Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-03-13
From Washington.
CORRESPONDENCE Of the Alexandria Gazette. J
Washington, March IL

today will accept the position OF ASSOC
ciste justice If the Supreme Court to sue
coed Associate Justice b own, who has
signiied his desire to leave the bench
this fall on account OF failing eyesigh,.
7, NAV be said that Mr.. Taft leaves the
war Office witb the greatest reluctance.
With the selection OF attorneys to as
sist it in prosecuting its investigation
under the Tillman. Gllispie resolution,
the Interstate Commerce Commission has
completely inaugurated its investigation.
II is proceeding on the assumption that
Congress viii appropriate $50, 600 to be
available at once for the conduct OF the
Investigation aud enact other legislation
80 IA 20 enable the commission to make
The investigation thoroughly practical
Edward B. Whitney, of New York, who
will have charge of the investigation,
and William A. Glasgow, IT,, Of Phila-
delphia, who will assist Mr.. Whitney,
were in Washington yesterday, and 1t
was in the midst of their conference with
Chairman Knapp, Of the commission,
that the announcement was made that
they would accept the position as special
counsel. At the conference it was de-
cided best 10 consider the anthracite coal
situation separate from the bituminous
coal conditions west of the Alleghenies.
Still third field of investigation will be
the coal and oil dealings of the trans
continental railroads.
The House committee on interstate
and foreign commerce today authorized
favorable report on the Townsend reso-
luton, which apprOpriqtes $50, 600 to
make effective the provisions OF the Giil-
espie-Tillman resolution calling Tor an
Investigation by the Interstate Commerce
Commission of railroad mOnOplies In
coal and oil. The Townsend resolution
corrective in its nature, also makes
specific the power of the Interstate Com
rerce Commission TO subpoena witnesses
and compel them to give testimony.
Senator Tillmsn who hes been COM
missioned to make the majority report
on the committee on interstate commerce
ON the Hepburn railroad rate bill, has
not set completed his task. lie says
now that he expects to present the re-
mart TO the Senate on Thursday during
The morning hour. In it he has en-
drayOrfd TO condense as briefly as possible
the salient facts developed in the extend
ed inquiry made by the committee and
the arguments for an extension OF the
mowers of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission so As to enable it to change a
railroad rate of which complaint is made
Senator Tillman says he wants to make
his report 80 brief that Senators will read
the whole of it, and yet comprehensive
enought to cover the subject AS he has
II now mapped out, il contains little more
ihan 5, 900 words. Pending the presen-
tation OF this report the debate on the
rate subject will continue on the demo
cratic side. Senator Simmons will speak
this afternoon and Senator Rayner to-
morrow. Realizing that there is scarcely
Senator on their side of the chamber
that does not think the pending bill
should be amended in some particular,
there is disposition among the democrats
to get together for the purpose ofdecidlng
upcn the amendments they will support.
a majority of the democrats favor an
amendment which will afford both ship
p,r and railroad broader rights OF APP
peal 10 the courts for review of the com
Missions decision than are provided in
the pending measure, but they want to
put reasonable limit on these court
pro ceedings in the matter of time. They
also desire to limit the power OF the
courts TO Issue injunctions to suspend
the rate fixed by the commission during
the time of the litigation. Senator
Bailey and other democrats have drafted
tentative amendments 20 cover these
POINTS and the projected conference is
designed to secure an agreement on one
of them which will command the sup
port of practically all the democratic
Senators.
After a conference with Speaker Con-
non, Representative Watson, OF Indiana,
republican whip of the House, an
nounced that the republican caucus on
the statehood DILL will be called FOL
Thursday al 8 p. NJ. Mr.. Babcock and
his insurgent followers who favor the
Senate bill still contend that they will
not attend the caucus.
As result # Senator Tillman's arg
ument in support of his resolution pro
posing an investigation as to whether
any national hanks have made campaign
contributions to any party since 1893,
the Senate committee on privileges and
elections will report bill specifically
prohibiting such contributions, and de-
clariog that the directors of banks making
them shall be deemed guilty OF a felony.
Senator Tillman presented statement
TO the committee this morning TO the
effect that a group of six or seven bank:
in certain city did, in the campaign Of
1896, contribute to the republican
campaign fund between $500 and
800, 600. He did not disclose the name
of the CITY or of the banks, but he offered
to fill 10 the blanks OF bis statement il
the committee so desired. 1t was de-
cided to appoint subcommittee to
examine the several bills that have been
introduced regarding The prohibition o.
political contributions from corporations,
and to either select the best of these Oh
| to frame a new bill 10 cover the case.
Representative Vreeland, chairman o
the subcommittee Of the naval affairs
committee of the House, which investi
gated affairs at the Annapolis Nava
| Academy, today submitted the repor
and the recommendations of his CON
| H. FL onr,u,:tfaa Dracfi