Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-02-07
5sth CONGRESS.
CONTINUED from page ~

/ railway freight rates. This action was
taken only after opposition by the DEM
ocrats, led by John Sharp Williams OF
| Mississippi, the minority leader, to the
| adoption OF a rule which would shut
out opportunity to amend the bill. Two
| Republicans, Messrs. Southwick and
Vreeland of New York, voted against
the rule and one Democrat, James OF
| Tennessee, voted for IL. Otherwise
party lines were tightly drawn.
| In criticizing the committee on rules
| for shutting off all opportunity for
| amendment, Williams contended that If
that opportunity were given. the Dem
| ocrats had with them sufficient num-
Der Of Republicans to pass bill en-
bodying in all its particulars the views
OF the President. He offered TO sur
render all the time allotted TO his side
for debate as well as to forego a vote
on the minority substitute. if amend
ments would be allowed TO be offered
but the appeal was refused by the ma
jority.
De Almond Of Missouri. charged that
the right 10 amend had been denied
In the narrOwneSs of shallow parti-
sanship."
|
bers was declared by DalZell to be ap-
parent. since 1t afforded full opportuni-
ty to vote on both bills offered by the
two parties. The rule also was defend
ed by Grosyenor of Ohio.
Messrs. Townsend of Michigan, one
of the authors of the bill under con-
sideralion. and Richardson of Alaba-
ma. occupied the remainder of the day
| in discussing il. both sounding n note
| of warning TO the railroads that. unless
| they Joined hands with Congress in the
| matter, the people would demand more
drastic legislation.
| Before taking up the question OF
| freight rates, the House adopted the
replication of the committee OF seven
managers to the reply of Judge Swayhe
to the impeachment charges. IN Whlch
it was reiterated that Judge Swayne
| is guilty of the crimes alleged against
him.
The resolution providing for taking
up the bill for regulation of 1relght
rates, provoked considerable discus
| sion.
| Grosvenor, Ohio. in answer to Coch-
ran, Mo-, was rehearsing the original
| interstate commerce legislation, when
| Gaines, Tenn, cried out: ''Oh pshaW.
| When the laughter which followed had
| subsidized. Grosvenor Indignantly re-
| torted: THAT is in keeping with the
character of the position he (Gaines)
| occupies"
| Gaines sought to explain that he did
not intend to be offensive, but Grosve-
nor would rot be interrupted.
In denouncing the rule, Williams de-
clarei that The object of the Democrat
ic caucus had been accomplished. That
| object he said, was to let the Presi-
dent of the United States and minority
men of the majority party know that
| there would be no more partisan and
fractional opposition to a great public
measure The rule, he said, amid Dem
ocratic applause, had been brought in
for the purpose of preventing ma
| iority of the entire House, composed of
the Democrats sOlidly and number OF
Republicans. from formulating bill
which would accomplish the purpose
sought.
Your object is" he said, "to prevent
your own men from amending your
| own bill with out assistance"
The Townsend-F.sch bill. he said had
been framed upon the presumption that
| the Interstate commerce commission err
ror was the thing to be guarded
| against.
williams then offered to surrender
every moment of debate if the rule
was so amended as to permit a vote on
three amendmntS.
He even offered to give up the vote
on the minority substitute if the priv
ilege he asked was accorded.
DaIZell however, refused the propo-
sition. The three amendmnts, Williams
demanded We're, he said, to give the
commission power to substitute a rate
for the one declared off, to make that
rate operative until set aside by final
Judgment of a court; and to base APP
peal or review to a court upon evidence
adduced before the interstate COM
merce commission.
The debate was brought to a close by
Dalzell. who said, amid Republican
laughter that n Democratic caucus was
an exceedingly unnecessary thing when
| it sought to give aid to the President
and the Republican party. He congrat-
ulated the Democratic party that since
November last "they have discovered
| tnat the man Ill lUt w Ililt 10 a
good man for not only Republicans.
but for Democrats to follow" He ar
gued that nothing could be fairer than
to permit the House to pass on the two
propositions-the bill of the majority
| and the minority's substitute.
ON a roll call the rule was adopted
Ice to 40.
! Immediately the House went into
committee of the whole to consider the
Towrsend- Esch bill, with Currier. y.
| T.. i'm the Chair.
Townsend. Michigan. one of the au-
thors Of the measure. said that the bill
presented ample occasion to bring into
prominence the agitator who desired
notoriety before his constituents. The
occasion. he snid was equally fruitful
for that greed and selfshness born of
great power and nurtured by a desire
for financial gain. which would de-
ceive the Congress and the nation in
ILL Lnt h. nF I4