The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-05-03
Taft's Pet Measure Cannot Go
Through in Its Present Pro
posed Form.
DEMGCRAT-INSURGENT
COMBINE TOO STRONG
Situation So Serious That Aid
rich Calls President Oh
Long Distance Phone.

WASHINGTON. May 2.-Presldent
Taft's railroad legislation will be
emasculated. At the close of a pro-
tracted conference of leading "regu-
lar' Republican senator's tonight, it
" insurgents had been virtually sue
cessful and the sections of the bill
relative TO traffic agreements and mer-
gers which Senator Cummlns and other
insurgents have been fighting to amend
Will be abandoned.
Practically nothing distinctive of the
original bill Will remain, save the sec
tions providing for the creation of n
court of commerce, Even that has had
body tonight is prepared TO guarantee
it will be enacted. In fact, the diff
ferences between the senate and house
arc so great that it would surprise no
body If the entire bill should fail in
conference.
President Called Up.
So serious became the situation of
the bill late today that President Taft
himself at Pittsburg was advised OF
tho situation over the telephone by
Senator Aldrich.
through the senate as reported from
the committee on interstate commerce,
the leaders in this conference tonight
decided 10 eliminate section Z, which
the insurgents claim practically would
have repealed the Sherman antitrust
law. permitting traffic agreements, and
section l2. which would have legalized
mergers in cases where ono railroad
corporation owning already SO per cent
of another desired to control outright
Upon the insurgents the administra-
ton VIII cudeavor to place the respon-
sibllity for the failure of tho Taft rail
road legislation. To Senator Aldrich
over the telephone Mr. Taft is said
to have expressed himself cmphatically
to this effect:
Relieves Administration.
He said he had initiated the pend
ing measure and had advocated it
throughout the country IN the form III
which il was reported TO tho senate,
and If combination of insurgent Re-
publicaps and Democrats rendered it
impossible for the Republican ma ajority
TO enact the bill. he felt the admins
tratIon should be relieved of response
blllty for its defeat, He rested the
entire matter in the hands of Senator
Aldrich and his Republican associates,
who wore then IN conferences
In the conference were Senators Al.
drich, ElkIns, Carter Kean, Crane, Cur
lis, Root, Flint, Brandegee, Lodge, and
from bme 10 time other Republican
leaders
Although admittedly stopped from
passing the bill in the form in which
they wished, the administration sena-
tors at once began The formulation Of
plans tn take away from the insurgent
Republicans the chance To claim
clean-cut victory. They even wore an
air of jubilation tonight over the
prospect Of putting the ''insurgents"
10 -.
amendment TO the traffic agreement
section, which Will be the first matter
voted upon when the bill is again taken
up, perhaps tomorrow.
Test Not Final.
When the original Cummins amend
mont TO this section, introduced as
substitute for the Elkius Crawford pro.
vision was voted upon Saturday. the
administration senators won by n mar
gin of Elk votes. It was generally sup
posed this vote constituted test of
succeeding votes and that the ElSins-
Crawford amendment which It's oppo-
nents charged was a bold method OF
repeating the Sherman antitrust law
go far as its application to railroads
is concerned would be adopted But
there were so many abscntees on Sat
urday that the result with the full
membership present could not be fore.
told.
From messages received from some
of the absentees, IT was evident The
regular Republicans would meet with
2 reversal on the next vote. for under
the senate rules vote easily could be
delayed until the arrival of the alb.
scnteos. After the vote Saturday, Sen.
ator Cummins Immediately offered an
other amendment To accomplish the
same purpose ms that which had lust
been voted down.
As the pending Cummings amend
mcnt is offered as n substitute for the
Ell,ins-C Crawsor1 provision, no motion
can sidetrack this provision; it must
be disposed Of before any other step
can be taken That is. the administra-
tion senators believe they have the
whip hand of their opponents, The
Republican leaders discovered there
were certain members who preferred
the Cummins TO the Elkins Crawford
amendment. but were opposed TO the
entire traffic agreement section.
Machine Politics.
These senators did not hesitate TO
cLlcr into an agreement with the regu.
lar Republicans to vote against the
| Cummins provision in return for an
agreement TO eliminate the section al
| together.
If the administration senators are
Continued on Page Two.