The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-23
DEMOCRATS KNOW
RATE BILL 8 FATE
May Send Measure to Senate
Floor To-day Without Any
Recommendation.
REPUBLIcANs ARE CONFIDENT
Conservatives Think They Will
Win, While Dolliver and Clapp
Stai1d Pat.
tBy Associated Press


WASHINGTON, ID. c. February "a
mlttee on Interstate Commerce will do
when they face vote on the court re-
view feature OF railroad rate bill to-
morrow is question that tonight Is
wide variance in predictions. The DEM
ocratic members Of the committee hold
the key to the situation, but at con-
ference tonight they were unable to
agree When they adjourned to meet to-
morrow morning they favored sending
the bill to the Senate floor without re-
port OF any character. The conservative
Republicans declared they would win
with an amendment, and Senators Dol
liver and Clapp continued their stand
against amendments.
The introduction to-day by Senator
Knox of a railroad rate bill containing
feature for court review seemed to clar-
ify the situation for time, The conserve
ative faction of the committee, consisting
of Senators Elkins, Aldrich, Foraker,
kean and Crane, was ready to accept this
feature. and they held a conference at
which 1t was agreed to offer 1t as an
amendment to the Hepburn bill. They
counted on certaip Democratic votes in
the committee to give them majority.
but the hesitancy of these Democrats
In committing themselves to the amend
ment upset their plans. The Democrats
said they desired to consider the Knox
scheme well Before agreeing to vote for
it. Senators Tillman, McLaurin and
Foster conferred. They took into their
conference the Knox plan, an amendment
prepared by conservative Republicans, and
the plans provided In various other rate
bills. with the intention of deciding be-
tween them
Up to Democrats.
The Democrats will In committee to-
morrow amend the Hepburn bill or re-
port 1t to the Senate In the form passed
by the House. There will be eleven
members present Five Republican mem
bers will vote together for court review
amendment and one Democratic vote,
therefore, is sufficient to amend the bill.
If the conservative faction succeeds
in amending the Hepburn bill by insert
ing the review feature of the Knox bill,
several Republican senator's will endeavor
to amend the amendment after the bill
reaches the floor. Their scheme. If sue
cessful, would limit the review to the
question as to whether the commission.
in making a rate. had exceeded its au-
thorty, and whether the order WAS issued
in violation of the constitutional rights
of the complainant This restriction
would be made by inserting half q
dozen words in the, Knox amendment
That portion of the amendment
for the institution of proceedings
would then provide that "any carrier.
person or corporation. party to the pro-
ceedings, affected by the decision of the
commission, as to the rate or practice
covered by the complaint or by its order
prescribing different rate or practice,
and alleging either or both to be beyond
the authority of the commission. or vio-
lation of It's or his constitutional rights.
may institute proceedings to have such
questions determined. The words thus
inserted, which are, not IN the Knox
amendment. would be beyond the au-
thority OF the commission" and the word
constitutional" preceding the word
rights"