Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-03
HOUSE REPUBLICANS
Now in Caucus on Railway
Rate Bill.
OPEN REVOLT TODAY
AGAINST RUSHING THROUGH AD-
MINIsTRATIoN MEASURE.
Members Want Opportunity to Discuss
and Amend Different Sections to
Which They May Object.

The republicans of the House have been in
a turmoil all day over the approaching eau
Gus on the railway rate bill. The caucus
commenced at 5 o'clock this afternoon. 1t
could not be forecasted when it would end
or what it would accomplish. There was
open revolt today against the administra-
tons railway bill proposed by the House
committee on interstate and foreign COM
merce and storm of opposition to the pro-
posal that the bill should be rushed through
the House under special rule and without
amendment
In fact. notice was practically served upon
the House leaders by prominent republicans
that no such program of railroading the bill
would be permitted to be adopted by the
caucus. Members will insist, they say, upon
full debate of the measure If the caucus
should bring it up for consideration in the
House and upon the right to offer amend
ments.
One Contention Made.
Some prominent republicans in the House
contended today. that the ma jority were be-
ing put in false and embarrassing posi-
tlon Dy the proposition to jam the bill
through without amendment. A great
many members of the House are opposed
to one section or another of the admin
lstratlons s bill. They point out that they
must either do violence to their judgment
by accepting the bill, or, If they refuse to
accept 1t, be placed in the attitude of sid
ing with the railroads and standing out
against the great popular movement for
reform headed by the President.
The administrations particular hackers
In the House were putting on the pressure
today. They said that the railroads would
do better to accept this bill, for if the sub
Ject had 10 go over to an extra session a
more drastic measure might be enacted.
Word was passed around the House that
the railroads, while entirely favora BILE to
legislation against rebates and discrmina-
ton, were unalterably opposed and would
continue to be opposed until the end Of
time to proposition allowing the inter-
state commerce commission or any other
body to name the rates that they shall
charge for their service.
Some Suggestions.
There was renewal today of the talk of
letting the whole thing go over until the
next session of Congress with a special
committee to sit during the recess and look
into the subject. There was also some dis
cussion today of the suggestion that the
caucus should appoint a committee to draw
up a bill to be submitted to subsequent
caucus. The main effort at the caucus,
which now is going on, will be directed, it
is understood, to some kind of a plan
which will enable the House to give the
President a bill embodying the principles
he advocates, and at the same time MAX
ing the application of them acceptable to
the rank and file of the House. 1t is not
believed that the House will dare to put
itself In direct opposition to the President
because. as it is argued, the country has
made up its mind that there must be some
action and that the President is right The
members of the House are too close to the
people, it is explained, to allow themselves
to be placed in the attitude of resisting
public demand and resisting ostensibly at
the behest of corporate interests
But since the Townsend -Esch bill has
been more closely examined and it's effects
more clearly realized there is increasing
apprehension among members that 1t may
be drastic and that they should make haste
slowly in enacting such far-reaching law
In the Senate.
In the Senate the administration is strong
There are said to be eighteen republicans
who are ready to join with the democrats
and make a majority of the Senate on a
test vote to force the committee on inter.
state commerce to report a railway bill II
is known positively that some Of the demo.
Gratis in the Senate do not approve the
House bill in it's present form, but they
would probably not hesitate. If an opportu.
nifty for party advantage presents ITSELF tc
force the republicans into an embarrassing
position by standing for the bill
The Pennsylvania delegation in the
House went into caucus at O. clock this
afternoon, in advance of the general eau
Gus, to determine it's attitude toward the
administrations bill. 1t was understood be
fore the members went in that twenty-siS
were opposed to the bill and inclined to rec.
ommend further investigation of the subject
by commission.