The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-15
SENATE TO HOLD UP RATE BILL
NOISE NAY PASS RAILROAD
MEASURE THIS SESSION.
,omnronlIse Expected in the Fail When
congress Il summoned 10 Consider
Tarln Legislation Also - Hepburn
pan May satisfy All Concerned.

roncrr>s Il summoned 10 Consider
Tarln Legislation Also - Hepburn
pan May satisfy All Concerned.
U.uiyGroN. Jan. Conference to day
onongfhc Republican leaders Of the Senate
r,su'tel iu clearing the situation concern
INC propo-cd tariff and interstate COM
,,erce legislation. While the House may
,u, through a railway rate bill, the Senate
xul TAKE no action on the subject in tho
,-e-ott Congress according to the tentative
rroyramme discussed but will he prepared
10 meet the House half way at the extra
session in the fan. which is regarded AZ
inevitable. It is the expectation Of the
Senate lenders that tariff legislation will
surely result from the extra session, and
they DESIRE to enter into an rangement
on the sub ject with the House leaders that
will insure harmonious party action
Al the White House conference with
senate and House leaders week ago Preei-
den, Roosevelt said that while he regarded
tariff revision as largely a matter OF party
r1pcdicncy the question OF providing u
greater measure Of Federal authority over
the fixing OF railway freight rates was one
Of principle and could not be- ignored In
the ouiuon of some of those who were
ureaent al that conference the rate Ques-
tion ia quite "a much political as the tanff
question. and for that reason it il held that
the Senate and House managers should
come together and arrange programme
Of legislation that will insure harmonious
raty action in both bodies The desire,
particularly on the part of the Senate
leaders is to avoid a controversy between
'he two houses IN considering legislation
affecting the tarih and railway rates, and
some hope was expressed to-day hat this
desire would have n successful outcome.
The plan Of tho Senate leaders is TO agree
with the House leaders on a tariff Teadjust-
rent measure which can be introduced at
- The special session in the fall and made into
law i'm tho shortest possible time, thus
, insurng little If any disturbance to bus
ness.
So many different schemes TO satisfy the
agitation for railway rate legislation have
been brought forward that conservative
Congress leaders regard II "a exceedingly
improbab BILE that any compromise bill can
h agreed upon without long and careful
consideration of the subject, Representa-
tive Hepburn of Iowa, the chairman of the
House Committee on Interstate and Foreign
Commerce. who has been opposed TO ex-
tending tho powers of the Interstate Com
merce Commission. has seen light which
has led him to prepare "a compromise meas
ure, and he expressed the opinion to-day,
after a conference with the President. that
II would be enacted y the present Congress.
Representative Hepburn bill was drawn
With tie hope that II would he satisfactory
alike 20 the railroads and the shippers. 1t
provides for the appointment of nine adj
ditional Circuit Judges, who are to compose
court II commerce. Membership in this
court is 20 be Interchangeable. other Circuit
Judges being ASST gued tor yearly and those
relieved taking up the duties Of the Judges
assigned 10 their places. The bill proviies
thar the membership Of the Interstate
Commerce Commission is to be increased
70 nine and authority is given the com
mission TO GV railway freight rates An
appeal from the commission decree IN any
case may lac taken within twenty day..
II u r. not taken TIE rate stands for a year.
when the railway may change IT, Au-
'hon'y = given the court Of commerce TO
declare thar a rate fixed by the commits
ron Is unlawful. and the court may aboli-hit
ne tribunal is % ~ IN Washington or AT
y ms convenient for the hearing of cases