The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-03-21
THE RATE BILL.
Senator Tillman Makes Report
on the Measure and
STATES HIS VIEWS.

Commission. Also Wants
Situation Ia Virginia
The United States Senate Thursday
continued consideration Of the rail-
road rate question by listening to the
reading OF q report on the House bill
by Senator Tillman, and to a speech
on that measure by Senator Nelson.
Senator Tillman's report was read at
the request of Senator Aldrich, who
said that he was curious to hear tire
opinion Of the South Carolina S ma
tor. ,
The report Of Senator Tillm n en-
bodied the first clear and concise oua.e
nent OF the differences concerning
c. urt review features and other pre-
posed amencm ents that had made a
unanimous report from the com nittee
impossible.
Without hesitanc7 the Senator de.
clared it to be his bolief that the bill
should he amended, but that amend
ment should not be of q charsc er to
impair or prevent the accomplishment
OF the tbj c,sof the legislation. which
are set forth best, he says, In the
Presidents M essage to Congress. BE
emphasized the need OF regarding the
Measure as non partisan, but predict
ID that the issue created will be para
mount in the mex Prssid ,ntial cleo
l.tion.
Senator Tillman prefaced his report
by speaking Of the peculiar circun-
stances ruling the committees actions
IN the House bill, which made 1t an
embarrassir 6 task to submit views
that would be conourred In bJ the
committee as q whole.
"I1stead Cf be ng amended in COM
mittee as is usu l." the report said,
80 as to command as a whole the eL-
doris ment and support Of a maj ,rity
Of its MEMBERS, the bill was brought
into the Senator in a form not entire
ly satisfac DRY to more than two mem
berS.
This lack Of harmony among the
supporters Of the bill-it would be
peaktng Nth more accuracy to say
the supporters Of the pol!c7 involved
In the bill-brings about the anoma
lou3 situation Ia which q member OF
he minority party in Congress Is put
In charge IN the S nate Of proposed
legiLation, which Is generally regard,
ed Throughout the country as the
cherished scheme Of the President,
with whose general policy ard princi
Piles that member is not In accord. A,
Che sane time the bill is assigned to
carry into IF ct his own long cherish
ed COW ctions and the thric,. reitera
ttd demands Ct the party to which 1t
belongs"
E uphasiz'ng the claim that this
condition is without precedent In leg.
islative history, Senator Tillman says
it brings into prominence the fact
that the prnpHsed legislation Is nom
partisan, and Is 50 rec 'gr!z,d as q re-
suit OF the uaaninous support given 1t
by tue Minority In the q use and The
few opposing votes-Jnly seven-in
that entire b 10y.
There would follow "a cyclone
Of pass onate resentment" said Sen.
ator Tillman in presenting what
would be the result OF failure Oh
the part of Corgtess to mset the
widespread demand for railroad rate
legislation. He declared that "wo
will be harvest" Of any member Of
the S mate or House, wfo,e work In
formulating a bill to regulate railroads
lacks earnestness or honesty of pur
poses and who shall seek to bsliJtle
the q lestion or hill the bill by subteI-
fuge and deception. The Constitution
gives to congress the power to regulate
the railroads, he contended, q t lere
are many wrong to right. The bill as
1t comes from the House S nat r Till
man cbaracter'z,d as Loosely worded
and capable Of different interpretar
lions.
Senator Til man pointed out that 1t
is generally supposed that the pend
ing azure embcdies the well di
gested views Ct the Executive and
these of his party whose advice he
consents to take" After enumera-
ting the es5enti | c larges from the
existing laws regula ing Inter State
commerce, he stated tnat the most
important is found in Section Is. in
which power Is sought to be vested in
the Iuter-S ate CONNIE &c com mission
after full hearing upon a complaint
made to determine ard prescribe what
will in It's Judgment be the just and
reasonable and fairly remuns rative
rate + to be hereafter OBJ.
served in such case as the maximum
. to be charged" and make al order
that the same shall 90 into effect and
remain In force for tnree years, which
order sh. II go in.o effect thirty DAYS
after notice 10 the carrier and shall
remain in force and be observed by
the carrier, unless The same shall be
Suspended or mGditi d or set aside by
the commission, or Dr. suspended OF
set aside by a Court Of competent au-
! thority." Concerning this section,
Senator Tillman sai6:
Around the first provision the NEST
earnest and exciting contention has
} oy}cou and theYa ia ureaf diff rerca nj