The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-02-10
Vote on ESCk. Townsend Mea-
sure Was 326 Ayes TO II Noes
II REPUBLICANS AGAINST IT
Matter Has Besa Discussed -Four Days.
Mr.. Hepburn Replied TO LIES and
SIsndsrs Hsapsd Upon Him"

/ Washington. Feb. 10--After noarly four
days Of discussion the house yesterday,
by a vote of 326 to II. passed the Esch-
! Townsend bill providing for the regu-
lstion OF freight rates. The negative
vote was made up Of eleven Republicans
and six Democrats.
The closing hours OF debate were. oc-
cupied by Messrs Williams OF Missis-
sippi the minority leader. and Hepburn
| Of Iowa chairman OF the committee which
| reported the bill Mr.. williams. while
supporting the minority measure, even
though he said he knew "a could not
pass complimented the Republicans for
| bringing I'm a bill which was much better
that ne expected would come from them.
| The speech Of Mr.. Hepburn was rather
in defence OF himself He said that his
deeds and acts were a sufficient answer 10
the "les and ISLANDERS" which had been
heaped upon him. He devoted some time
| 10 n strong presentation Of the merits Of
the majority's measure.
| In his closing speech. DIR. Williams
| congratulated the house npon the fact
that not only in the matter Of rate
legislation. but IN other particulars, Pres
ident Roosevelt nominated by the Re
publican party and elected by the peo-
|
tinctly Democratic attitude
AUTOMATIC COUPLER NEEDED.
Addressing himself TO the Republicans.
Mr.. Williams said they need nothing
| more than n marking out OF the path
way 10 follow the president. not because
he is president. or n Republican. but be
cause he was outlining the proper policy
| for the American people. "Oh," he said
amid Democratic laughter, II knee how
non partisan you are"
! Mr.. Williams said II might be true in
some things. as Mr. Grosvenor stated
yesterday. THAT the Democrats camped
| tonight where we camped last night
but he loudly proclaimed, facing the Re-
publican side. that ION this question II
il you who are camping this year where
| the Democracy camped last year
II. he said the majority I'm the house
did not follow the presidents recommen-
| dations n proved the necessity for an
| automatic coupler between the white
house and the house OF representatives.
"A Republican Daniel is calling you
| he exclaimed "and he is at the other
end OF the avenue, and he is calling you
to do identicaly the same thing that you
refused to do because IL came out of a
Democratic Nazareth
SOUTH WOULD BE OPPOSED
]
| Williams said the country had waited and
/ waited for the railroads themselves 10 do
| IL justice. He agreed I'm part with Mr..
/ Mccall of Massachusetts,. who had said
! the right to fix rates was dangerous
! power to confer on seven men, but he
argued 1t was a choice between evils,
! only about seven great railroad magnates,
! acting in conjunction with one another,
were directing the stream of American
! commerce I'm the channels they wished
/ and discriminating wherever they saw Mt
IL the fixing Of rates was to be lodged
/ I'm some hands, Mr.. Williams said, he
! preferred II to be a government tribunal.
weak and ineffective as such tribunals
| are"
| Declaring that he spoke as a con-
| servative, as he was not a radical Mr.
Williams said the time may come when
all the country, except the south would
| be advocating government ownership OF
/ railroads.
The south would never support that
/ proposition, because they had the old
| fashioned idea that tho government
should not become too strongly central
ICED. They were further opposed 10 gov
! ernment ownership because they know the
government would not operate separate
| coaches for the whites and blacks.
BORNE CRITICISM.
|
! committee on Interstate and foreign
| commerce, closed for the Republicans lie
| explained the difficulties OF preparing
such n measure as the bill reported. say
| ing no two men entertained the same
] opinion. either as 10 what was in the
! bill or what ought to be in IT,
Mr. Hepburn digressed for a moment.
| and received sympathetic applause from
| both Democrats and Republicans when ne
! 10, ~ for fptr
/ ter OF personal interest into the proceed
! ing. which was the first time ne had done
i so I'm Is years service.
| III I have been criticised" he said with
emotion, 81 have horne IL II have been
! slandered and lied about l have sub
/ mitted to Il. content that my deeds. my
acts. might be placed in opposition TO
and IN answer 10 the libels OF those who
! traduced me-
TARGET OF SCRTBBLERs.
! The bill he derw said Mr. Hepburn. he
regarded but rough draft. after con-
/ ferences with the president and members
/ OF his cabinet
! lie denied that tho Townsend bill was
/ an administration measure, nor, said he.
was any bill that ne knew ~ an admin
/ istrauon bill.
As finally offered. he said that what
was known os the Hepburn bill was with
the exception OF but two words. the pro-
duct " the attorney general.
He had Welded. however 20 his col
leagues on The committee m the matter ~
the Esch- Townsend bin, not that he did
not have confidence I'm his bill. hut be-
cause he did not want tho committee TO
be the target " every scribblex who want
ed sensational headlines
LECTURE IN bI0l0GY.