The San Francisco call., 1910-06-01
CUMNINS APPROVES
RAILROAD BILL
Declares Measure as, Amended
Will Be Supported by In
surgent Senators
La Toilette Resolution Ordering
Wickersham to Fight Rate
Increases Is Blocked

WASHINGTON. May S1-On the eve
of leaving for his home in Iowa, for the
purpose of participating in the cam
paign in that state. Senator Cummins
today informed the senate that as
amended the railroad bill would re-
ceive his vote, as it would also the
votes of the progressive republican
senators who have stood with him in
opposition to the bill as it was pre-
pared by the attorney general and in
troduced by Senator Elkins.
The statement was made during a
brief speech delivered by Cummins in
support of an amendment placing upon
railroad companies the burden of proof
in hearings on rate increases This
amendment was accepted by Senator
Elkins and became part of the bill
by general consent, this constituting
the only amendment presented by the
Iowa senator that has been accepted by
the senate.
LEFT MUCH UNDONE
Cummins said that while the bill left
much undone, he considered il a step
forward in railroad legislation, and
with the exception of the court of COM
merce sections in every way desirable
He felicitated himself and his associ-
ates especially upon the expurgation Of
sections and II, dealing with traffic
agreements and mergers. The first OF
these he characterized as a reprOach
and the second as curiosity. He closed
with the following statement:
We have been as free to commend
what we thought to be right as we
have been to denounce what we be-
lieved to be rOng."
Aside from the adoption of the Cum
Minis provision. the action of the day
consisted in the rejection of Senator
Browns amendment prohibiting the
consolidation of competitive railroads
and the blocking of a resolution offered
by La Toilette preceding the debate
calling on the attorney general TO insti-
tute suit Immediately to enjoin the ad
Vancement of railroad rates. He also
sought to introduce a joint resolution
declaring it to be unlawful to advance
rates without the consent of the inter
state commerce commission.
ORDERS INJUNCTION PROCEEDINGS
The resolution recited that the rail-
roads had announced general advance
in all class and commodity rates, and
after presenting several other consider
aations by way of preamble, proceeded:
Resolved, that it is the sense of
the senate that the attorney gen
eral should proceed a once to in
stitute actions enjoining such ad-
vances as have been and may be
filed with the interstate commerce
commission, and should also insti-
tute prosecutions of the railroads
filing such rates as being in viola
ton of the act of congress approved
July 2. $780, entitled an act to pro-
tect trade and commerce against
unlawful restraints and monopolies-
When, few moments afterward. La
Toilette sought to present a joint reso-
luton requiring the action of both
houses, Elkins met the move with re-
quest that the railroad bill be taken up.
La Toilette declared that the excuse
given that the increases were made be-
cause of advanced wages amounted to
mere pretense, and that the higher
rates would result in annual profits to
the railroads Of from s40O. 100000 to
$500. 600, 900"