Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-06
THE RULE PRESENTED
Division on Railway Rate
Bill Thursday.
ACTION OF THE HOUSE
PROGRAM REPORTED BY COM
MITTEE ON RULES.
General Debate to Go on for Three
Days, Beginning at / O'Clock
Each Morning.
ACTION OF THE HOUSE

Old timers in Congress say they have
never witnessed such tremendous efforts to
accomplish legislation as are now being
made to bring about the passage of the
administrations railway rate bill through
both houses of Congress. Within the past
forty-eight hours the efforts have been di-
rected mainly upon the Senate, as the bills
passage by the House was assured.
A remarkable feature of the propa ganda
for this proposition is the fact that Presi-
dent Roosevelt, who is directing it, has
endeavored to enlist the aid of the men
foremost in opposition to it. He has been
trying to get President Spencer of the
Southern railway and President Cassatt of
the Pennsylvania railroad, who up to this
time have opposed the king feature
of the bill, which is really the meat of the
whole matter, to withdraw their opposition
and advise the passage of the bill The as
sumption, of course, is that if these two
heads of great trunk line systems, recog-
niZed as among the foremost railway men
of the country, should consent to the legis-
lation it would lessen excuse of majors
for opposing 1t.
Arguing With the Magnates.
Some of the administrations friends in
Congress have also been iaboring with
these two railway officials, and have adj
vised them to take the less of two pos
sible evils. The argument which these men
put forward is that if this legislation fails
of enactment at the present session of
Congress, President Roosevelt viii un-
doubtedly bring it before an extra session
of Congress and will in the meantime con-
duct a campaign throughout the country
to secure the support of the masses for the
bill which would be brought up in the next
Congress. These men go on to say that
the next time bill came in it would prob
ably be far more radical than the pending
measure.
You know what the President will do.'
remarked one of these advisors to the two
railway presidents last Saturday He will
swing around the country and arouse the
people to the fact that legislation which
they demand has been refused by the rail-
roads, and that they must arise in their
might and demand action of Congress. And
you know, too, that Congress cannot with
stand a popular appeal of the character
likely to be made You had better take
this bill and be glad that you are getting
off easily"
Hepburn's Alleged Threat.
A story was going the rounds today pro-
Tossing to tell how Representative Hepburn.
who is in charge of the administration bill
in the House, persuaded the Pennsylvania
delegation from revolving against the rule
for consideration OF the bill. 1t is said
that Mr.. Hepburn went to the Pennsylva-
mans and in very positive language told
them that # they imperiled this bill he
himself would start petition among rep
resentatives asking the President to call an
extra session of Congress for the 10th of
March.
And then" Mr.. Hepburn is said to have
added, shaking a long forefnger at the
Pennsylvanians. well tackle your tariff
and bust it wide open"
WhpreuDOn npeknPSS and submission
were promised by The rampant keystone.s.
Senators Deem Time Too Short
Among senators today the idea still pre-
vailed that the time was too short to enact
the legislation embodied in the Townsend
Esch bill One of the Presidents friends
in the Senate said that he believed Presi-
dent Roosevelt would in a few days come
to realize that there is not sufficient time
to thoroughly digest a bill of this import
ance, and he expected to hear the Presi-
dent declare, after the House has passed
the bill and made good the administrators
intention that he would be satisfied to have
the subject go over TO an extra session OF
Congress to be called in the fall. This
senator remarked that lie believed the
President was not anxious for hasty legis-
lation and that he could be brought TO see
the possible far-reaching effects of this
legislation and the necessity for handling
it cautiously. The Senate committee on in
terstate commerce today decided to sus-
pend further hearings until next Friday.
Most of the members of this committee
loath to deal with the subject at the pres
ent session.
The House committee rules today fav-
orably reported rule providing for the
consideration of the Townsend-Esch bill
Rule for Consideration.
The rule FOR consideration of the admin
istration's railway rate bill was brought
into the House by Mr.. Dalzeil from the
committee on rules at o'clock this after
noon The rule provides FOR daily meet
ngs of the House at II am, rues,;ay. We'd
nesday and Thursday, and foT caasidera-
ton of the bill except during the tine con-
sumed by counting the electoral vote We'd
nesGay.
No amendments are to he allowed ex-
cept in the nature of substitute
proposed by the minority. and al o'clock
a vote is to be tallc1 tn the
bill without intervening motion. The rule
IS of iron-clad character, and. while allow
ing widest debate divided between me two
parties prohibits all amendments except
1ne vote on the minority's substitute which,
Of course, will be voted down.
Mr.. Dalzell demanded the previous ques-
ton on the adoption OF the rule rhe
democrats divided and Leader JOAN Sharp
Williams demanded a roll call on the mo-
ion.
Previous Question Ordered.
The motion. for the previous question was
adopted by vote of 17S to 141.
Representative Dalzell of PENNSYLVANIA
then arose and in a brief speech explained
the rule which had been brought in. He
said that under the rules the bill would be
given immediate consideration and that to-
Wednesday and Thursday the
House will meet at II O'Clock. Thursday
The committee would rise, would report the
oiil as substitute to the House and the
fote would then be Immediately taken.
The time, he explained would be equally
divided between the republican and demo-
,ratic sides of the chamber, the republican
ime to be controlled by Representative
Hepburn of Iowa and the democratic time
~ Representative Darey of Louisiana. the
,uthor of the democratic substitute bill.
Representative Williams then arose and
aid that every republican knew when he
roted for the previous question that that
vas the only way of preventing amend-
nents to the bill. and that their votes were
asst for the purpose OF preventing amend
nents by themselves or anybody Else. Mr..
Williams then announced that he allowed