The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-01
Punishment for Railway Of
fcials as Well as Users
of Passes.
A1drich About to Go Abroad,
Which Augurs Rate
Law Soon.
Ry w. w. Jermane.

wv ASHINGTON, March 81
NM There will be rate legislation
w at this session of congress,
and the senate may reach a vote on
the bill within the next three weeks,
according to careful estimates made by
leaders in that body.
The Hepburn-Do bill is to be
amended so as to provide for some kind
of judicial review, and the present SEN
ate debate is for the purpose of clear
ing the atmosphere so as to make it
perfectly plain just what kind of re-
view there should be. Such senators as
Clapp and zDolliver, while preferrlng
the original house bill, will not siren
uously oppose a review amendment,
provided it is sufficiently conservative.
The president is also for conserva-
tive review amendment. He doesn It
want the law so framed as to appear
to direct the courts to retry all cases
coming before them from the commits
sion It will be sufficient, he believes,
if the courts are directed to hear ap.
peals as to the legality of the commits
sion s order.
The question of the reasonableness
Of the rate fixed, he holds, the courts
should not be concerned with. OF
course, the courts may of their OWL
motion declare that they should con
slider the question of reasonablenes:
also, but the president does not wan
anything put into the act that will
show that such is the design of tn
lawmaking body.
Victory for President
Ina general way, it is conceded tina
the bill as finally passed will be sub
stantial victory for the president. Th
force Of public opinion has been s
strong as to compel the senate to &C
ton. It has not for years been so CON
pletely under the spur of necessity
do something as it is at this momen
The railroad senators, of whom the1
is only mere handful, are powerles
to work their will in the face of til
popular uprising that has taken place
When the bill is finally passed, ;
will be by substantially unanimo,
vote This is also conceded. The d
bates which are now taking place a.
merely the arguments Of lawyers as
the fine points Of phraseology in tt
bill, and while interesting enough fro
some points of view, are not importa
as indicating what is to become of t.
bill That question has been dete
mined for some time. The bill is
pass, substantially as the preside
wants it, and the house will consent
the senate amendments.
49, Ant1-Pass Amendment.
g.: One radical amendment to the b
foreign to the main rate-making II
f. ture, has been tacitly agreed to by
leading men in both houses, and is NJ
beginning to assume definite shape. 1
4 senate win adopt an amendment p
s hibiting the issue of free passes.
7 This senate amendment may not
strong enough to suit those membe
and it is probable that the chief di
Guilty the conferences Of the two hou
will have will be found at this poi
II The house has very radical anti-p
Il! views. LIS dMeHd1nenI Will Propa
provide that no railroad shall issue
pass to any person whatsoever, not ey
to its own officers and employees,
less they are travelling on official bl
ness. .,...s...,
This is farther than the sen
amendment will go, but not farther
is believed, than the senate will fins
consent to go, provided the house yie
as to court review and the other sen
changes in the bill.
This anti-pass amendment will !
vide a punishment not only for
railroad officials issuing passes, but
Confined on I'd Page, 9th Column