The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-12-15
HOT WORDS IN THE SENATE.
Senator TilIman intro
duCeS q Bill aS to Rail
road Rates that Brings
Out the Big Guns on the
Republican Side.

lIloTCS COtIlIlllSSlOIl w llh IdlSS,
and the Panama Canal, due to
controversy over the reference
Of the emergency appropriation
bill to a committee, today's ses-
sion of the Senate continuously
proved interesting for more than
four hours. An adjournment
was taken without a mention of
the late Senator Mitchell, of
Oregon. and so, for the first time,
the death of a member was per-
mitted to pass unnoticed by the
senate.
After more than a score of
senators had discussed the Pana-
ma Canal bill it was referred to
the appropriations committee by
a vote of 40 to %.
SENATOR TILLMAN'S BILL
provides for the amendment of
the Act to regulate Interstate
commerce by giving to the Inter-
State commerce commission the
power to fix "a maximum rea-
sonable rate' when it determines
that an existing rate is unjust or
unreasonable. 1t provides that
after the commission fixes such
maximum rate it shall be the
only legal rate that may be
charged. Senator Tillman had
the bill read, and said he thought
it got at the kernel of the whole
controversy now before Cong
ress." The bill was referred to
the committee on Interstate
seefS.iiafoTaa- efSsnasoF Be-
lieved the bill introduced Is the
hest vet offered, if the govern
/ ment is to 20 into the rate-mak-
ing business at all, for the rea-
son that it would do the least
possible harm. "In saying that.
however," said the Senator, Il
/ minimize the necessity Of any
legislation of that character, be-
cause the bill is directed solely
at excessive rates." He said
that this is not what the people
are complaining of so much as it
is rebates; that rebates practi-
cally have been discontinued.
and if they have not, that 1t is
agreed that the present law is
sufficient to reach this evil. The
Senator from Ohio took the posi-,
ton that Senator Tillman's bill
recognizes the fact that the
present laws are sufficient tc
reach rebates, and in fact every
thing but discriminating charges
: Il had supposed that the law
. was sufficient for that purpose,
said Senator Tillman, but since
the investigation of rebates be
gun by Mr.. Judson and Mr.
n Harmon at the instigation OF tn
f Executive, came to such a mlser
e able and pitiable flasco, | ar
= getting rather shakey as to tn
sufficiency of that law: 1t ce1
:. tainly will prove a failure unit
q the President stops protectlnl
It Cabinet officers and whitewasf
o inp them, and until he does ths
~ ~ there never will be anything al
II complished under the laws.
= Senator Foraker declared 9hs
le the Tillman bills and many othel
70 offered were unconstitutional II
le the reason that Congress had i
10 right to delegate to a commlsslt
e. the right to regulate railros
p rates.
ed "Then the Supreme Court
g. wrong on that point ask'
er Senator Tillman.
We Senator Foraker declared tn
rs the Supreme Court had never e
he pressed itself on this point
d. anv of it's decisians.
ey Senator Bailey and Senat
lot Clay asked Senator Foraker
ad number of questions on tt
nd point, and Senator Foraker
nd peated his statement.
er- After some further discuss
he of the legal question by Senat'
of Culbertson, Knox, and t'orak
a Senator Tjllman referred to
vas discussion he had provoked.
md with malice aforethough
nat said Senator Spooner.
by WELL" answered Sena
ely Tillmrn, Il like to get you Il
ory yers by the ears and then wa
po- you pull each others woo
ion which ended debate lasting
hour and q halt.