The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-12
RAILROAD BILL IS
GIVEN ATTENTION
The Elkins Amendments Re-
ceiye Earliest Action
FEW ARE VOTED UPON
Toward the Bill by Saying That
He Does Not Want sherman
Law Repealed


day entered upon the voting stage of its
consideration of the administration rail-
road bill. In accordance with the pre-
vious agreement, Senator Elkins was
prompt in moving the consideration of the
bill soon after the Senate met, and it
received continuous attention until the
close of the session.
While the opposition would not concede
the EllSins amendments to be the amend
ments of the majority of the committee
on interstate commerce, they consented
| to allow them to be treated as such, thus
consenting to their consideration in ad-
vance of the presentation of other amend
n1ents Senator Cummins in turn sue
ceeded in procuring the concessions that
his and Senator Clapp's amendments
should be next taken up.
The only amendments acted upon dur
ing the day were tlose regulating the
jurisdiction of the proposed court OF COM
merce and granting appeals from inter-
locutory orders of the court OF commerce
and permitting i've days notice OF njunc-
ton proceedings.
The two last amendments were adopted
without opposition but there was sharp
debate on the series and several votes
were taken on substitutes offered by the
opponents of the bill.
The substitutes were voted down in ev-
cry instance.
The Elkins amendments granting APP
peals to the supreme court from tenpor-
airy injunctions and requiring five days
notice in injunction proceedings were
| adopted without debate or discussion.
| lie was not so fortunate with his amend-
| ment allowing compliments to be rep
resented by counsel before the commerce
| court.
| Mr.. Cummns presented a substitute
giving them the absolute right to be
made party to the suit This amend
ment was under consideration when the
| Senate adjourned
| Senator Dixon of Montana. presented
an amendment making 1t unlawful for
carriers to charge more for short than
| for long hauls.
| The frst vote taken was on Senator
Heyburn's amendment, creating court
| for the consideration of questions grow
| ing out of the disposal of the public
| lands. The provis ion was voted down, ~
| to 81.
Mr. Elkins offered two amendments to
| the commerce court provision. specifically
comforting upon the court the jurisdic-
! ton In railroad cases now exercised by
| Mr. Cummins presented substitute
providing that the jurisdiction of the
proposed court should not be different
| or greater than the circuit courts
Pending the consideration Of the var-
| Gus amendments. suggested by Mr.. Ell
| kins. Senator Nelson took occasion today
| TO state his position toward the bill as
whole. He especially opposed the repeal
| of the Sherman antitrust law as appll-
| cable to railroads.
| II regard that law, next TO the consti-
/ tuition, as the most important law on our
statute books" he said. ITO my mind
1t is the only protection we have against
the inroads nf the trusts
Asserting that from the first the Sher-
man law was applicable to the railroads.
| he said the roads had resisted the statute
| from the beginning.
II am talking about the bill as it car
here" he said, and | am impelled to
| talk In view of a speech made out west
the other day"
He referred to the speech made in Chi
cago Saturday night by Attorney Cen
eral Wickersham. and later he said it did
not 'iie in the officials mouth to go to
| Chicago and make a speech criticizing
| members of Congress after framing such
a bill"
He sarcasticaliy characterized section
IL, relating to railroad combinations, as
| the most charming provisions OF the
bill" lie was especially severe on the
provision allowing the court OF commerce
to approve railroad mergers in advance
| of their contamination, declaring that
| with this blessing once obtained the
combination afterward <ould do any
thing it IN ght desire TO do.
/ He said he could not vote for the bill so
long as 1t proposed to repeal the anti
trust law. He asserted that the bill was
i,,f< ~
roads and predicted that If 1t should be-
come law all the railroads of the coun-
try would soon be controlled by two or
II three men.