The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-10-26
POLICE MAY BE NEEDED
CHICAGO CONVENTION EXPECTED
 TO. DE STORMY AFFAIR.
Aheeee that Railways Have Brpught n Delegates to Attempt DefS4t of Embarrassment of Presi-
 deatss Policy.


 chicago. H., Oct. 25.--Police may be .nrecessary to prevent a clash between me two factions of delegates to the lMsetstate Commerce Law Convention. which will begin a two days session n steinway Hall at 10 o'clock tomor- Tow. The officers of the organization assert that the railroads have brought nundreds of delegates to Chicago from all parts of the country for the purpose ol packing the convention and pre- venting an endorsement of President lation Of freight rates by increasing the power of the Interstate Commerce Commission. y4
 The Executive Committee of the In- terstate Commerce Law Association met this afternoon to arrange the prelimin- aries for the meeting to be held tomor- row. After much debate, 1t was de- cided that 1t would be unfair to the business interests of the country, who are unaware of the attempt which the members of the committee declare will be made to pack the convention, to al- low any delegates to participate in a convention with the purpose of which they are manifestly at variance There fore. 1t was decided to have blanks prepared by the Secretary containing the following extract from the Presi-
 
 sole subject to be discussed and con stdered at the conventions:
 The Interstate Commerce Commits sion should be vested with the power where a given rate has been challenged and after full hearing found to be unreasonable to decide, subject to judi cial review. what shall be reasonable rate to take it's place; the ruling of the Commission to take effect imme- diately and to obtain until and unless It Is reversed by the court review"
 To all delegates claiming to be en- titled to participation in the conven- tion. these blanks will be offered and such as refuse to sign them will be de- clared ineligible. The Executive Com mfttee declared:
 Tt is not the intention to shut off or curtail the free discussion of all questions as to the best method of se- curing legislation in accord with the Presidents recommendations, but those who are not in favor of such legisla- tion have, as a matter of course, the great American privilege of hiring a hall and holding q meeting of their own"
 Judge S. H. cowan of Fort Worth. Tex, chairman of the Executive Com mittee, said tonight:
 The call for the convention was is- sued for a specific purpose--to endorse President Rooseyeft's Interstate Com merce Commission policy, as It express ed in his last message to Congress. We have been informed and are certain that men have been sent here in the inter ests of railroads and their expenses have been paid by the railroads. It IS clearly expressed in the call for the convention that the meeting was called by and for the friends of the Presi- dents policy, and we do not propose to allow the convention to be packed or stampedei by men who we know are working in the interests of the rail- reads and aga'nst tho very purpose of the convention. But I dc not believe that they will be able to do anything of the kind. and, in my opinion. 1t would be most injudicious for them to at- tempt it."
 D. M. Parry, President of the Ma. tioral Manufacturers' Association, who is leading the expedition faction, said:
 This convention will be composed of fair minded and conservative buslness men from all parts of the country who are regularly appointed under the in- vitation and the call for the convention. Many of them are opposed to the pro- posed remedy of President Roosevelt for the abatement of the rate evil and they have right to be heard. They are opposed to the Government going
 
 rates and think complaints against a should be made to the courts. We will demand admission on our ere dentials, and if this Is denied, we will insist upon our rights. We want free speech and a fair discussion of the question on the floor of the convention without the application of guarantee ing rule.'
 The matter of credentials on which MT. Parry bases the claim of right of admission is founded on the fact that 500 commercial organizations from all parts of the country have appointed delegates on the basis of one for each 100 members and the Governor of each State was asked to appoint one dele | gate from each district to attend the l Although it was stated hat the only business to be considered l vas the endorsement of President | 1ooseVelt's recommendation to Congress l large number of delegates appointed | 'y the Government and the commercial | are opposed to the policy | If the President and they claim that. | nasmuch as they were regularly ap- | pointed. their views, either for or | against the President should not be | m issue in deciding their ineligibility | IS delegates.
 About 200 delegates have arrived in | he city this evening and both factions lad opened headquarters in the Audi | orium Hotel.
 Feeling ran high and both sides had numerous committee at work tonight lolding and interviewing every dele rate who appeared.
 Born to be huns-''Two old Cronies"