Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-02-04
Republicans Decide to Make It
a Party Measure and Put 1t
Thru at Once
CONFERENCE OF THE LEADERS
Speaker Cannon Advises Quick Action
If Any is Contemplated = Payne
Majority Leader, Defends the Bill in
an Interesting Speech Sentiment
for the Measure.

cans of the house of representatives
In conference yesterday afternoon
adopted as a party measure the Din
extending rate-making powers to the
Interstate commerce commission, as
agreed upon by the committee on in
terstate and foreign commerce, ana
known as the Esch- Townsend bill.
The conference instructed the house
committee on rules to bring in a rule
providing for consideration of the
measure, beginning at IL o'clock Tues
day morning next and continuing UNI
til o'clock, when a vote snail be
taken. No amendments will be allowed
to the bill, altho the first vote is to be
taken on the Davey bill, as the demo-
cratic substitute for legislation on the
railroad rate subject.
The conference, which lasted three
hours, developed opposition to the
measure. The only vote taken was on
q motion to postpone the matter for
further conference next Tuesday. Ihls
was lost, "A to 1O7. Efforts were made
to amend the bill during the confer
ence, but all of these failed. Fault was
found with the bill on the ground that
At did not include regulation for the
private car evil and terminal charges.
The advocates of the bill contested
these criticisms, claiming that author
ity was contained in the bill to correct
the complained-of evils.
The change of the meeting from
caucus, as the call stated, to con
ference" leaves members participating
free to follow their own inclinations.
It is understood that the opposition
may organize with the purpose OF
Joining the minority in the house in the
vote on the rule prescribing the man
ner Of considering the bill in the house.
These plans, however, have not been
actually and definitely decided on.
Msassrs. Mahon and Sibley of Penn
sylvania were conspicuous in their op-
position to any legislation at this time.
both contending that sufficient time
had not been given to the consider
alton Of the subject. PENNSYLVANIA,
Mr.. Mahon said, was the state most
affected, and he thought that the mil
lions Of money involved in the pro-
posed legislation should not be jeop-
ardized by hasty legislation. In adj
diticn to his protest that sufficient
time. had not been given for consider
alton, Mr.. Sibley expressed the op1n-
ion that the members of the commit
tee which reported the bill We're not
themselves clear in their interpreta-
ton of 1t. Mr.. Wanger, also OF Penn
sylvania, took different attitude from
that Of his colleagues, and said that
he would support the proposed meas
ure until he was convinced that some
thing better could be offered.
At this point Speaker Cannon advis-
ed his associates that II action was to
be taken at all it must be done now.
He suggested that a recess might be
taken until evening, in order that the
members might further consider the
question. The sentiment of the mem
bers present, however, was so over
whelmingly in favor of immediate ac-
ton that the speaker did not press his
suggestion.
The speech that most imposed men,
bers was delivered by Mr.. Payne of
New York, the majority leader, who.
in answer to Mr.. Mallon's allegation
that the proposed bill would result in
corfiscation and great hardship, said
that the bill in its present form did
not provide for anything more than
was in the original interstate COM
merce act and which had stood for ten
years, at the end of which time the
railroads raised the question of the le-
gality Of the enforcement of the decis-
ions of the commission as to rates, the
courts sustaining the contention that
there was no power vested In the COM
mission to fix rates. In other words.
he said, the very law now proposed
was in effect for ten years and had OPP
Grated to the satisfaction Of the rail-
f9e DE-