The San Francisco call., 1905-02-02
Suddenly Finds That, After
All, 1t Had Not Driven
the President Into Accept
ing Compromise Measure
NO HOPE OF PEACE
OR ARMISTICE NOW
Strife Must Continue Until
Either the Executive or
the Giant Corporations
Is Forced to Surrender
Special. Dispatch to The Call.

CALL BUREAU, POST BUILDING.
WASHINGTON. Feb. If there is
talk anywhere of a compromise be-
tween the President and the great rail-
roads over the question of having the
Government regulate rates, such talk
is not heard In Washington, where the
discussion is all of war. This war is
being carried into the Republican eau
Gus of the House, which has been called
for Friday afternoon. 1t had been sup
posed the fight was all over In the
House and that the Hepburn bill would
be reported. This Is the bill to which
the railroads had agreed, with the un-
derstanding that 1t should pass the
House only to be killed in the Senate.
and many Of the railroad representa-
ttves went home last Sunday.
AL was serene until the Democrats
forced the Republicans to report the
Esch-Townsend bill, which has a string
to 1t. Then came the speech of the
President in Philadelphia, in which he
made known his intention to Appeal TO
the country for help to get law which
would permit the Interstate Commerce
Commission to make rates.
This has caused the entire railroad
world to fly to arms once more and to
prepare to fight the President at every
turn until Congress adjourns unless he
recede from his position of insisting
upon bill which carries out his die
tum-that in some such body as the
Interstate Commerce Commission there
must be lodged in effective shape the
power to establish rates.
In every Granny and corner of the
House wing of the Capitol to-day this
disposition of the railroads to fight the
Esch-Townsend bill was the one thing
being discussed. More important than
this was the public announcement in
the House by Representative Sibley of
pennsylvania that Congress might be
proceeding too hastily in this matter
and that it was doubtful expedient
to lodge such power in the Interstate
Commerce Commission. Sibley's speech
is regarded in Washington as showing
the renewed hostility of the Pennsylya-
MIA Railroad system to legislation in
either branch of Congress so long as
the President insists upon the enact
ment OF bill to have the Government
regulate rates.
The other Pennsylvania members
known to be opposed to the Esch-
Townsend bill are Dalzell, Mahon. Huff
and Castor. All are Republicans, and
they probably will make known their
opposition in the caucus.
The Postoffice appropriation bill oc-
cupied the attention of the House the
greater portion of the day. The usual
annual fight on special mail facilities
on trunk lines made its appearance.
Moon OF Tennessee arraigned those
Democrats supporting the proposition.
at the same time inveighing against
the Republican party for its attitude
regarding subsidies in general.
The bill was amended In several par
ticuiars, the most important change
consisting of the transfer of the fnspec-
ton service of the department from
the Fourth Assistants office to that of
the Postmaster General There was
added $4,000 to the appropriation of
$2.700,000 for rent and light and fuel for
first, second and third class offices. The
period for the Weighing of mails under
the quadrennial requirement. as the
basis for the adjustment of transpor-
tation pay was extended from thirty
to ninety days.
Baker of New York. discussing the
railroad rate question. attacked Sec
retary of the Navy Morton, who he
said. was a self-confessed violator of
the law.
1--WE are told there should be a
square DEAL he said in sarcasm. but.
he alleged, the cards were stacked 'in
the interest Of the men that control the
great railroads of the country"
Incidentally Baker declared that "the
innocence of the members of the House
regarding restricting the railroads is
accounted for by the little cardcases
In their pockets"