before
the time to begin voting on amend
ments, o'clock 1t caused an uproar
and senator's hurried about to find
what it all meant. Two recesses were
taken in order to get matters straight
ened out. Various senators, including
Messrs Aldrich. Elkins, Bristow, and
others took hand in trying to shape
up the final draft of the amendment.
Senator Bacon was much angered be-
cause he believed the sudden interjec-
ton of part of the Paynter amend
ment into the Dixon amendment was
in violation of the unanimous consent
agreement. Some of the insurgents,
too were angered that Dixon should
not have stuck to his guns and fought
his amendment thru, as they believed