Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-01-31

The Hepburn, or. as some public men
have called IL, rather the railways rate
bill, was put on the shelf by the re-
publican members OF the house COM
mittee on interstate commerce Monday.
Eight republican members of that COM
mittee met to consider the pending
bills. Chairman Hepburn was CONT
dent his bill would be favorably re-
ported to the house. Mr.. Davis Of Min
nesota had served notice upon him
that at least thirty republican mem
bers of the house would oppose the
measure on the floor, an opposition
probably strong enough, with the aid
OF the democrats, to defeat It, Mr.
Hepburn counted, however, upon get
ting a favorable report from his COM
mittee, and then he hoped to secure
adoption of 4 rule from the committee
on rules limiting debate and shut
ting Off amendments thus perhaps in
surfing the success Of his measure at the
house end OF the capitol. The belief was
that given the choice of this bin or no
action at all, the friends of the railway
legislation would accept it as the less
of two evils--that is, they would be
willing, to swallow the Hepburn bill
unsatisfactory and under suspicion as
II Is, rather than have no action In the
house.
Mr.. Hepburn reckoned without his
host. The surprise of the day came
when Mr.. Lowering OF Massachusetts
lined up with Mr.. Esch, of Wisconsin,
and Mr.. Townsend. OF Michigan, a'nd
the other opponents Of the Hepburn
bill. Discovering his inability to con-
troll the committee Mr.. Hepburn sur
rendered as gracefully as he could and
took to the tall timeber, announcing
that, under the circumstances, he him
self would move, when the full com
mittee met in the afternoon, to sub
stitute the Townsend Esch bill for. his
own. In this way the worthy chair
man more or less saved his face"
Reports Of the act ions Of republican
members of the committee quickly
spread about the house. and John,
Sharp Williams, the minority leader,
got the democratic members OF the
committee together for a conference
before they went into the meeting Of
the full committee. He cautioned them
SO to act as to make sure Of compiet-
ing the work which the republican
members had set on foot and bury the
Hepburn bill beyond resurrection. He
told them the democratic party should
give President Roosevelt hearty sup
port In his campaign for railway re-
form, not The insincere support which
some republicans were giving. He
wanted the democratic party to get the
credit for making the bill as strong as
1t could be made.
When the full committee met at
o'clock In the afternoon Chairman Hep
burn was confronted with defeat. The
democratic members, acting under Will
liams' advice, were prepared to sup
port the republicans in adopting bet
ter bill than Hepburn's. and three of
the republican members were ready to
line up for the Townsend-Esch meas
ure.. But Mr.. Hepburn did not at once
surrender. He tried to delay action
in the hope that when absent repub-
licans came to the meeting he could
at least secure a tie vote-eight repub-
licans against three republicans and
five democrats. A recess of two hours
was taken, but without changing the
situation. At the final meeting of the
committee Mr.. Hepburn threw up the
sponge. All the republican members
of the committee present voted for the
substitution of the modified Townsend
Esch bill for the Hepburn measure. AS
their votes were not needed, the demo-
Gratis We're at liberty to urge the Dav-
ey bill, and Mr. Shackelford, of Mis-
4 In 1,.rs
democrats say they are in position to
fight for The strongest measure that
stands any chance Of passing In the
house. If they can get stronger bill
than the one the republicans have re-
ported, we'll and good, and If not they
will support the Townsend-Esch bill
if their votes are needed to pass it.
A republican caucus is to be held
today and is expected to favor a rule
limiting debate on the -Esch
bill to eight hours, the measure to be
taken UP as soon as the pending post
office appropriation bill shall have been
of, and the vote to be taken
on it's passing without amendment. The
democrats fear they may not be given
an opportunity to vote on their 81
stitute, which differs from the y
lican measure only in SNIP ills.
Speaker Cannon and lean
leaders hope to line UP .plican
of the lid sup
port of the BILL W committee
Yesterday reported ~
The bill agreed vi IS believed by
the friends OF railway reform to be a
Jar better bill than Mr.. Hepburn's. The
most important difference between the
.wo measures is that under the one
now pending the decision of the inter
state commerce commission will take
affect within thirty days and can only
,e suspended by decision of the court
If transportation or of the supreme
court upon appeal. In the Hepburn
bill the railroads We're given the advan-
age of filing an indemnifying bond
pending appeal and keeping the old
ate in force. With this temptation
o tie UP the decisions of the commits
lion and secure years of delay in every
.ase it was feared the railroads would
appeal from the decisions of
he commission and thus to a great ex-
ent nullfy the results expected from
he law. Under the pending bill with
he rate declared reasonable to go into
fleet Immediately it. will be to the
interest Of the railroads to cooperate
n expediting final adjudication, nor
will ther,, be much temptation to ap-
zeal. The shipper will meantime have