The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-01-18
4 ] | NILL 4.
.0|F|IF'ERgRATE Bit.
'(Continucd from First PPiage.) 358
two OF \ the features OF st lr.EIbill On
grated on tho Republican measure.
Planning to IL Block Z epislatio11.

59 { There & were 81 never so many " railroad
representative In Washington, iproba bly,
as are here now T hey arc on the lookout
for rate ogislation, and arc \ embracing
every pportunity to fight measures OF
this char ter. Tho fight has 4 scarcely
Commerce Committees ofEthe Senate ana
opened, Tho Cooper uarles bill is in the
!; House, and hearings arc being had daily
I but It Is recognized thai this bill will not
Ebec come a law. ~ $;.t 81
ut is perfectly cortainI however, that
#if Congress ever gets a chance to vote on
the question, there will be Il bill passed
giving this power to n tho Il government,
either to the Interstate Commerce Com
mission or to Il q specially constituted
court There IS mot the slightest doubt
of this as matters now stand, 3 and while
q determined effort is being made III to
stem tho tide in favor Of such gislation,
there Is no prospect that 1t will be eff
sfective. Righ tly53or wrongly, X Tho people
think they have been imposed upon by
the transportation lines Of the country.
Tho members OF Congress reflect this
8view,fanl even IL some doubt tho wisdom
%of uch glslntion, they Shardl y dare ops
& pose the overwhelming wish Of consti-
&tuents8to have the government Eund ertake
Ethe regulation of rates jss5
Confident Of Success,
1t Is no open opposition that tho adj
Rvocntes 3 Of Il such legslation fear s most.
1T Is covert opposition and obstruction,
which may bc encountered In the Senate.
For instance, It Is impossible TO conceive
of Il scna tor Chauncey AI.{ 4 Depew, presl-
dent Of the New y ork Central Railway
Company, and representative OF NIL a Tho
&Vanderbllts, voting for any IT 81 measure
which was # not entirely satisfactory q
\ the railroads OF the country, Senator
8Platt8is president8of tho United States
Express Company, and the two senators
from Pennsylvania arc as strongly CON-
WINGED that the railroads arc tho ctlms
of hostile legislation as they "a 70 that
Pennsylvania Is good fors8$ns Republican
majority, These are only samples OF the
strong pro-railrond men on the Repulh,li,-
can side. 1t is understood that every
Democratic senator WI vote tor q q talr
rate regulation bill,
nj Senator Plkins, chairman Of the Com
Smitteo on Interstate Commerce., Which
IL considering tho Cooper-Q uarles bill,
has indicated in the course OF the past
day or two, that he believes tho " law
as IT exists now gives the Interstate
Commerce Commission power to Teg Ia tp
tho railroads as far as Ia desira ple,5 lie
has asked questions which show that he
prefers to have the rate making. power
Vest In tue management Of the froaltds,
a IA at present, ana to let tho government
Soonfine itself to preventing rebates, o.
Sfavors az any character shown ono shin
per 10 Tho exclusion OF another.
sgIy,t tho advocates OF rate leg ton
feel confident that Il Congress does No.!
take action at the present session, y w
Edo so at an extra session., 'l'he l'!es Gen!
is backing them and WINE oppos''ion !. :
threaten to disrupt the t.party to the
sgextent Of causing certain senator's 70 yotf
saralnst the bill when II, Is put on AZ
~, nassage, the tremendous influence Of the
executive as relied upoN 70 forae y
throupll f5 NfF5l4tl r. liz, y. lsti .5fstf p