The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-26
SENATE RAILROAD
RATE HEARINGS
ALL PETER OUT
Chief Result Is the Foraker
Bill, Opposed to Pres
SI.s ident's Plan.
Hepburn Framing a Bill to
be Offered in House
Committee.
Then Will Come Fight for
Precedence Over Esch-
Townsend Bill.
Tawney and McCleary the
Only Rivals for High
Committee Place.
Fletcher Is Having Trouble
Getting Coveted Com
n1ittee Places.
By w. w. Jermane.


committee hearings on the
rate question, which began early this
week, seems to have "petered out.'
There was not a quorum of the COM
mittee in attendance today and the
committee will not attempt to hold
a meeting on Monday.
The chief result Of the fall meet
ing of the committee has been to shape
up the Foraker bill, which will be
offered in opposition to the president 8
plan, and to bring out that the rail-
road members of the committee. seem
determined to stand as fast by their
guns as the president is standing by
his.
There is still talk Of compromise
bill, on which both sides may unite,
but it is noteworthy that all such talk
continues to come from the railroad
side of the case and not from the
White House.
"Uncle Pete' Hepburn of Iowa,
chairman of the house committee on
interstate and foreign commerce, is
working on bill, which, he says will
seek to carry out the president S plan.
This bill he will introduce in the house
and it will be referred, together with
all other rate measures, to his COM
mittee. Obviously it will be his de-
sire to have his own bill reported from
that committee. instead Of the bill of
Esch and Townsend, and the public
may expect to see a rather pretty fight
in committee, during the early part
of the session, over which the bill shall
be reported, and so come to be known
as the administration bill.
White House Council.
Mr. Hepburn has been in conference
with the president several times lately
and has outlined to him the genera
scope of the proposed bill. From al
that can be learned the president i
entirely satisfied with the outline given
to congress that he favors one bill
over another, and so the Hepburn com
mittee in the house will decide whicl
bill to report without executive inter
ference.
A circumstantial story was publishe'
in the New York Times this morning
under Washington date line, to tn
effect that Senator Elkins, chairman
of the senate committee on interstat
commerce, had concluded to surrende
to the president on the rate question
This story is without warrant. MI
Ell1ins has not surrendered, nor is h
thinking of doing so. The fight in tn
senate, he predicts, will perhaps las
over several months, and even if, i
the end, the president should win,
will not be until the opposition ha
strained every nerve to prevent it.
Obviously Mr.. Elkins is not surrel
dering before the battle has starte
All that has happened thus far hs
been in the nature of light prelim
nary skirmishing.
McCleary and Tawney.
Bv process of elimination, Speak
Cannon has got rid of all the cano
dates for the craftsmanship of the hou
appropriations committee exceptil
Representatives McCleary and Tawn'
of Minnesota, and it begins to lot
as if one of these would get the plae
: the chances apparently favoring Ta'
ney.
The speaker has not yet definite
made up his mind. however, and m;
not do 50 for several weeks. He
convinced that the ways and mea
committee, which is the most impt
tant in either house Of congress, MI
be strengthened by the addition Of Sc
eral "stand pat' republicans, a
naturally, when he takes such a po
tion, he turns first to Mr.. McCleal
who is the most able defender of pl
lection in the house, and would be
source of genuine strength to the co
mittee which considers revenue gu
tions. w. - +.
Should he decide to put McClea
on that committee he of course wor
be compelled to displace Tawney,
Minnesota could not hope for doul
representation there, and naturally
easiest thing to do would be to pls
Tawney at the head Of the appropr
tions committee, where he belongs j
as logically as McCleary belongs to
ways and means.
This proposed switch is in the int
Continued on I'd Page, Sd Column