The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-04
TO PASS RAILROAD RATE BILL
HOUSE REPUBLICAN CONFER
ENCE so DECIDES.
The Test Vote stood OF TO a4--Resolution
Adopted Instructing tho Committee
on Rules TO Provide for q Vote on
the BiIl on Wednesday at . O'clock.

on Rules TO Provide for Vote on
the BfIi on Wednesday at . O'clock.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.-The Republican
members Of the House OF Representatives
decided In conference this afternoon TO
pass a railway rate regulation bill next
Wednesday. No particular bill was in
dorsed, but it Is probable that the measure
introduced by Representative Townsend
n new member from Michigan, which
gives the Interstate Commerce Com
mission the right 10 fix rates and
creates a court OF transportation to
pass upon appeals from the commissions
rulings which received the vote OF the
majority, will be adopted. II may be
amended. IA forty or fifty Republican
members who are unwilling to be bound
by the action of the conference do not
like the Townsend bill as it stands The
Pennsylvania Republicans are all opposed
to it. They decided to-day to vote against
It.
The Republican conference was held in
the hall Of the House and was we'll attended
The Pennsylvania delegation made an effort
to secure adjournment until Wednesday
evening so az to allow more time for con-
sidering the subject. That proposition
was voted down. 1O7 to -. When that vote
was taken several members of the Penn
sylvania delegation quit the meeting. but
all except Mr.. Mahon returned.
The Pennsylvanians forced declaration
from Chairman Hepburn OF the Interstate
and Foreign Commerce Committee that
the meeting was not a caucus, but confer
ence. and for that reason the approval OF
the programme by it does not bind any one.
The action was merely advisory, Mr.. Hep
burn held. Had the meeting been called a
caucts, the Pennsylyanians would have
bolted.
The action taken by the conference IL
regarded az victory for President Roose-
welt His supporters had the votes to turn
the so-called conference into a caucus,
thus making tia action binding but they
did not choose to use their power. They
believe they will be able to pass the bill
without the assistance OF the Republicans
who are Directing so vehemently. They
hope. however. that the DIRECTORS will not
become bolters on the final vote.
The conference was called TO order at
O'Clock. and Mr. Hepburn was made chair
mnn Mr., Townsend. the putatve author
Of the bill. explained the measure. Mr..
Hepburn then left the chair and advocated
the Enforcement OF the bill so that some
thing could he done to meet popular de-
nj and
Mr.. Wanger also advocated the bill, but
asked for delay. He wanted TO give mem
beers an opportunity to study the subject,
He put his suggestion into the form Of
motion. which u.aele- a test Of stsscgth rsos
"a 49, II ffr- to
Representative Roberts offered IA sub
stitute for the motion to instruct the Com
mittee on Rules that committee OF the
two houses be appointed to consider the
sub jet during the summer recess and report
n bill early in the next session. That was
defeated by vote Of los to 40. The final
question was as to the time for the vote
to be taken. On that no one called for
division. so o clock Wednesday was agreed
to practically without opposition.
Messrs. Sibley. Bates and Mahon, all OF
Pennsylvania, were the only outspoken
opponents to action at this session. Mr..
Mahon became very vehement He said
he would be damned II he would vote
for such bill on Wednesday or any other
day until he was sure it would not have
the r1iinous effect he had predicted in the
meeting of the Pennsylvania delegation.
Speaker Cannon made two short speeches,
both Of a concliatory nature Among
other things he said that the assertion that
the railroads would be ruined by giving
the commission the rate making power
was not warranted by experience. He
said that the commission had it for nearly
ten years and ruin did not come to the rail-
roads or 10 the shippers. He said that the
decision of tho Supreme Court that II had
not the rate making power had removed
check upon the railroads that bad been
statutory. He added that unless some
national bill like this one was agreed TO by
the railroads there was danger OF even
more radical legislation and not very far
in the future.
The resolution adopted by the conference
directed the Committee on Rules TO bring in
a rule providing for a vote on rate regu-
lation bill on Wednesday next at o'clock.
The House will meet on that day at IL
O'Clock to count the electoral vote and will
devote an hour only to that duty. 1t IL
expected IN at the Committee on Rules
will meet tomorrow and decide that the
Townsend hill shall be taken up Monday and
debated the two succeeding days until the
! hour fixed for taking vote.
| just before the conference the Penn
! sylvania Republican delegation held meet.
! ing at which violent hostility was espresso d
! toward any and all railroad rate reglla-
ton at this session. They agreed that in
| the event any effort was made TO bind them
| TO support the Townsend or any other bill
| they would walk out of the House in a body.