The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-02-20

House Agrees On a Horizontal
Reduction in Rates.
suNcH-GRAssERS EASILY WIN
NHseson Violently Attacks the
Northern Pacific. saying That the
Directors HELD the whip over
Washington Farmers Canetrs
Railroad nan Advanced TO THIRD
Reading aud Made n Special Or
er fer Next Tuesday.

1 OLYMPIA. Feb. -sneriai-Pur-uan
20 the terms cf an agreement entered into
I between tae bunch ErasSerSf and the ad-
+ TocStes of the Turner railroad commission
4 bin, which was consnmmated last nixhs.
the Canutt freight rate bl.l was advanced
TO third reading Nv The house this after
noon. after . rather animated debate. Tho
! bill viii probably pass the house IN ia
present form when IL comes up on ia
thiEd reading Tuesday. In return FOR the
service the Spokane delegation rendered
the Whitman county members today in
aiding them in carrying through the Bill
in the shape agreed upon 20 third reading
the ''h9nch-grasSers" have promised to.ses
that che Turner commission bill is favor
ably acted on, and will vote FOR il. II The
plans Of the combination. which was ab.e
TO control ala the Eastern Washington
members selidly. are carried out. the state
viii have a freight rate bin and a bill cre-
ating railroad commission.
The Canatt nlll lowers the rate on wheat
from the Palonse country from sa1 per
ton 70 So. and from walla walls from
IS 20 70 a.eo per ton. On other products
the reduction is a horizontal cut OF IL PER
/ cent. "un the basis os rates charged BY
the Northern Pscifie January ? last" This
clause vas inserted In the bill By amend
ment on recommendation OF the commit
tee, and Is intended 10 save the small roads
from loss.
The reduction in rates from Ritzvine and
intermediate points 10 deep water Is great
er Ia proportion than that made hy the
hlll from Walla walla. where the rate has
been kept at a comparatively low ngnrs
hy tho late decisions OF the interstate COM
merce commission.
The bin WAS acted on bv the house I'm
committee OF the whole this afternoon,
Williams presiding. The committee rec
commended an amendment. making the
horizontal reduction Is per cent. instead of
=, as was provided by the bili in its orig
inal form. Frank Baker and A. D. War
ner made fight 10 have reduction OF 10
per cent. instead of Is per cent. ineorpor-
ated in the btu. on this Issue the fight Was
made and wen hy the bunch grasssrs"
Baker. Warner and Gnie spoke against the
horizontal cat Of Is per cent. Baking quot
ine Senator-eleei Turner In support OF his
argument against a drastic reduction.
Witt Of Lincoln. Roberts OF Spokane and
Frank Nnke.son Of Skagit We're the ora
tors In support 81 the committees report.
The combination between the hnpch-
graNsers and the Spokanites controlled SUI
ncient votes 70 Insure success, and their
victory was a matter Of course.
The feature OF the debate was tho attack
on the reorganized Northern Pacific made
BY Wikason, who spoke with great force
and severely arfairued the company.
by the official statement issued by the
officers of the Northern Pacific wnkeeon
showed that the company owes In bonds
Sld6 I57 500 and its capital stock preferred
and common. amounts to si5s @a0Qa The
interest on the bonded debt IL over
S6G09.DoN Wiikeson declared that the COM
psny would have TO raise on It's iinc from
St Paul To the coast q yearly revenue os
tss,oooooo 70 pay its interest and operat-
ing expenses. The Skagit county man de-
ts5rs lad aa1 so
its road on basis ot over 500 e00 TO ths
mile, and objected to being assessed on a
basis OF 500 coo per mile. Altogether Wff-
kesons attack on the Northern Pacific
was of the sensational order FIis speech
created a deep impression and, soon
after the vote on the amendment was TAX
en-. its weight WIS plainly seen IN ths
chorus or yeas that sustained the commit
tees report msking the Is per cent. re-
duction
The lobby was flied with people during
the debate on the railroad bill. They
quickly cleared out when the house turn
ed TO other matters.
Richmond made attempt this after
noon TO have his bin passed under sus-
pension Of the rules but failed.
The bin. reported carries sn appro-
pristion OF ti06o 20 be expended by ths
attorney general in defending Il In casa
the raiiroads make s. legal fight against
IL. II was rumorad tonight that this sec-
tion is intended TO apply 10 Frank Graves,
Scnator-elect Turner'S law partner.
The house ar 1890 went into COMMITTEES
OF the whole for the consideration OF tha
railroad bills. The railroad committee.
Cauutt chairman. had reported II. u. at
ns n substitute for the Stafford Bill. ig5.
which wRs almost complete copy OF tho
old Helm bin. Williams vas called 70 ths
chair.
On motion OF Ross tire committee took
up II. .. G7. known as the canutt bin.
The Sill was read. an operation which
consumed half an hour. Immediately aft
er the reading was finished. Roberts OF
Spokane was on his feet with a motion
that the COMMITTEES rise and report ths
hil as read Tor passage. Before the
house could tumble to4he play" the mo-
flon was carried. there being few negative
votes, and the committee ra.e.
Chairman williams then reported 70 the
house that the committee bad recofn-
rnended the passage of r. T. at This
brought Frank Baker 70 his feet with an
indignant protest. He said that some oHs
was trying to railroad the bill through
the house.
"Thls bin Is Far from ,atisfactory IN its
present. form" said Baker. tn ringing
tones. ''lf IS NOS just 70 fhe farmer nor
20 other people IN western Washington
ENGAGED 81 commercial vUrsults. pro-
tsst against suca methods -
BIN through fhe nomae am
here 20 demand thai the legislature pass
such p measure a. Will Deal Justly vita
an interests affected - railroad lsgfsla-
tlpu. ] care not fer any political future.
but I want ~ Hee that this legislature
fuialIs tne promises made = the peopls
for relief. No oppori unity for amending
this bt3i has been offered. but or fhe other
hard ali debate has been anut ct. / an
opposed - sucn proceedings"
Witt rerhed 20 Baker. Hs said:
The gentleman from rs rec is a litfis
rTeEra fsIre There are amendments 20
this bill Whlea wIi remedy the defects
Tt a. an assured fact that II tnls DHt
pas~es TIE Northern PaelHc Nlli -
obliged 90 haul grain from Eastern Wash-
ingt0n ~ yates h<iow those provided Tor
fer the .. =. & X which Rave been "a
et@ot for @cnge years past This Viii harS
the effect % diTerfinE tfs grain TO Puget
sound. On this ground { appeal 20 every
man In western WaaniuEtgu 70 support
this bal. II you want 10 n0Bd fhia reform
party together say. f9r God sake paas
this hll This bill ls ane onn hope gf Ehe
people % Eastern WashluKton- than
al ths others that have been introduced
81 tuls Legislature"
Roberts replied 20 Baker, saying that
the people ~ the state had elected the fs1-
sion legislature fcr the purpose of making
the railroad companies lower their rates.
CanG1t rose - inquire why the arnena-
meats 70 the BIN which bad been arrsed
upon n committee, wese nor read Thess
amendments ne sid. woald cure 80
evils corn afafEaed o. ov those. who ounosta
the aill. Il had been infirnated fhak fhs
b.h A. originally drawn made me rates %