The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-14
ELKMS BILL GOT THROUGH
The Vote on the Measure Was
 24l to 6.
Democrats Protest Against Rule which Prevented Opportunity to Amsnd It, But Thsir Com
 paint Was unhsedsd.

washingtou, Feb. ts.--Undsr the opera ton of special oroer which cut off op- portunity to offer amendments the House after debate of an hour today by vote of 2N to 6 passed the Esi<ins bill tospro- hibit rebates to shippers. The six mem bers who voted against the bill were Democrats. Mir. Littleneld 04ainel was present but did not vote on either the rule or the biIl.
 The Dsnocrats protested against tho rigorous terms of the rule. It had been their purpose they said to offer the provisions of the LAttiefie1d bill as an amendment to the biIl Mr. Dalxell. Pa.) Mr. overstrset und.), and Hep burn Qa.). practically Announced with the passage of the El<ins bill, the anti- trust legislation for the session of Con- gress would be complete.
 During the debate MT. Cochran (Dem.. Mo.) branded one of Mir. Hepburn's state ments as '.deiibsrate lie. Contrary to the usual custom. this strong language had no sequel The clash between Mr. Cochran and Mir. Hepburn occurred while the latter was speaking of the character of the measures the Democrats had voted for. He said among other things that they had voted for proposition under which 1t would have besn possible to fine the Pennsylvania Railroad s8.0ca0oo for single act. They would, he said stop at nothing labeled antitrust.
 Then, while explaining the provisions of the pending bigl he denied statement previously made by Mir. Cochran that the bill relieved individual officers of rail- roads.
 T say there Is no repeal from first to last in all this asgisiation," he was say- ing when MT. Cochran sought to interrupt him.
 T prefer not to yisld." ssid MT. Hep burn.
 Mir. Cochran: s4Ths gentlemen ought moi to refer to the gentisman from Missouri If he does not want to yield. Mir. Hepburn: T ought to refer to the gentleman at any tirne when he deliberate- ly misstates a proposition" Cochran Oholerie.
 Mr. Cochran: T brand that as c deliHeraAe lie. did not deliberately mtsstate the question:
 MT Hepburn. Then ignorantiy. The gentleman can take either position. say there is no repeal of the present statute making culpalbls and responsible the in- dividual under the interstate cpmmerce law.'
 After the passage of the EEkins bill the remainder of the session was devoted to the sundry civil appropriation bill.
 Immediately after the approval of the journal in the House to-day, Mr. Dalxell. of Pennsylvania, from the Committee on Rules, presented a special order for the consideration of the Elkins rebate bill.
 The rule provided for an hours debate and a vote on the bill and committee amendments at the end of that time with out intervening motions. The previous question being ordered on the adoption of the rule, twenty minutes debate on each side was allowed under the rules
 Mr. Dalsell contented himself with 6 very brief explanation. He said pro- visions of the measure were familiar to all; that it was one phase of ant-trust legislation which should receive con&id- eration.
 MT. Richardson. the Democratic leader protested that there was no emergency which required such a drastic course as the special order proposed. It permitted no opportunity to amend or recommit the bill.
 Mir. Underwood, of Alabama, said he faw,rod the passage of the bill. but he protested that 1t did not go far enough.
 Mir. Hull, of Iowa, said no one con tended that the bill was perfect, but Il was a step in the direction of the regu. lation of trusts. f
 Mir. Grosvenor concluded. the debate for the majority. deprecating the con- stant attempt of the other side to play for party advantage in, connection with the trust question. The question, he said, should be above party. The roll was called and the rule was QAnnfo6 1A0 n afr ovtr MT. Littleield. Republican. of Maine, did not vote.
 The debate upon the bill proper then proceeded. Mir. Cochran CMo.) charac- tsrized the bill as a 'TbraSen and shame less" imposition upon the credulity of the people. His argument was chiefly direct ed against the repeating of all the pro- visions of existing law making officers and agents of railroads guilty of dis crimInation punishable by fine and im- prisonment.
 Mir. Shacfedord Gdo.) denounced the course of the majority in refusing to per- init the minority to offer an amendment the Littletield bill passed last Saturday.
 MT. Sulzer (N. Y.) In closing the debate for the minority claimed the authorship of a provision in the bill
 Sulzer Not the Author.
 @AAAs 1Acb"Duh NA@sJ 0dAo AS cOulU nOI concede Mir. Sulzer's claim to authorship as the language referred to was In the present law. Yet he said. .the gentle man from New York is strutting abou, pluming himself that the majority has borrowed from him something with which to tie the octopus"
 Mir. Hepburn called attention to the fac, that the Democrats denounced the bill Later on. he said, they would all vote Tor 1t. At this point Mir. Cochran 0Dem. MO.) interrupted Mir. Hepburn and de. nounced one of his statements as q deliberate lie.'' but after a few sharr words the incident was closed wfthout further trouble and MT. Hepburn con. tinued his remarks.
 ''In the three bills which were to be. come law. speaking of the entire program for trust regulation. he said he believed Congress had struck the happy mediun'i with regard to this vexing question, .'the least of injury to the individual and the most good 10 the public"
 The vote then was taken on the pas sage of the bill It was passed 2n to G