The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-02-07
LVOTEOy RATE BILL
House Republicans Decide 10 Dispose
II Measure Next Wednesday.
VoAmeNoMsNTsro Sc ALLOWED

Opposition. Ted 81 Pennsylvania
Members. Developed at Conference,
Cut Test Vote to Postpone Action
Was Lost BY Big Majority.
Washington. Fob. THE Republi-
cans OF the house OF representatives. IN
conference adopted a. a party measure
the bil! extending rate making powers
Ia the interstate commerce commits
SION. as agreed upon by the committee
on Interstate and foreign commerce
and known as the Esch- Townsend Dill
The conference instructed the house
committee on rules 10 bring IN rule
providing for consideration Ot the
measure BEGINNING Al II O'Clock Tues
day morning next. ana continuing IN.
iii { O'Clock Wednesday. when a vote
snail be taken No amendments viii
be- allowed To- the bill. although the
first vote Is tO be- taken on the Davey
Bill a. the Democratic substitute for
legislation on the railway rate subject
The conference. which lasted three
hours. developed opposition To the
measure The only test vote taken
was on a motion to postpone the mat
ter for further conference next Tues
day This was lost 81 TO l07 Efforts
were made 10 amend the bill during
the conference. but all OF these failed
Fault was found with the bill on the
ground that il did not include regiila-
ton for The private car evil aud ter
minal charges The advocates Ot the
bin contested these criticisms claim
ing that authority was contained in
the bin 10 correct the complained OF
evils
The change OF the meeting from a
.aucus. A. the can stated, 10 a con
.prence" leaves members participating
free 10 follow their own incllnations.
II is understood that the opposition
NAV organize with the purpose Of join
ing the minority in the house in the
vote on the rule prescribing the man
ner " considering the bill in the
house. These plans. however. have not
been actually and definitely decided on.
Messrs Mahon and Sibley, OF Penn
sylyania. were conspicuous in their
opposition to any legislation at this
time. both contending that sufficient
time had not heen given TO the cOnsid-
Grafton OF the subject Pennsylvania.
Mr. Nahon said was the state most
affected. and he thought that the mil
Eons of money involved in the pro-
posed legislation should not be jeopar-
died by hasty legislation In addition
~ his protest that sufficient time had
not been given for consideration. Mr..
Sihley expressed the opinion that the
members OF the committee which re-
ported the bin were not them
selves clear in rheir Interpretation OF
u Mr. Wlnger also Ot Pennsylvania.
took a different attitude from that Of
his colleagues. and said that he would
support the proposed measure unless
he was convinced that something bet
ter could be offered.
The speech that most impressed
members was that delivered by Mr. |
Payne. Of New York, the majority |
leader. who in answer TO Mr. Mahan's |
allegations that the proposed bill |
would result in confscation and great
said that the bill in its pres
ent shape did not provide for anything |
more than what was in the original |
interstate commerce act. and which /
had stood for ten years. at the end OF
which time the railroads raised the |
question of-the legality of the enforce
ment Of the decision Of the commission /
rs TO rates the courts sustaining the
contention that there was no power
vested in the commission TO fix rates.
IN other words, he said, the very law
now proposed was in effect for ten
years and had operated to the salts
faction OF the railroads