The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-16
IRAT R|.EGULAT|ON
CHANGES I E: POOR [ ] R|l|
PrcsislentlO pposcdto Amendment
Which Will Limit Right Of
Appeal.
PENSION FOR MRS. FlTz LEE
Dajo Massacre Declared By Sena-
tor Blackburn, to Have
Been Butchery.
From our Regnlar CORRESPONDENCE

u
WASHINGTON, u. c., March 15-,rhe5
outlook for the enactment OF a rate rcgtt-
lstioh law-tliat is, one that will really
v4vc the government the power to reg,i-
'atc railway cbnrges-is poorer than ever
It is said by the advocates OF the pending
IIrpburn-rilman bill 1t Ii claimed that
he senatc will divide on party lines on
the bill. which means that 1t will be
amended in such "A manner as to prevent
It's comforting on the Interstate Com
Sicrcc Commission the real power 10
regulntc.
Tho Democrats of the Senate will vote
FOR an ;nmcndment to limit the right OF
sppeal to the courts. They want to amend
he bill so that 1t shall provide that the
rate fixed by the commission shall go
INTO effect at once. and not be suspended
pending an appeal to the courts. Tho
Republicans, those who have claimed to
be In favor of rate regulation by the
4 government through the Interstate CON-
mcrcn Commission, and those who have
all along been opposed to rate rcgula-
ton of any character, will not vote to
take away the right OF appeals to the
court-that Is. II Is claimed that the Rec
rublic;,ns will line zip in this manner.
President Will Oppose.
Tie President liz said to he opposed
TO any Democratic amendment. which
would limit the right OF appeal. and 20
favor the Knox amendment which will
provide that the difference between the
lower rate fixed by the commission and
the higher rate fixed by the railroads.
shall be lnpounded by the court, the diff
ference to be pnid to the shipper In case
tl,e decision of the court sustainS the
commissions. and tn the railroads if.tbe
decision OF the commission Is reversed.
The practicsibility OF such an arrange
mcnt is doubted by many. IL not iall, the
advocates OF rate regulation by the gov
ernmcnt The Republicans claim that
an amendment which will limit the right
OF appeal to the courts. that is. which
Will provide that a restraining order to
prevent rate of the commissions fix
ing, going into effect, pending an appeal
to tile courts will be declared uncon-
stitutional. and assert that two associate
Justices OF the Supreme Court have
clearly intimatcd that the court would
20 hold.
whether this be true is not known.
Probably not. for Supreme Court justices
ere not in the habit of giving oa-hand
limitations as to how the court Will line
upon II case which may be brought be-
fore H.
This Congress will pass law pur-
porting 10 give the Interstate Com
niercc Commission the right TO regulate
railway rates. But II will not affect the
prosperity of the roads. and. as matters
appear now. 1t will not materially bene-
fit the shipper. In fact. the railroads
appear to-day to have won in one OF
he hardest fought battles in which they
have ever engaged at the National Capi-
toll or elsewhere.
Pension Mrs. Lee.
Senator Daniel will introduce in short
time a bill providing for the payment
of a pension to Mrs. Fitzhngh Lee. The
amount of the pension has not been de-
cided upon. but 1t is probable that 1t
will be 800 a month. at least. probably
more. It is not believed there Will be
any opposition TO the bill. Some members
OF General Lees family have been cor
responding with the senator on the sub
ject, and Senator Martin has assured
him that he viii be glad to cooperate
with him in securing the passage OF the
bill.
1t is understood that General Lee was
in quite straitened circumstances at the
time OF his death. Both his SONS are
army officers, and both her daughters
are married to officers of the army.
All these officers are of subordinate rank,
and their pay is little more than requisite
= to their own needS ana the! necessities OIL
their families General Lees service dur
Ing the war with Spain will be the basis
Of the bill for the relief of his widow.
1t begins to look like Congress will fail
10 accomplish the reform of the consular
service which every paper almost In the
country. without reference to political
bias, has advocated. Speaker Cannon
refuses to say whether he will allow the
& bill to be considered by the House, and
tho advocates. Republicans, as we'll rs
Democrats. are absolutely In the dark as
to his Intentions. IT. is said the House;
would pass the bill by II good majority
Z were tile Speaker to allow 1t to come to
g n vote But he proposes to hold up sew
eral measures the Senate wants. using
them az a club to compel that body to-
vote to admit Arizona and New Mexico
as a single State, which It refused to do.
on last Saturday. when they passed the
House bill eliminating from the bill ems
tirely the two territories mentioned. and
providing only for the admission Of In7
dian Territory and Oklahoma rs the
State of Oklahoma.
Provisions Of Bill.
Tho main provisions OF the BILL which
has been Endorsed very generally by the
large business bodies of the country, are
as follows: NIL rs g II IS
Consulutes are classified according to
their Importance, and the salaries paid
the consuls are based on the Importance
Of our trade at the places to which they.
arc accredited.
All fees are abolished; that Is. such
fees are to be turned into the United