The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-02-10
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Gem
eral Topics from
the Capital.
February 6. 1905.

February 6, 1905.
Despite the oppositioa of the
entire Pennsylvania delegation.
excepting Of course, the Demo-
cratic members, and of some
twenty other Representatives. the
Republicans of the House have
determined to pass the Townsend.
Esch railway rate bill at the
present session of Congress and
it is probable that the measure
will be sent to the Senate the
latter part of next week; but it is
almost certain that no action will
follow in the upper chamber.
Democratic members of the House
will vote for the minority substi
tute, which is modification of
the Davey bill, but as that will
be defeated they may vote for
the Townshend- ESch bill as the
best railway Legislation that can
be obtained. The determination
of the Republicans to vote for a
railway rate bill at all this ses-
sion is recognized as triumph
for the President and also for
Representative Williams whose
sarcasm the Republicans fear and
who, it was known. would have
delivered brOadside whic h
would have made interesting
reading i'll the respective dis
tricts of the Republican members
had they listened to the railroad
lobby and determined to do moth.
ing toward carrying into effect
the Presidents recommendation
at this session of Congress.
1t is probable that there would
be some railway rate legislation
in the Senate at this session were
it not for the Swayne impeach
ment case, which renders the
consideration of a complicated
measure almost physical impos
sibility, although it is equally
likely that before the bill passed
the Senate it would have been so
altered as to make it entirely
inadequate to correct ex.
listing evils, even those at which
it is aimed. The fact that the
Townsend ESch bill fails even to
attempt the correction of some of
the gravest evils is a source of
disappointment to the President
aud to the Democrats in both
Houses of Congress and there
are many who believe that a more
comprehensive measure can be
enacted at the special session
which the President proposes to
call. The President has decided
not to attempt to force the Senate
TO act at this session aud his
present plan is to call a special
session to revise the tariff and
enact proper railway legislation
about October. Some earnest
members of Congress are, how
ever, urging him to take the tide
of sentiment in favor of extend
ing Federal control of the rail
ways at its flood aud call a
special session to meet this
spring. and while they have not
yet convinced him of this course
he has taken the matter under
consideration. Ii the Senate
were like the House, elected by
the direct vote of the people.
there is little doubt that the
Senators would feel the necessity
OF special session in the spring
to meet the demand for this char
acter of enactment, but under
tue existing circumstances Sen
ators are decidedly independent
aud they insist that if the Pres
ldent compels them to meet this
spring they will adjourn without
action.
1t Is a constant occasion of
regret to sincere Democrats to
see some of their number stulti-
flying themselves by voting for
absolutely Democratic bills.
as they did this week when the
proposition to pay a special sub
sidy to the Southern Railway Of
| Sl42, 1853 was under consideration.
1t is claimed that it is necessary
to pay this sum to the Southern
Railway in order to obtain quick
mail service to the South, but
the claim is a specious one and
those in position to know the
inside facts declare that the
Southern Railway would never
take off its fast train. even were
it to receive no subsidy from the
government. 1t is not, however,
entirely the fault of members of
Congress that they vote for such
measures, but it is due, rather to
their home newspapers which too
often insist on such care of the
railroads and which would defeat
the Representative who dared to
vote against ''the best home mail
service" A large majority of
Republicans and Democrats voted
this handsome present to the
Southern Railway and there is
little likelihood OF its being cut