The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-20
Republican Senators at Odds
Over Railway Rate Regulation.
DoIIiver Insists Bill Embodying
Presidents Ideas Be Passed.
OTHERS ARE OPPOSED.
Elkins, Foraker and Kean Favor
an Inadequate Measure.
Gossip and Matters OF Interest
in Railroad Circles.

Washington, Sept. 20..Frona state
lnents made recently by two prorni-
nent Republican senator's of the senate
committee on interstate commerce, it
is evident that there will be a serious
split in that committee over the rail-
way rate regulation question. Senator
Elkips of West Virginia, chairman of
the committee. has declared that his
idea, an idea shared by Senator
Foraker, Senator Kean and other rail-
road senators on the committee. is to
report bill favoring the creation of
an interstate commerce court. This is
not at all in accord with the presi-
dents views on the subject. and it is
believed that certain western Republic
cans on the committee will decline to
railroad senators and will prepare d
minority report and bill that will have
definite meaning.
Senator Dolliver of Iowa, a member
of the committee, stands with the
president, and. in a recent interview,
declared that a bona fide rate regula-
ton bill, one that embodied the presi-
dents ideas. would come out of the
committee, even if it came as mi
nority report. 1t is believed that Sem
ator Cullom of Illinois sides with Sen
ator Dolliver, and, possibly, Senator
Willard of Nebraska. There are eight
Republicans and five Democrats on
the interstate committee, and If the
Democrats join forces with the Repub-
lican senators who sincerely favor a
bill that will mean something they Will
be able to defeat Senator Elkins and
the railroad senators, who are secretly
opposed to rate regulation, and who
would report nothing but harmless
measure. The bill arranged by Sena-
tor Dolliver might not be all the
Democrats desire, but they could put
d 1,Is Sr,fz
sition in the senate if they voted with
the minority in the committee and
turned it into a majority.
The Republicans on the committee
who are sure to stand by the railroads
are Senator Elkins. chairman; Sena-
tor Kean, Senator Aldrich and Senator
Foraker. Senator Dolliver and Sena-
tor Cullom will be back of the ninori-
ty report. How Senator Clapp and
Senator Millard will vote is not known
yet The Democrats are Senators Till
man, McLaurin of Mississippi, Car
mack, Foster of Louisiana and New
lands. If Senator Dolliver can bring
one other Republican senator to his
Democrats to vote with him, he will
have a majority of the committee. 1t
will be a majority of but one, yet that
will be enough if Chairman Elkfns
ever allows the bill to come to a vote
to turn the minority report into a
majority report.
The committee will meet on No
vember Is, Chairman Elkins has an
nounced, in order that a bill may be
presented to the senate soon after the
session begins. It is the question
whether this report will be an Elkins
report or a Dolliver report that is in
teresting to the public.
Word comes from Des Moines, Iowa,
that Senator Allison has declared him.
self in favor of railroad rate legisla-
ton, and he says that he believes that
the next senate will give the matter
most careful consideration. He says
the public has misjudged the senate in
calling it a railroad body. He ex-
presses confidence that the senate
committee will report favorably on a
bill which will be accepted by the
senate. He declares that the laws
are more drastic in this country, but
need more efficient enforcement, and
he heartily supports the presidents
policy because it is general.