Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-13
Passed by the House This
Afternoon by 24l to 6.
MINORITY CRITICISED
DEMOCRATS OPPOSED MEASURE
AS NOT STRICT ENOUGH.
! Indian Appropriations Reported to the
Senate Omnibus Statehood Yields
to the District

Immediately after the approval OF Tie
journal In the House today Mr. Dalzeii
Pao. from the committee on rules, present.
ed a special order for the consideration Oh
the Elkins anti-rebate bill
The rule provided for an hours debate
and vote on the bill and committee
amendments at the end Of that time With
out intervening motion. The previous ques-
ton being ordered on the adoption of the
rule twenty minutes debate on each sloe
was allowed under the rules. Mr.. Da.zeii
contented himself with n very brief expia-
nation. He said the provisions of the meas
ure were familiar to all. that it WAS ore
phase of antitrust legislation which should
receive consideration
Mr. Richardson the democratic leader,
protested that there was no emergency
which required such a drastic course as the
special order proposed. 1t permitted no op-
portunty to amend or recommit the oAi.
Mr.. Underwood (Aia.) said he favored The
passage of the BILL but he protested that It
did not go far enough.
Mr. Hull Qowa) said no one conteEdeu
that the bill was perfect. but it was step
in the direction of the regulation OF trusts
Mr.. Cannon's Plea.
Mr.. Cannon called attention to the fact
that less than three weeks of the session
remained and to the backward state of APP
preparation bills and other imperative
measures. In the House. he said. 1t was
possible to put through legislation. In the
Senate business at this stage was practical
ly by unanimous consent Public senIi-
ment demanded trust regulation. The pend
ing bill. he declared. would do mora to
solve some of the troubious questions than
any other. 1t would prevent favored rates
to favored shippers and place all on al:
II TO t.,l-
what it could now and try for more later
on
Mr.. Littiefield attempted to get in with
an inquiry. but Mr.. Dalzell declined to yield
him time. He, however, got minut, from
Mr.. Richardson. In that minute he called
attention to the word "willful' before
failure in the provision imposing penal
ties for the ''willful' failure Of carriers to
publish and observe rates. He said the
word ought to come out and that Senator
Elkins, the author of the bill, agreed with
him.
Mr.. Cannon replied that If that were the
case Senator Elkins could air his views in
the Senate. He is very considerable SEN
ator.' said he but 1 never heard that he
was great lawyer"
Calls It "Bunco Came"
Mr.. DeArmond CMo.) denied emphatically
that the country was demanding the en-
actment of the Elkins bill. 1T will do no
in urging it know it. That is the reason
they urge it, Democratic applause)
There was nothing in the bill. said he.
that was not on the statute books except
the clauses repeating existing penalty pro-
visions of law. To repeal these penalties,
he said, was the real purpose. The bill, he
declared. was an attempt to ''bunco'' the
people and to prevent the offering of
amendments the majority dare not vote
against. 1t was mere "demagogic play
to stife legislation, .-
THE gentleman from Illinois" (Mr Cam
nom. said he, says the author of the bill
Is not great lawyer. He may not be. but
he is great in other things-a master in the
art of this. sort of legislation
Mr.. Overstreet Qnd), in support of the
rule. pointed out the three features of the
antitrust legislation the majority had set
out to place upon the statute books-to ex-
pedite cases, to secure publicity of the cor
porationS' methods of doing business and to
prevent discrimination and rebates by rail-
roads. Propositions covering all three sub
1ects had passed the House and two had
passed the Senate. The rebate bill. for the
consideration of which the rule provided
he said. was practically identical with that
In the bill the House passed Saturday If
fhat bill could not become a law it was the
part OF practical wisdom to pass this
Mr.. Dalzell said the reasons given on the
other side against the rule were the best
that could be offered for its adoption They
had all said they were for the bill good or
tlon was now passed. With this measure
the present legislative program for the reg
uiatlon OF trusts would be complete.
Mr.. Richardson concluded the debate on
his side and urged the House to vote down
the rule and compel the production of an
other that would open the bill to amend
ment.
Mr.. Grosvenor concluded the debate for
the majority. deprecating the constant at
tempt OF the other side to play for party
advantage IN connection with the trust
question. The question, he said, should be
above party
The Rule Adopted.
The roll was called and the rule was
adopt, d. 40 to no. strict party vote Mr..
Littlefield (Me) did not vote
The debate upon the bill proper then nro-
ceeded. MIR. Cochran (Mo) characterized
the bill as a 'brazen and shameless" i'm
position upon the credulity of the peonIe
His argument was chiefly directed against
the repeating of all the provisions of exist
ing law making officers and agents of rail-
roads guilty or discrimination punisha Die
by fine and Imprisonment
Mr. Shackleford (Mo) denounced the
course OF the majority in refusing to per-
NIT the minority to offer as an amendment
the Lttleheld bill passed last Saturday.
The Bill Passed.
Mr. Sulzer On. " in closing the debate
for the minority claimed the authorship OF
PROVISION IN the bill.
Mr.. Hepburn Qowa) said he could no..
concede Mr.. Suffers claim to authorship
az the language referred to was in the pres
ent law. Yet" said he. 1.-THE gentleman
from New York Is strutting about p,uming
himself that the majority has borrowed
from him something with which to tie the
octopus"
Mr.. Hepburn called attention to the fact
That the democrats denounced the bill
Later on, he said they would all vote for it.
In the three bills which were to become
law, speaking OF the entire program for
trust regulation. he said he believed Con-
gress had struck the happy medium" with
regard to this vexed ques. ion. 1.-THE least Of
injury 10 Il e individual and the most good
to the pubic"
The vote was then taken on the passage
OF the bill. II was passed. 2ll to g. Those
voting in the negative were Msxsrs Czech
ran and De Almond (Mo), Glass tVa)
Hooker 'Miss), KIutz IN. c. ard Neville
(N,bD
A bill was passed making Chester. Pa. a
SUPPORT of entry.
On the Sund1y Civil Bill.
The consideration of the sundry civil ap-
preparation bill was then resumed
THE SENATE.
Mr. Stewart reported the Indian approprf-
alton bill To the Senate today