The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-01-27
HEPBURN RATE Bill!
BASIS OF ACTION
Rapid Shifting of the Relations
Of lowans to the Ad-
ministration.
is a CUMMINS VICTORY
Hepburn Forced to Come to the Posi-.
ton Advocated by the Government
or Else Break with the Ad-
ministration.

Washington, Jan 20.-It is asserted
today with more than ordinary show
of conviction that an agreement is
and house, in accordance with which
railroad rate legislation will be enacted
at the present session. The basis will
be the measure drawn by Chairman
Hepburn of the house commerce COM
mittec. The bill does not meet the APP
prevail of all who have examined it,
but is believed to be a good foundation
for a measure which probably can be
enacted.
Philadelphia. Jan 2O.-The Ledger's
most reliable at the capital, discussing
the relations OF Iowa statesmen to the
rate question, says:
The rebate bill, which. beyond any
doubt. will serve as the basis of Whit
ever bill is passed, has been drafted.
1t is the bill which, as announced in
the Public Ledger of Thursday. has
been in course of preparation by Col
onel Hepburn. chairman of the mouse
interstate and foreign commerce COM
mittee. Its provisions are not yet
known, except that they give the in
terstate commerce commission power
to fix rates until overruled by another
WHICH ~ vested WITH the au =
thority to do SO by this hill.
Colonel Hepburn visited tie White
House and reported the drafting of
the bill. He said, after leaving the
president, that a conference would be
held at the White House In a few
days to discuss the measure. The con-
ferees would include the president,
Secretary Taft and Attorney General
Moody.
Others who are especially interest
ed in the legislation will participate in
the conference" said Colonel Hepburn.
Il may not be party to the conference
but my work will be there ! believe
the house will pass a rate bill before
the end of this month, and there is no
into law before the session ends"
Will Be the Official Bill.
Colonel Hepburn's bill will be the Of
fetal rate bill. and will have little diff
ficulty in passing the house. How it
will fare in the senate is another ques-
ton. An influential senator told the
president today that it was impossible
to pass any railroad bill at this session
because of lack of time. 1t could not
possibly receive half the consideration
it deserved. The president told him
that in that event there would be an
extra session.
Aside from the lack Of time, there are
senators who will block the proposed
legislation because they want to delay
:. on general principles. The senate in
,nrstate commerce committee is going
to give hearings after the fashion of the
house committee and senator who ia
vors rate legislation is convinced that
the purpose of these additional hearings
is delay.
Politics in the FIGHT.
The political aspect of the rate situa-
ton is peculiar. Colonel Hepburn is
forced by circumstances into the posi-
ton of supporting a pet measure of his
political adversary, Governor Cummins.
The rate question was brought to the at
tention of the president just before con-
Minis of Iowa and Van SAINT of Mime
sofa, in person. and by Governor LaFol-
lette of Wisconsin through them
Cummins has not a friend in the Iowa
delegation, and the reigning machine in
the state is bitterly hostile to the pro-
pOnent of the Iowa idea" Coorel
IIepburn's position as the advocate of a
fore, decidedly out of the ordinary. He
has been regarded hitherto as an OPP
ponent of all rate legislation, but he is
an administration man.
The Cooper Quarles bill. which is
destined to be run off the track by the
Hepburn measure, was drawn by q
friend of Governor LaFollette's, Repre-
sentative Cooper. Senator Quarles is
an anti-LaFolette man. and the anti
railroad governor is fighting to drive
him out of the senate. Mr. Quarles is
believed to have attached his name tc
the bill in order to make political cap.
ital in his desperate fight for reelection
by stealing some of LaFollette's thun.
| der. 1t is essentially a Cooper and
therefore, LhFollette measure.
Hepburn Captures the Prize.
In Colonel Hepburn's interstate com
merce committee there are two repub
licans. Esch of Wisconsin and Town
send of Michigan, who saw in Hep
burns apparent hostility to rate legisla
/ ton chance to attach their names tt
the real administration bill. They be
lieve that with the democrats they
could override Hepburn and get out O.
the committee a majority bill The
hope was awakened by the fact tha
there are one or two democrats on the
| committee who are as hostile to rate
| legislation as Hepburn was rumored tt
| De, but all chance for distinction ha.
been taken from Esch and Townsend
! by Hepburn's appearance on the seen,
with a bill.
WANT NO RATE MAKING PoWEF