The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-22
RAILWAY BILL IS
TOO CUMBERSOME
Will Have No Show in The
Senate
Mr. ELK|NS IS AGAINST IT
About Two Weeks VIII Elapse Before
the Senate Can Get Into
the swayne Case In
Earnest.
Mr. ElK|NS IS AGAINST IT

washington, January N.-(Special.)-
he cumbersome railway rate bill intro
duced In the House this morning by
Chairman Hepburn OF tie House inter-
state and foreign commerce committee,
Is measure which will command In it's
present form, the support of very few
republican senators and. therefore, it's
passage through the upper body of Con-
gress Is not to be expected at this or
any other session. The bill, however,
serves the good purpose of basis for
railway legislation which 1t is agreed is
going to take a great deal of thought.
II the Hepburn bill, as 1t stands, is
voted upon IN the House, the democrats
will offer their measure presented early
In the week as a substitute. The DEM
ocratic bill possesses the advantage of
simplicity, giving the interstate commerce
committee the power to say wherein a
rate is unreasonable and providing for
an early appeal on the rate it fixes to
the proper court, thus preventing the
railway company from reducing the rate
small fraction of a cent as 1t is now
alleged is done.
The democrats are not opposed to the
Hepburn bill as 1t seeks to carry out
democratic principle which has been APP
propriated by the republicans. They be-
lieve, however, that a better bill can be
drawn, and this will be the line of their
contentious on the floor of the House.
Elklns Opposes Legislation.
Senator Elkins, chairman of the Senate
committee on foreign commerce, came
out today against railway legislation at
this session and addcd that he did not
favor an extra session.
Senator Elkins says the subject is one
of such great Importance that he thinks
there should not be the slightest haste
o. the part of Congress. Il cannot
imagine" said the Senator, "of any prop
os,tion which could come before Congress
affecting the interests of more persons
than this case. The amount of money
involved, as representing business inter-
ests and property rights, is beyond meas
ure, and cannot reasonably be calculated
offhand. / am In favor of going slow N
this situation. l favor the selection of
| a joint congressional committee to sit
| during the summer and frame a measure
| which shell be reported to the Senate
| and House next winter, when the whole
| subject may be dealt with deliberately.
| WITHOUT haste. with caution and due re-
gard for the great amount of money and
| TT, perty involved
The Swayne Case.
Something like two weeks will elapse
| between the formal opening of the
| Swayne impeachment case and the begin
| ming of the argument pro and con the
| Florida jurst. He is first summoned to
appear before the Senate. sitting as a
court, on a stated day. when he Is to be
informed to the charges against him and
| asked to reply. Swayne, 1T is under
| stood, will have quite an array of 'coun-
| sci, though far as can be learned 1t
is not known whom he has decided upon.
| Among other names being mentioned Is
| that of former Senator Thurston of Me-
| braska. In order to escape Swayne has
to convince only a third of those present
| that he is innocent. 1t requires two
! thirds to convict. The impeachment
against Andrew Johnson failed by but
| one vote. All the Democrats and nearly
half the Republicans will have to vote
against Swayne to convict him. Swayne
will, of course. have easy sailing IL any
| thing like half the proportion of Repub-
| lican senators hold the same view as
| the House representatives.
Ship Subsidy Bill Suffering.
Ship subsidy legislation is suffering
from the vigorous assaults made upon it
| least, keeping within its she'll Despite
favorable reports from the committees OF
| both Senate and House no progress is
| being made Representative Spight of
Mississippi said today that the democrats
| of the House merchant marine committee
would unite in a minority report against
the committees bill. Chairman Grosve-
| nor has let Mr.. Spight into the secret
that there will be plenty of time for the
preparation of minority report. indi-
eating that the first move will be to get
the bill through the Senate. The repub-
lican opposition to the bill In the Sem
ate Is so strong said Mr.. Spight today,
that have no doubt 1t will be defeated"
Cotton Concerns Combine.
Consul Woman writes from Quebec
that four of the leading cotton manufac-
turing concerns of Idaho. representing a
capital of about s10,000,000 and EMPLOYING
over 5000 hands, have formed a trust to
centralize their interests at Montreal. The
trust so organized is composed Of COM
panies having a total capitalization OF
| s.. s33 900 in stock and s4,164,000 in bonds.
; Wiley Is complimented.
Representative Wiley Of Alabama was
one of the two House democrats chosen
to speak at the acceptance of the Ingalls,
statute this afternoon. Colonel Wiley
was warmly congratulated upon his
speech. many of the members present
think 1t the best heard.
Our Health Insurance
covers grippe and pneumo-