The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-01
TO RUSH RATE BILL THROUGH
MAY ne PASSED UNANINOU SLY
WITHIN EIGHT DAYS.
Democrats Likely 10 Make Only Nominal
Flight on It--Hearst Tries 10 Stir
Up the Radicals, with Small success
Reports on the Various Bills Filed.

said to-day in the CLOAK rooms ana the
Hobbies OF the House OF Representatives Is
to be believed the political millennium is
in sight. The rampant Republi can elephant
is to lie down with bis old enemy the docile
Democratic donkey.
For the sake OF partisan appearances
the minority members of the House are to
oppose the Republican proposition to en-
large the powers of the Interstate Com
merce Commission over railway rates and
then vote for 1t. Even the Republican
leaders admit that rate legislation advo-
Gated by the Democratic national plat
forms of 1890, 1900 and 1904 and ignored
in the Republican national platforms OF
those years il to DO passed by the House
before the end of the present Congress-.
Things that we're said to-day indicated
a decided probability that the House could
pass rate re gulation bill next week. From
present prospects there may not be a vote
against the measure on the final roll call.
This outcome will rebound 70 the glory OF
Representative Townsend OF Michigan. u
member serving his first term. who, through
combination OF circumstances. was 30
ected to introduce the bill which embodies
the views of the Federal Administration and
which will doubtless be rushed through the
House after "A comparatively brief debate.
s=-JsE&4tE=.kwHslsend bllS7sas TIE Sun -aa5-
planned to-day, is on amaigamation OF the
: Naturalization measures introduced by
Representative Esch OF Wisconsin and Rep
resentative Townsend. with few clauses
taken from the compromise bill intro
duced by Representative Hepburn OF Iowa,
chairman Of the House Committee on Inter-
state and Foreign Commerce.
The Hepburn provisions were added
to make easier the overthrow OF Mr.. Hep
burn, who found Republican members Of
his committee ready to enter into a catal
with the Democrats II he did not submit
to their dictates.
1t was arranged to-day that a CAUCUS
Of the House Republicans shall be held
on Friday afternoon to indorse the Town
5end bill. The Committee on Rules, OF
! which Speaker Cannon Is chairman. will
I set aside Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday
for debate and the measure will be voted
upon on Wednesday evening or Thursday
morning.
The Democrats. following the instruc-
tons Of tjeir caucus. will undertake 10
substitute Tor the Townsend compromise
| simple IFovision for the regulation Of
/ railway rates introduced by Representative
Davey OF louisiana. but II they fail in
/ that they will vote for the Townsend bill.
AT any ra1e, Republican leaders OF the
House said to-day that they expected this
to be- the outcome.
The call for the Republican caucus sent
out to-day does not limit consideration
/ to a rate regulation bill On the contrary
it specifically provides for the oonsidera-
I ton of other subjects. One of the matters
ready 10 be taken up Ia the Mann bin for the
/ government OF the Canal Zone and the con-
/ struction Of the Panama Canal, reported
to-day. The question of what to do with
/ bills relating to private cars, private car
| lines, terminal charges and regulations
may also be brought up.
A special rule for the consideration Of
| the Townsend bin may DO reported to-
morrow from the Committee on Rules. A
tentative plan agreed upon to-day was to
| allow eight hours of debate. but that will
/ probably be changed to debate on Monday.
! Tuesday and Wednesday.
SO far as the House leaders could dis
/ cover to-day, not one oftheir followers ia
/ openly opposed to the Townsend bill.
/ They VIII all vote for it. On the final roll
/ call it is expected that the Democrats will
also support il and thus send the BILL which
/ has the approval of the President, TO the
Senate with the prestige OF unanimous
approval.
/ The Hearst wing Of the Democratic mem
/ bersAip succeeded in stirring up commotion
among the minority members of the Com
merce Committee. Representative Hearst
! induced Representatives Shackleford and
, Lamar, two Democratic members Of the
/ committee to add provisions Of the Hearst
/ bill TO the Davey bill which. II made law.
1 would put everything pertaining to trans
/ portation and the making of rates under
! the control of the interstate Commerce
! Commission.
The radical Democrats, after they filed
I their views, set on foot an agitation for
/ another caucus for the purpose Of inducing
/ the minority TO agree 10 additions TO the
! Davey bill. Their efforts we're regarded as
/ inimoal 70 the leadership interests Of John
Sharp Williams. who has been the par
! tiouar target for the editorial utterances
/ Of Mr.. Hearst The friends Of the Demo-
/ cratic leader. therefore, bitterly opposed
| the proposed caucus, and Mr.. Williams
! let it be known THAT all who signed the call
/ would be unfavoraby regarded in the
| committee room Of the minority leader.
| Up 10 a late hour this evening the Hearst
men had not secured the twenty-five sig
natures necessary.
| Reports on the rate regulation bills we're
! filed this afternoon. That by Mr. Town
send in favor of the majority bill WAS short.
( be said that the necessity for the proposed
/ legislation was 10 he found IN the thousands
! OF petitions cent to both houses OF Congress
: and that the demand was voiced in the
annual message Of the President.
I The FIVE Democratic members Of the
/ committee signing the minority report in
! favor Of the amended Davey bill object
/ chiefly 10 the bill Of the majority because
I It increases the personnel and salaries OF
I the Interstate Commerce Commission and
! establishes a Court Of Transportation.