The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-02-14
THE LIE WAS GIVEN
COCHRAN SPOKE INTENTIONALLY,
BUT THERE WAS NO FIGHT
IN CONGRESS.
ELKINS BILL WAS PASSED.
DRASTIC RULE ENFORCED AND
BILLS OPPONENTS WE'RE MAD.

Gress Towards Helping the People
md Placing the stamp of Disap-
prevail Upon the Trusts-MissOurf
COnSressmen Paid Their Respects
to the Measure-DeArmOnd Charg-
ed That 1t Was an Attempt to Bun
co the People, and a Play to Stine
Legislation.
Washington, Feb. 13-Under the op-
Grafton of a special order, which cut
off opportunity to offer amendments,
the House, after a debate of an hour
to-day, by a vote of 241 to 6, passed
the Elkins bill to prohibit rebates to
shippers.
The six members who voted against
the bill were Democrats. Mr.. Little
field of Maine was present, but did not
vote, on either the rule or the bill.
The Democrats protested against the
rigorous terms of the rule. 1t had
been their purpose to offer the provi-
slcns of the Lttlefield bill as an
amendment to the bill.
Mr.. Dalzell of Pennsylvania, Mr..
Overstreet of Indiana and Mr.. Hepburn
of Iowa practically announced that
with the passage of the Elkins bill
the antitrust legislation for this ses-
sion of Congress would be complete.
During the debate Mr.. Cochran,
Democrat of Missouri, branded one of
Mr.. Hepburns statement as a "delib-
crate lie." Contrary to the usual Gus
tom, this strong language had no Sc
quel.
Mr.. Dalzell presented the rule, which
provided for an hours debate and a
vote on the bill, and the committee
amendments at the end of that time,
without intervening motion. The pre-
vious question being ordered on the
adoption of the rule twenty minutes
on each side was allowed under the
rule.
Mr.. Dalzell contented himself with
a very brief explanation. He said the
provisions of the measure were IA
miliar to all, that it was one phase of
antitrust legislation which should re-
ceive consideration.
Mr.. Richardson, the Democratic
leader, protested that there was no
a
drastic course as the special order pro-
posed. 1t permitted no opportunity to
amend, or recommit the bill Mr.. I'm
derwood of Alabama said he favored
the passage of the bill, but he pro-
tested that it did not go far enough.
Alleged Blow at Trusts.
Mr.. Cannon said that less than three
weeks of the session remained and re-
ferred to the backward state of appro-
priation bills, and other imperative
measures. In the House, he said, it
was possible to put through legislation.
In the Senate business at this stage
was practically by unanimous consent.
Public sentiment demanded trust leg
islation. The pending bill, he declar-
ed, would do more to solve some of
the troublous questions than any 9TH
er. 1t would prevent favored rates
to favored shippers, and place all on
an equal footing. He urged the House
to take what it could now, and try for
more later on.
Mr.. Littlefield attempted to get in
with an inquiry, but Mr.. Dalzell de-
clined to yield him time He, however,
got a minute from Mr.. Richardson. In
that minute he called attention to tine
word "wilful' before failure" in the
provision imposing penalties for the
''wilfuP' failure of carriers to publish
anu ODSeIN6 IdlGS. ne Sdlu the NOTu
ought to come out, and that Senator
Elkins, the author of the bill, agreed
with him.
Mr.. DeArmond of Missouri denied
emphatically that the country was de-
handing the enactment of the Elkins
bill
1T will do no good" said he, land
the people foremost in urging it know
it That is the reason they urge it,"
Democratic applause).
There was nothing in the bill, Mr.
DeArmond said, that was not on the
statute books, except the clauses re-
pealing existing penalty provisions of
law. To repeal those penalties was
the real purpose. The bill was an at
tempt to ''bunco' the people, and to
prevent the offering of amendments,
the majority dare not vote against it,
1t was mere demagogic play to stife
legislation
Mr.. Overstreet, in support of the
rule, said there were three features of
antitrust legislation the majority had
set out to place upon the statute
books--to expedite cases, to secure
publicity of the corporations meth
DDS of doing business, and to prevent
determinations and rebates by rail-
roads. Propositions covering all three
subjects, he said, had passed the
House, and two had passed the SEN
ate.
Mr. Dalzell said the reasons given
on the other side against the rule
We're the best that could be offered
for its adoption. They had all said
they were for the bill, good or bad.
With this measure, he said, the pres
ent legislative programme for the
regulation of trusts would be COM
plete.
Mr.. Richardson concluded the de-
pate on his side and urged the House
10 vote down the rule, and compel the
production of another that would
open the bill to amendment. The de-
Date on the bill proper then proceeded.
Brazen and Shameless.
Mr.. Cochran of Missouri said the bill
was braZen and shameless imposi-
non upon the credulity of the people.
HIS speech was chiefly directed against
the repeating of all the provisions of
existing law making officers and agents
vi railroads guilty of discrimination,
punishable by fine and Imprisonment.
MT. Shackleford of Missouri denounc-
ea the course of the majority in re-
using to permit the minority to offer
as an amendment the Littlefleld bill
passed last Saturday.
Mr.. Sulzer of New York, in clos
ing the debate for the minority claim
20 the authorship of a provision in
Mr.. Hepburn OF Iowa said he could
NOT cOncede Mr. SulZer'g claim to