The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-04-26
ON
RATE BILL
More Doing Than Max
ing Speeches in
Senate.

CMafl Special to the Advertiser)
| WASHINGTON, d. c.. April 10.-Dry
and embarrassing as the railroad rate
question is to the popular mind there
is a deal of entertainment in watching
the personal struggles of Senators who
legislation. The speeches, delivered in
the Senate from day to day, are far
: from being the most attractive fea-
| lures Some of the speeches-few of
them, as a matter of fact-are Suffi-
cient to hold one spelI-b bound in the
galleries. Most of the lawyers have
had or viii have their innings. They
speak for the most part on legal and
constitutional matters in which the
rate question abounds. Senator Hale
of Maine, not long ago, went home to
Ellsworth to have a few sleigh rides
and rest up, rather than hear those
long-drawn-out legal arguments.
Nine-tenths of the people around the
Capitol feel like doing something like
that every time the lawyers pipe up.
OF course. much that the lawyers say
is very important in determining what
sort Of legal provisions in this very
important bill shall be adopted The
legal provisions will have to be fash |
Toned by the lawyers. The non-iawyers !
do not claim the ability to properly |
draw such legislation.
But. every day there are signs of |
many other things doing in the work /
OF framing up a rate bill. Every day I
there are conferences of groups on the I
floor of the Senate. The broad court
review Republicans gather at the
desks and talk earnestly. The limited
court review Republicans gather like
wise on occasion. The Democrats, who
are as badly divided in their minds
about what a proper railroad rate reg
ulation bill should be,aas the Repub-
licans, likewise have their extended
talks. Then Senators go frequently
into committee rooms, where there are
more talks. Frequently they go into
the committee room of Senator Aldrich
of Rhode Island. which is in the cor
ner, opposite the Senate chamber.
Sometimes they gather in the commit
tee room of Senator Hale which is df-
rectly over the committee room of
Senator Aldrich But the meetings in
Senator Hale's room are more for the
purpose of reviewing what has been
lone or for planning out what general
policies shall be pursued. The meet
ngs in Senator Aldrich's room are, as
/ rule, for the purpose of carrying
some plan into execution, for talking
,ver with a certain Senator what he ,
S willing to do in supporting a GER
ain phase of the bill and for bringing
Senators to agree. Senator Crane of
Massachusetts, the man who keeps the
heck lists of how the Senators ara
angling themselves in the fight and of
low the alignments change, goes often
o Senator Aldrich's room and also
,ften to Senator Hale's room. He is
Ictive in all the councils.
Senator Aldrich has taken up the
work of adjusting the views of SEN
tors on some given proposition that
will be as nearly acceptable to all as
'ossible very aggressively within the
asst few weeks He is a man of strong
personality and when he gets hard at
work. always produces results. SEN
tors of both parties believe in him
nd Notwithstanding the many harsh
hings that are said of him, he is a
cry remarkable man. -
Senator Hale, whose, leadership in
he Senate is recognized, has held aloof
rom the active work of comforting
With individual Senators. But in the
important consulta tons. over the bill
e is and has been very influential.
III the decisive moves are made known
O him in advance.
There are many gray heads in these
arnest talks, for the gray heads are
wise in council and have been through
o many hard legislative fights that
hey know better. what it is wise to do
han the younger men who have had
sss' experience and therefore are less
rusted. The country generally does
ot. realize how far-reaching the legis-
alton may be. It affects millions upon
Millions of railroad property, held by
eople of moderate means as well as
billions upon millions of railroad prop
rty held by people of large wealth..
Who, however would not in reality
uffer as much from drastic or unfair
Z VS. as those who have less of this
orld's goods. But the legislation pro-
'oSed will have a far-reaching effect
pom the transporta ton of the coun-
~ with reference to the thousands of
communities. The example of New
is often cited, for it is said
hat railroad rates could be made by
rbitrary commission which would de-
opulate every large city in New En-
land, except Boston.
1t is natural that Senators should
iffer materially in handling such
question. They differ al
'ays on tariff. but probably the rate
equation bill, which will be enacted