Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-12-14
REPUBLICANS STAND SOLID
Talk of a Split in the Ranks Of the
Party Is All Balder-
dash.

1t is safe to disregard the story from
Washington that the republicans in
congress will split over the question of
railway rate regulation. division of
opinion exists now among the repub-
lican members of the senate interstate
commerce committee, but there are ev-
licences that this will practically or ac-
tually disappear by the time that. con-
gress meets, says the st. Louis Globe
Democrat. Chairman Elkins of that
committee denies that he is opposed to
the principle of the presidents plan.
He says he differs with the president
only on details, and the details, of
course, are something which will have
to be arranged in congress. The presi-
dent has nothing to do with the mi
mute provisions of the regulation
scheme In his forthcoming message
he will urge the enactment of a law
which will give certain powers in the
regulation of rates TO the interstate
| commerce commission or to some
other board belonging to the general
government, but congress, if it agrees
with the scheme, will frame the meas
. ure.
From present indications a majority
of the republican members of the SEN
ate interstate commerce committee
will be on the presidents side by the
/ opening of congress. Cullom of Hi
nois and Dolliver of Iowa have been
with the president from the beginning
! Millard of Nebraska. who is counted
as doubtful, is also with the president
Several times in the past ew months
he has made his attitude lain to the
| country. There is now a reasonable
chance that Elkins will side with the
administration by the time the bill is
framed which will present the matter
TO the senate. Foraker's friends say
there is no irrepressible conflict be-
tween him and the president on the
rate issue, which means that they be-
lieve Foraker will be over on the presi-
dents side by the time the subject
comes up in congress. Kean of New
Jersey, who is new man in the sen
| ate, and who has been placed among
the opponents of the presidents poll
cy, is reported to be swinging over to
the administration. The division
| among the republicans of the senate
interstate commerce committee will
not lie serious enough to give the dem
ocrats any aid and comfort.
At least three facts will prevent a
split among the senate republicans on
the rate regulation question. The peo-
pie Of the country, by large majority,
favor that policy. A rate-regulatiOn
bill will pass the house early in the
session. and will receive the votes OF
three-iourths or more of the repub-
lican members of that chamber. All
! the republican leaders of the popular
! branch, from Cannon down. are in ia
vor OF a measure substantially on the
lines which the president urges If
the republicans of the senate fail to
give rate regulation the support which
it needs to carry it through that body
the democrats will do the work. These
| considerations will prevent any serious
break among the republican senator's
on chat policy. A regulation bill in
some shape is sure to be enacted. The
senators who stand out against that
policy will have hard road to travel
if they appeal for reelection. The coun-
try is resolved to try the experiment
of placing a supervision over railway
rates in the hands OF some govern
ment board. and the people usually
accomplish what they set out to do. On
the rate regulation question as on all
other important issues the republican
line in congress is likely to remain un-
/ broken.