The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-10
HOUSE FOR
 REGULATION Esch- Townsend Bill Is Passed, 326 to l7. END OF A LONG DEBATE Williams and Hepburn Closed
 Speaking. Negative Vote Cast by Eleven Rspubli- cams and Six Dsmocrats--sEis- sIsuippian Replies tO Gres-
 venor's Uttcrances.
 
END OF A LONG DEBATE

Washington, Feb. 9.--After nearly four days of discussion the House today by vote of 32e to IT. passed the Esch- Townsend bill providing for the regu- lation of freight rates. The negative vote was made up of eleven Republi- cans and six Democrats. The closing hours of the incident we're occupied by Messrs. Williams (Miss. ). the minority leader, and Hepburn (Ia.l, Chairman of the Committee which reported the bill. Mir. Williams, while supporting the minority measure. even though he said he knew 1t could not pass. compliment ed the Republicans for bringing in bill which was much better than ex- pected would come from them
 The speech of Mir. Hepburn wasrath- CT in defense of himself. He said that his deeds and acts were sufficient an- swer to the 'lies and slanders' which had been heaped upon him The bill known as the Hepburn bill, he said, had been prepared by the Attorney Gen. eral and he only yielded to his col leagues on the committee on the Esch- Townsend bill because he did not want the committee to be the target Tor scribbiers who wanted sensational headlines. He devoted some time to a SIEOnk QEGSGuAdlAOAl VI NAAG AAA~AANN S@ St%S majority measure.
 Last Day of Debate.
 The House today entered upon the last day of discussion Of the bilis to reGulate freight rates. According to the rule adopted Monday the vote was taken at 3 o'clock.
 Less than twenty-five members were in their seats when the debate was opened by Mir. Pierce (Tenn.l. who af- ter announcing that the President on the subject of rate legislation was the greatest leader that has lived Tn the Republican ranks since the Civil War, said he would support the Esch-Town- send bill. He, however, based his supp port upon the fact that Wm. J. Bryan and the Democratic Party had declared for just such legislation-
 E Mr Dearuuond (M0. }, while admit ting the necessity for legisiation, at- tackled the Esch- Townsend bill as be- Ing inadequate treatment -of the ques- tion. The Dill. he said. did not reach private car lines, and t was not to be supposed that the courts would De eager and serious in the endeavor to lnd in 1t something on that subject which It's authors could not find
 The Statehood bill came over from the Senate and was laid on the Speak er's table for reference to committee,
 The closing remarks for the minority were made by Mir. Williams (Miss) who at the outset congratulated the House upon the fact that not only in the matter of rate legislation, but In several other particulars President Roosevelt, nominated by the Hepub- iican party and elected by the people" was beginning to assume distinctly Democratic attitude, He said he had begun to hope that the President would recommend revision of the tariffs ana that the President would see that It was altogether absurd to keep 20,- 900 more soldiers than were needed.
 WIlIEams's Sally.
 Addressing himself to the Republi- cans, MT. Williams said they needed nothing more than marking out of the pathway to follow the President not because he was President or a Repub- llcan. but because he was outlining the proper policy for the American people.
 "Oh," he said, amid Democratic laughter, T know how non-partisan you are.'S
 MT. Williams said he might be true in some things, as Mir. Grosvenor stated yesterday. that the Democrats 'camped tonight where we camped last night" but he loudly proclaimed, fac- ing the Republican side, that on this OueHIlOn lE IN yOu WhO 0t0 SerA4ARth9 this year where the Democracy camped last year"
 MT. Hepburn Qowa) chairman of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, closed for the Republicans. He explained the dificulties of prepar- ing such a measure as the bill report cd. saving no two men entertained the same opinion either as to what was in the bill or what ought to be in it.
 MT. Hepburn digressed for a moment and received sympathetic applause form both Democrats and Republicans when he asked to be excused for in- truding a matter of personal interest into the proceedings. which was the first time he had done so in eighteen years service.
 If have been criticised he said, with emotion, T have deserved it. If I have been slandered and lied about, I have submitted to it content that my deeds, my acts, might be placed in opposition to and in answer to the libels of those who traduced me"
 Not Administration Blll.
 The bill, he drew, said Mir. Hepburn, he regarded but a rough draft, after conference with the President and members of his cabinet He denied that the Townsend bill was an admin istration bill nor, said he, was any bill that he knew of an administration Dill.
 He was loudly applauded as he took his seat.
 The sub-biH of the minority then was defeated 151 to 1s6. Messrs. Gaines (Tenn.) Rider and Scudder (N. Y.) and Livernash and Wynn (Cal), voting with the Republicans.
 The roll then was called on the Esch- Townsend bill. which was passed 326 to IT.
 After designating Sunday, February 2s, for the delivery of eulogies on the life and character of the late Represen- tative Mahoney of Illinois and Croft of South Carolina, the House at 1880 p. m., adjourned until tomorrow.