The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-01-27
RAILROAD RATES
ENGAGE THE HOUSE
MIR. Williams Says Democrats
Are Committed to Presi.
dents Policy

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 2s.-Tn
the mousse today Mr.. Scott (Kan.) dis
cuSsed the question of discriminating
rates by railroads and said that there
hau peen general demand from the
agficultural section Of Kansas for re-
ileI. He called attention to the Herr
puFn Dill regulating rates charged by
falToads which, with the exception of
lew details, he said, fully met the
demand for remedial legislation.
Mr. Williams (Miss.) inquired if the
present Interstate commerce commits
sion had done anything which justified
thelr being legislated out of office. Mr..
scout replied that he was relying on
the good sense and discretion of the
president In the matter, who should
nave absolute freedom to secure men
whom he thought best suited to the
work.
AS spokesman for his party on the
moor, Mr.. Williams said that the Dem
ocratlc party was committed without
adaltlon or subtraction to the rec
concentrations of President Roosevelt
In his recent message. The Demo-
Gratis, he said, were glad to have the
presidents - views, because it was
DeIlocfdtlc doctrine" and ought to be
american doctrine. 1--WE will toe-mark
tne PRESIDENTS tracks on this subject"
declared Mr.. Williams amid general an
pause. And" he added, facing the
republican side, 1--WE call on Won as
american citizens to help us to toe
mark them"
Talks of Corporate Influence
Mr.. Bell (Cal) made speech in
FAVOR of railroad rate revision. He
charged that the impression had gone
abroad that congress had become sub
Ject to corporate influence and said
that II there was such influence here it
should be promptly expelled. Mr.. Bell
ascrlped sinister motives to the use of
certain language in the preparation of
the law creating the interstate. COM
meree commission, which provoked a
discussion between himself, Mr.. Mann
Ill.) and Mr.. Williams (Miss.), the
last named asserting it as his belief
that railroad influence was felt in the
senate at the time the Cullom bill es-
tablishing the Interstate commerce
commission was substituted by the
senate conferees for the Reagan bill.
The latter bill, he declared, would have
fulfilled the requirements.
The Hepburn bill, Mr.. Mann said,
was the product Of Mr.. Hepburn him.
self.
1t Is Up to Hepburn
Mr.. Bell expressed the hope that Mr..
Hepburn, when he came to explain the
Dill, would prove that there was moth
ing sinister in its language. At pres
ent, however, the bill was so worded as
to what should constitute a reasonable
rate that 1t was susceptible of a dou-
bic meaning. Every hint of vagueness
and indef1niteness ought to be re-
moved. He defended the interstate
commerce commission, which he said
had been held up to public ridicule.
For the past eight years, since the de-
c1s1on 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 commissioners in che
eyes of the people and to break down
the confidence that congress and the
people ought to have in any body ap-
pointed by the executive. If, he said,
an opportunity should be afforded to
amend the Hepburn bill in some par
tfculars, it would receive the support
of the house without regard to political
division and thereby render effective
the views of the president.
Let's Gen. Miles Out
The senate passed the army appro-
priation bill, after modifying the pro-
vision concerning the assignment of
retired army officers to active service
with the militia organizations. The
effect Of the change is to relieve Gen.
Miles from It's application, as only Off
GERS hereafter so assigned are COM
prised in the provisions.
Mr.. Gallinger and others criticised
the amendment regulating the sale of
army transports, claiming that the use
of government vessels forced unfair
competition upon the owners of private
vessels. Mr.. Hale condemned the op-
GRAFTON of the general staff system in
the army and said he would oppose
any effort to establish q similar sys-
tenn in the navy. The amendment re-
curing congressional Endorsement be-
fore selling transports was agreed to,
as was also that striking out the house
provision for the use of private vessels
for the transportation of government
supplies to the Philippines.
An amendment approprfating $95, 900
for the extension of the cable from
Valdez to Seward, Alaska, offered by
Mr.. Proctor on behalf of the commit
tee on military affairs, was accepted.