The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-02-11
Opponents Propose to
Pile on Killing
Amendments.
FRIGHT FOR TIMID ONES
Idea Now Is to Make the
Measure Too Ssrong
to Pass.

Opponents oC railroad rate legislation,
IN the opinion of some OF the best and
most astUte friends of that policy, have
thrown off the mask They have shown
their hands They are entering on Il
policy of lighting all along the line,
because. it is said. they have no longer
hope of securing a satisfactory COM
promise from the friends of the policy
or from the President.
The DoIliver-H Hepburn bin is to be
amended to death. Either it is TO be
weakened and rendered Intellectual to
the point where its friends will turn
against it in disgust or else it IS TO
be made so strong that the more timid
OF its advocates will vote against it.
To Weaken the Bill.
The first plan was to weaken the bill
by amendment 10 such a point that if it
PASSED it would be of no use. In the
interest of that effort a vigorous and
united assault was made on the Presi-
dent, the Presidents advisers, the SEN
ate committee and the Senate. The
chief feature IN this scheme Of wrecking
the program was the amendment TO per-
nit review by the court before a rate
named by the commission should take
effect. one week ago there We're widely
varying reDorts of what success had
been attained I'm this effort. The friends
OF the measure insisted that they We're
in the ascendant that the President was
with them, ana that there was not the
least danger thai he would yield. On
the other hand the opposition confident
" insisted that the President was on the
point of giving in, accepting the court
r-view amendment. and thus plaCating
his Senatorial foes.
President Remained Firm.
That the President had yielded moth
ing, and that he had no intention Of
yielding. was made plain by the definite
statement on that subject in The Times
Of last Sunday morning. II was then
set forth that the White House, though
it had been subjected to great pressure.
was firm. and that there would be no
giving way.
This made it plain that a new tack
must be adopted if the bill was to be
defeated Not till the last two days.
however. has it been made apparent
what this new course would be
1t is now stated on excellent authority
that the opposition proposes to make the
biII SO strong that it will drive away the
support Of Senators who are amenahle
To the inference of express companies.
ocean shipping companies, and of GER
tain for Western interests that have at
no time looked with real favor upon the
legislation proposed
The first plan of amending To death
consisted i'm making the bill so weak
that it could not hold radical support
It aimed at formulating and reporting
n measure that would present the form,
Taf raf
the spirit. Such a bill. it was eaIcu-
lated would not be able to claim the
votes Of such men as La Toilette and
n number of Democratic Senators vigor-
ously opposed to shams- So it would
fail
Alternative to this is the plan of max
ing too good a biiI-of getting it so
strong that it would drive away votes
The alternative plan, it is understood
has been adopted.
Planned After Poll.
Exactly what caused the anti-regula-
tioniSts to change to this latter plan of
operations is stin uncertain one re-
port IS that they had found after a
Dainstaking poll that the Administration
had certain votes which would support
I'm passing moderate measure. namely.
the votes of certain Eastern Senators
who are personally friendly with the
President. Unless these votes could be
driven away the bill would pass.
Another story is that the friends of
the Administration had succeeded in
organizing a situation in New York
which made it possible that Senator
Piatt and probably also Senator Depew
would support the bill. J asst what in
ducements had been brought to bear to
bring about this state of affairs is not
Vet explained. New York's political
kaleidoscope has made some rapid turns
of late. and there is room for A wide
range of speculation as to what might
have heen suggested to the Empire
state Senators TO make them see that
II would be we'll for them to go with
the President
Express Company Move.
At any rate. It IS certain that the op-
moments of regulation suddenly con-
ceived q remarkable interest in assur-
ing that the provisions of the bill should
reach to express companies They have
been pounding away on this point In
the Senate committee the last two days.
What does that definition of trans
portation' in section l mean?" has been
the query I'VE are afraid il isn't
broad and inclusive enough to cover all
nossible phases of TRANSPORTATION" the
opposing Senators have explained. I'VE
are extremely anxious that there shall
DC no IoophoIes in this measure We
insist thai it reach every class OF law
Continued on Second Page)
Fxrraralv Tow Rates IN Mardi Gras