The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-02-13

Washington, Feb. 10. Practically
without opposition the senate adopted
d joint resolution introduced by Sena.
tor Tillman rs. O. directing an investi
cation by the interstate commerce com
mission of the most sweeping nature
into the operations of the railroads OF
this country.
The resolution especially mentions
the bituminous coal business, but it in
cludes "all other products" and infor-
nation affecting monopolies, restraint
Of trade and almost everything else
complained of against the railroads is
demanded This will include the hard
coal industry as well as the soft coal
and the ownership of coal lands. The
resolution now goes to the house of rep
resentatives, and there is little doubt il
will be adopted by that body. Speaker
s Cannon is said to favor it.
Senator Lodge spoke on the railroad
rate question He announced his sup
port of legislation for the control Of
railroad rates along the lines of the
Esch- Townsend bill of last session and
said that he believed the practice OF
giving rebates to be the most serious
Of all the evils complained Of. He ex-
pressed the conviction that only by leg
islation along the lines suggested could
government ownership be prevented.
"a ripple of interest and amusement
was manifested in the house when Mr..
Babcoclx called up the bill to punish
with thirty Iashes wife beaters in the
District of Columbia. The proposed
measure was defeated by vote Of
1853 to 60.
Mr.. Adams Pa.), in favor of the bill,
said President Roosevelt and the Dis
trict officials were in sympathy with
the bill. The chief of police of Wash
ington, he added, had reported sos wife
beatings in the past two years. He
asked adequate punishment for these
sos "brutes."
Hartholdt Offers Amendments.
Mr.. Bartholdt (Mo) offered several
amendments to put on the rack a
man guilty of nonsupport Of his family,
one that wife deserter should be
pinched with redhot tongs, another pen
allies every man over twenty five years
Of age who refuses to take wife and
provides that he shall stand in the pill
Tory and after six months if he still re-
fuse he shall be burned at the stake.
These amendments were received with
hilarity.
The house passed the Hepburn rail
road rate bill unamended by vote Of
S4e to z.
The bill gives the interstate COM
merce commission authority, when q
rate has been complained Of as ''un-
reasonable by shipper, to investi-
gate that rate state whether OF not it
is unreasonable and, if found to be UNI
reasonable, to name rate which is to
be just and reasonable and fairly re-
nunerative, which is to be the maxi
mum rate to be charged.
Courts May Review Ruling.
This rate SO fixed is to go into effect
thirty days after It is announced by
the commission, subject during that
time to be set aside or suspended by
the commission or by the courts. After
it has gone into effect it is to remain
the rate for three years. During that
time. the opinion has been expressed
by those who have participated in the
debate, that the rate may also be re-
viewed by the courts.
Another important feature is the def.
milton of the words railroad" and
Transportation" in a manner to in
clude all auxiliary instrumentalities of
the common carrier and to bring them
within the control of the commission.
This power to name a reasonable rate
and the inclusion of the auxiliaries
within the jurisdiction of the commits
sion are said to be the new features.
All other provisions are notifications
Of existing law. They include publicity
of railroad methods, which is to be aid
ed by prescribing system of book
keeping and charging the commission
to seven members and increasing sala-
rles Of members to $4,000 year.
The Parker bill for the recovery of
unlawful freight rebates was passed by
A&AC uVAtcC.
Mr.. Williams (NIiss) made brief ex-
PLANTATION of its terms. The man who
has received an unlawful rebate must
pay back the amount he has received
regardless of whether he received it
knowing that he was violating the law.
1t then provides that when he shall,
knowing the unlawfu1ness, receive the
rebate he shall return double the
amount. It gives tie Informant half
the amount rscuxHr6as but prevents
dummy suits-GgIinst the roads by re-
curing every suit begun to be contin-
ued unless with the consent Of the at
torney general and the court they may
be discontinued
In battle royal in the senate Mr..
Bailey Tex bitterly attacked Mr.. Pat
terson (Colo) for his attitude on the
Democratic caucus action relative to
the Santo Domingo treaty
Mr.. Patterson made an earnest de-
Tense Of himself, and Mr.. Bailey round
II assailed the course OF President
Roosevelt. Mr.. Patterson declines to
be bound by the action OF the recent
Democratic caucus directing Demo
cratic senators to vote against the
treaty.