The San Francisco call., 1905-01-27

CALL BUREAU, POST BUILDING.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 26.-While the
members OF the House Committee on
Interstate and Foreign Commerce were
trying to agree on a railroad rate bill
to-day, John Sharpe Williams. the
minority leader, scored point against
the Republicans of the Senate who are
not disposed to do anything this win
ter. The question came up before the
House during the discussion Of an ap-
preparation bill which permitted wide
latitude of debate. Williams declared
that the Democrats were solidlv be-
hind President Roosevelt in his recon-
mendations for better Government su-
pervision of railroad rates.
I'VE are committed to this proposi-
ton because it is Democratic in prin-
ciple," said Williams. land / do not
hesitate to say that We are glad to find
that the President of the United States.
on this question, is more of an Amer
lean citizen, interested in the welfare
of all of the people, than any particular
Republican or Democrat. The Demo-
cratic party will take step with the
President in this matter and we hope
that the Republican members of this
House will help the good work along. =
THUNDERS OF APPLAUSE.
This last remark from the minority
leader brought forth thunders of ap-
plause from the Democratic side of the
House, which was afterward Joined in
by the Republicans.
To-day's meeting of the House COM
mittee was an exclusive session. There
were wide difference of opinions on the
Hepburn bill, which was used as the
basis of dicPfISGinn The Democrats Of
the committee expressed dissatisfaction
with the Hepburn, Esch and TOWN.
send measures for not going far
enough, but it will be the policy of the
minority, after trying to amend. to
finally support the majority on the floor
of the House
Meetings will be held daily until the
bill is agreed to. 1t was said tonight
by one of the majority members of the
committee that the Republicans un-
doubtedly would be able to report a
bill next Tuesday or Wednesday.
BELL FAvORS REVISION.
In the House to-day Bell of Califor-
mia made vigorous speech in favor of
railroad rate revision. He directed at
tention to the alleged condition of the
Incorporation laws of New Jersey,
which, he said, had brought to that
State the fame of being the breeding
trusts, and were so framed as to pro-
tect New Jersey only, leaving them
free to prey upon the rest of the coun-
try. He charged that the impression
had gone abroad that Congress had be-
come subject to corporate influence, and
said that if there were such influence
in the halls of Congress it should be
promptly expelled.
Bell ascribed similar motives to the
use of certain language in the prepa-
ration of the law creating the Inter
state Commerce Commission, which
provoked a spirited discussion between
himself. Mann of Illinois and Williams
of Mississippi. the last named asserting
It as his belief that railroad influence
was felt In. the Senate at the time the
so-called Cullom bill establishing the
Interstate Commerce Commission was
substituted by the Senate conferees for
the so-called Reagan bill.
BILL NEEDS EXPLANATION.
Bell expressed the hope that Hepburn,
when he came to explain the bill, would
prove that there was nothing sinister
in its language. At present, however,
he asserted, the bill was so worded as
to what should constitute a reasonable
rate that 1t was susceptible of double
meaning. Every hint of vagueness and
indefniteness, he contended, ought to
be removed.
He defended the Interstate Commerce
Commission, which. he said, had been
held up to public scorn and ridicule.
For the past eight years. since the de-
cision OF the Supreme Court that the
commission had not the right to fix
rates, the commission had been the
special object of attack of certain men
representing railroad interests In order
to belittle the commission in the eyes
of the people and IN order to break
down the confidence of the people in
anybody appointed by the executive.
IT, said Bell In closing, AN oppor-
tunity should be afforded to amend the
Hepburn bill in some particulars it
would receive the support of the House
without regard to political division. and