The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-07
President Friends Look AskanCe
Upon Sudden Conversions to
Rate Reform.
EASY TO CHANGE THE
EFFECT OF MEASURE
Senators Will Be Watched Closely
Lest Trick Make Rate
Bill Worthless.
By w. w. Jermane.

Washington, Dec THE belief,
which is gaining ground daily, that the
railroad opposition to the president $
program has in large part subsidized, and
even support the administration bill,
has started a good many people IN
Washington to talking about the Greeks
bearing gifts. Already it is being said
that these men, former opponents OF the
administration policy, should be
"1 # IS an ul's oid trick in legislation to
have alleged friends of a particular bill
nullify its provisions by some slight
amendment, sometimes Of one word, a
proposition, conjunction or an ad!ec-
tive. 1t is believed here by many that
istration will have to guard against
most carefully. People find it difficult
to believe that men who so recently
were openly and VIGOROUSLY in opposi-
ton to the Roosevelt policy are now
about to undergo sincere change of
heart.
Alive to Situation.
The friends of the administration in
both houses are alive to the situation,
of this kind if it can be prevented
In the meantime, things are still look
ing bright for the advocates of genuine
rate legislation, and their talk is SUI
premely optimistic. Obviously, there is
likely to be slight reaction, and in a
as good as they do today. But "suf-
fcient unto the day. is the evil, or
the good, thereof.
Every move thus far has strengthened
the president and worked to the undo
ing Of his opponents, and this state Of
making genuine legislation certain.
The introduction Of the much tallked-
of sch-Townsend. bill yesterday caused
a futter of excitement, everybody be-
ing anxious to see just what its pro-
visions were. It is apparent how,
occupy in this congress the favored po-
sition they occupied in the last. Then
they were practically the only friends
the president had, and in session
which he expressly said was to be a
session Of talk, they achieved good
deal of fame.
Session of Action.
The. present session is to be a session
Of action, according to, the president Is
belief, and at it's beginning he finds q
number of the leading men in both
houses anxious to stand on the GROUND
which he stands on. As between al
afford to select one or two as admin
istration champions, describing al
others. Therefore, there will be no ad
ministration bill this session, plainly
tagged as such, as was the case will
the Esch-T Townsend bill Of year ago
The house committee on interstat
and foreign commerce will itself picl
out bill that will be reported to tn
house, and that bill will be the admin
istration bill The Esch- Townsend bill
will probably not find favor in tina
committee. but some other bill vii
probably be reported for passage b.
the house, either the bill drawn by tn
request. Of Senator Elkins, or som
bill drawn along similar lines, perhap
the bill which Chairman Hepburn o
that committee is now writing.
The argument in favor of some sue
a bill as this. which will re-enact tn
major portion of the present interstat
commerce act, with only such addition
pie which the president is fighting 70
was outlined in these dispatches las
Sunday morning in An interview wit
Representative Stevenson of MINI,
sofa.
Waiting on Speaker.
As soon as Speaker Cannon al
nounces the committee on interstat
and foreign commerce for this congress
that committee will meet and take ):
the, rate question, with view to r
porting a bill at as early date as 20
sible. Mr.. Hepburn will continue
be chairman Of that committee, an
Mr.. Stevens of Minnesota will be
member of it, as he was in the Ia
congress. There is good ground f
the statement that Mr. Fletcher of Mi
nesota will not be able to regain
place on this committee. The speak
would give him a place on the militia
committee, provided Mr.. Stevens won
retire from that committee, but Ii
Mr.. Stevens is dsinclined to do, OWL
to the fact that the committee w
have before it this session several i
portant. questions left over from t
last congress, with which Mr.. Steve
is familiar and for the discussion
which his presence on the commit
is highly important