The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-01-27
PRESIDENT is
SURE OF SUPPORT
Significant Speech of Mr.. Williams
In the House.
GREAT APPLAUSE ENsUED
PROSPECT OF RAILROAD RATE
LEGISLATION.

u
house adopted joint resolution
sppropriating $4,000 to defray the ex-
penses of the senate in conducting the
trial Of Judge Charles Swayne. after
which the agricultural appropriation
bill was taken up in committee of the
whole, Mr.. Currier of New Hampshire
in the chair.
Mr.. Littlefield Of Maine put an in
auiry to Mr.. Wadsworth of New York.
in charge of the bill. regarding the pol
icy to be pursued in connection with
appropriations. He specifically asked if
the appropriations were TO be continued
at their existing size and thereby in
VolVe the necessity of increasing tax
alton in order to get more revenue, or
if appropriations We're TO be cut down
and thus avoid the necessity for in
creasing taxation"
Democratic Applause.
Democratic applause was accorded to
Mr. Wadsworth when he replied that he
Was in favor of cutting down aPproprI-
atoms for the army and navy.
Under latitude Of debate. Mr. Scott of
Kansas discussed the question of dis
eliminating rates by railroads. and said
that there had been a general demand
from the agricultural section of Kansas
for relief.
He called attention to the Hepburn
bill regulating rates charged by rail-
roads which. with the exception Of a
few details, he said, fully met the de-
mand for remedial legislation.
Mr. Williams of Mississippi inquired
if the present interstate commerce com
mission had done anything which jus
tilted their being put out of Office. Mr..
Scott replied that he was relying Oh
the good sense of the president in the
matter. whose hands should be united
A haf hn ofcrf1~ HOY n ae-
freedom to secure men whom he
thought best suited to the work.
Democratic Support Pledged.
a general debate followed on the rail-
way rate question AS spokesman for
his party on the floor. Mr.. Williams
said that the Democratic party was
committed without addition or subtrac-
ton to the recommendations of Presi-
dent Roosevelt in his recent message.
The Democrats. he said. were GLAD
TO have the presidents views. because
it was Democratic doctrine and ought
TO be American doctrine We viii
toemark the presidents tracks on this
subject" declared Mr.. Williams, amid
general applause. And he added.
facing the Republican side, I'VE call
on you as American citizens 10 help Us
tOemark- them"
Mr.. Bell of California made a vigor-
Gus speech in. favor Of railroad rate
revision
Mosquitoes and Trusts.
He directed attention to the alleged
condition of the incorporation laws of
New Jersey, which he said had brought.
To that state the name of being the
breeding place Of mosquitoes, corpora !
tons and trusts. and were so framed Z
as 10 protect New Jersey only, leaV-
ing them free to prey upon the rest of
the country He charged that the i'm
preston had gone abroad that congress
had become subject TO corporate infu-
ence and said that if there were such !
influence in the halls of congress il |
should be promptly expelled. Mr.. Bell !
ascTibed sinister motives to the use of |
certain language in the preparation of |
the law creating the interstate COM
merce commission. which provoked Il 1
spirited discussion between himself |
Mr.. Mann of Illinois and Mr.. Williams ]
of Mississippi. the last-named assert !
ing il as his belief that railroad infiu-
ence was felt In the senate at the time /
the interstate commerce commission !
was substituted by the senate con-
ferees for the so-called Reagan bill.
Language Should Be Direct.
Mr.. Bell expressed the hope that Mr.. !
Hepburn, when he came to explain the /
bill, would prove that there was moth |
ing sinister in its language At pres |
ent, however, he asserted the bill was 1
so worded as to what should constitute /
a reasonable rate that it was suscepti- |
bic of double meaning. Every hint !
of vagueness and indefiniteness, he /
contended. ought to be removed. He 1
defended the interstate commerce COM |
which he said had been held /
up to public scOrn and ridiCule.
For the past eight years, since the de- |
cisiOn of the supreme court that the /
commission had not the right to fix !
rates, the commission had been the spe-
cial object of attack of certain men rep
reSenting railroad interests in order to |
belittle the commission in the eyes of /
the people and in order TO break down
the confidence the people have in any
body appointed by the executive.
IF" he said in closing. ''an Oppor-
tunity should be afforded to amend the
bill in some particulars it
would receive the support OF the house
without regard to political division and
thereby render effective the vows Of
the president on the subject.
The agricultural bill was read for
An amendment was agreed
to striking out the appropriation Tor
experiments in wireless Telegram ply, aft
er which the bin was laid aside.