The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-04-24
Patterson Amendment in
Senate Causes Many
Sharp Speeches,
MEETS WITH MUCH FAVOR
District Committee to Consider Amend
ment at a Special Meeting Tomorrow,
When 1t Will Probably be Accepted
to Prevent Jeopardizing Bill.


union railway station bill will be the
subject of a special discussion of the
Senate District Committee at its meet
ing tomorrow morning.
The bill will not be taken up by the
Senate today. as the day is TO be devoted
to an executive session on the Crozier
nomination.
The District Committee will thus have a
chance to decide on its course in regard to
the amendment before the bill is again
taken up in the Senate.
A sudden gust of enthusiasm has de-
veloped for the anne ndmcnt. entirely uIex-
pected and apparently unprecedented.
A number of Senators yesterday followed
the speech Mr.. Patterson made Tuesday
In its favor, and they included not only
Democrats bu; Republicans, and even one
member of the Senate District Commit
tee.
1t has not yet developed how strong this
sentiment is, but the committee recog-
nizes that ii may be weighty enough to
defeat the bill If the amo ndment is not
agreed to, and for this reason IL has been
decided that IL will be well to have a
careful canvass of the Patterson PROPOSE
tion in committee.
Committee May Accept.
II is understood that if il is thought
that the amendment will not defeat the
objects of the bill, by causing the rail-
ways to abandon the proposition of a
union station, il will be sanctioned by
the committee.
The amendment provides, as has beer
stated heretofore. that any railway whose
tracks shall intersect those of any of the
lines to Use the union station shall have
the right to come into the city over those
tracks and use the station.
Senator Hansbrough Yesterday opposed
the bill itself. He announced that he will
vote Tor the Patterson amendment and
that he Will then, even IL the amendment
rs adopted, vote against the bill. The
other friends of the amendment are gen.
orally In favor of the union station prof.
ect. Some OF them yesterday repeated
the criticisms of Mr.. Patterson against
the extravagant generosity of the bill to
the pennsylvania Railroad. but nearly all
of them Indicated that they will favor
its passage nevertheless.
chesapeake bedch RAILWAY,
curious fact developed yesterday. not
in the Senate. but bearing directly on
the Patterson amendment. Mr.. Patterson
stated In his speech that the reason for
his amendment was that Colorado people
are interested in the Chesapeake Beach
Railway, which, he said. is railway in
the air. because il cannot obtain entrance
into the city. 1t is learned on reliable au-
thority that the Chesapeake Beach Com
pany has just made a contract with the
Columbia Street Railway Company to
bring its trains into the heart of the
city. The contract. IL is said, is for a
period of niDety-rine years. The real rea-
son for Mr.. Fatterson's objections, there
fore. has disappeared.
Members OF the Senate District Commit
tee regard this az q somewhat ironical
play on the part OF tate. as it is realized
that Mr.. Patterson's speech has really
s..Jewhat jeopardized the chances of the
bill
Senator Teller opened the debate on the
bill yesterday by the statement that he
saw no possible objection to the amend
ment of Mr.. Patterson. allowing other
railways than those now entering the Dis
trict TO use their tracks and the union
station.
Mr. Teller Favors Amendment.
81 should like to have the Senator in
charge OF this bill tell me what objection
there Il to the amendment. ! have heard
no objection. There can be none unless it
f. the intention 10 grant these railways
monopoly said Senator Teller.
Mr.. Mcmillan answered that the rail-
ways are satisfied with the present law
and their present situation in the Dis
trict, and that they are not asking for the
bill under discussion. The present law, he
said, does not grant any such rights as the
amendment provides.
He continued:
.'f we amend this bill to allow other
railroads to come in and use the proposed
union station ] am frank to say l think
this project is lost. II we expect these
companies TO build this station and pro-
vide that all railroads may come into it 1
do not think they will do It, We have
asked them TO do something which we
thought would be great benefit to the
District of Columbia. They have agreed
to 1t, but they did not do it at once. We
. worked with them three or four months
to get them to agree to IL. If they spend
SO, 000, 600 here some new companies may
. then get up prospectus showing that
they have right to come here and use
the union station.
THE day may come when the Govern
ment will have TO own all the railroads.
Railroads are getting into the hands of
very few corporations. The whole trend is
toward consolidation, aud this plan is TO
get one station that will take in all the
q railroads here now.
No Monopoly Wanted.
Mr.. Teller-lt cannot be assumed that
there are to be no new railways TO the
p National Capital, and If there are to be
. new lines they should certainly be al
lowed 10 get into the city.
Mr. Teller said that il the present law
gives the Baltimore and Ohio and the
Pennsylvania q monopoly ii should be re-
pealed.
Senator Foraker inquired whether any
athing had been done by the railroads that
placed Congress in position that it could
not repeal its final legislation.
Mr.. Teller replied that he did not know
that they had done anything.
{. Mr.. Gallinger interjected the remark
that the railways have not gone ahead
with their elimination of grade crossings
because they have been asked to wait for
the present bill.
5 Mr.. Teller suggested that he had no
doubt the Pennsylvania Railroad would be
willing 10 have such an amendment passed
II II were found that Congress wished 1t.
Views of Mr.. Hear.
Mr.. Hoar made a short speech in favor
OF the bill He said tha, he had at fret
intended 10 propose such an amendment
MS that of Mr.. Patterson. He had de-
cided. however, that there was no neces-
silly for 1t. as the present bill contains a
provision that IL may be repealed by