The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-08
.CR|S|S IN RATE
FIGHT THIS WEEK
Democrats Meet We'd
nesday to Consider
the Appeal.
WHAT SENATORS
THINK OF OUTLOOK
Neither Side Confident Of Win.
ming, But Each Hoping for
Victory-Probahle That
Court Review Amend
ment Will Be
Adopted.

(rrrom our Regular Corrrspondent.)
Democrats or the Senate will probably
meet in conference about Wednesday, for
the purpose OF discussing tic rate BILL
The especial object Of the proposed con-
%ferencc. 1t is understood, is to consider n
the appeals which the President Is making
to Democratic Senators to stand by his
rcviow amendment. or course. IL Is rot
stated in the call for the conference, that
this Is to be the chief subject Of discuss
sion. but 1t is well known TINT the re-
peatcd pleas which the President has inhde#
to Senator's from the Democratic side who#
have gone TO tic White House To talk
over the situation with him, will take
up the major part Of the time Of the con-
ference.
The rate light will be resumed promptly
with the beginning OF the week. Neither
side Is confident of winning, which fact
accounts for the refusal to FIX Il day
for voting on the bill. Senator Tillinnn,
two or three times lately. has moved that 4
the. Senate proceed to fix a. time ol d
Which the debate will end, and3tllc roll
call begin. but eacl, time. Senator Aldrlcll,
the recognized leader of the side most
hostile TO the Hepburn bill, has objected, III
and III the Senate tie objection Ozone 81
man is sufficient to continue the debate.
There are fifty-nve active Republican
senators and ~thtrtE-three Democratic, "a
total Of cighty-eight. I'orty-hve votes a
are necessary TO carry through ny@prol-@
t@ositlon. a6
What Tillman Says.
"Thc President has advanced a propo-s
sltion# swhtch3:ls not acceptable to stlle&S
majority OF his own party in the Sennte."&
said Senator Tlllnlall to-day. ..IIe has
called ON Democrats for assistance i'm
passing a bill. amended SO us to meet
his views. Under these ACCOMPLISHMENTS
tho Democrats have d right to demand
that the bill include ccrtnln% things they
demand. we have twenty-five Demo- #
II possibility OF twenty-cight, for a lim-$$
lied court review amendment, aud a, no.
suspension, Or anti-injunction provision
after Senator I'ailcy's speech on
Tuesday continued tho senator. ut Is
possible that some OF the weak~kneed
Democrats will be BROUGHT into line. We
have this many Democrats to offer the
President iii supporter his policy. which
he has declared is the same as ours,
and whatever number wc lack 1t Is for
him TO supply from the Republican
ranks"
The Other Side.
This statement shows that seventeen
Republican votes are necessary to the ~
President to get through his amendment.
Senator Crane, OF Massachusetts, who is
allied with Messls. .Aldrich, Spooncr and
Knox, made tho following statement to-&f
day regarding tho situation on the other b
side:
'Nvc have forty Republicans ready to-
vote for Il broad court review amend Kim
.ment, similar to that proposed by Sem
7ator Knox. OF the Democrats, there are
from ten to twenty who will vote with
us. Tho only difficulty is that VIC have
not yet reached an agreement on tho H
plrascology of tho amendment, EThc Res
tpuhlicans are agreed, but we want tla
pledges Of other votes. We hope to-
reach such an INCREMENT next woek."
This statement comedies that at least
five Democratic votes arc necessary to-
Insure the success OF the programme OF
tho Observation-Disclosures faction.
Taking these two statements. together
With the known attitude OF certain Dnm-
ocrats. 1t would appear that tho proba-
bllitics are for the final adoption or Il
broad court review amendment. which =
has been so many times prcdlcted$in In this
correspondence.
Attitude of Democrats.
IT becomes more and more apparent tIai
had the President stated q year ago, OIL
even at the reassemblins OF Congrcsi
that the proposed rate bill should not he
regarded as a partisan measure, and that (
when It had become law neither party
should go before the country claiming
tho credit OF its passage, the Democrati@
h."~ ,,. A- -- 49, g. ..-un u.s. ..A1 49, Nnl -AH