The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-03-20
Tm Wessengm.
LOOKS LIKE DEFEAT FOR THE
PRESIDENT

PRESIDENT
Several days ago there appeared in
the Washington Post a communication
on the railway rate bill over the sig
nature Dickinson" The writer said
it looked then as if the president had
lost his fight for federal regulation OF
railway transportation charges; that
a week previous it was announced
that the Hepburn bill would pass the
senate practically without amendment.
Of course, said Dickinson, contingen-
cies may arise which will swing the
balance again in his favor, but at that
moment there could be no doubt that
the battle was going against him. Dick-
inson thus summed up the situation in
the senate as it stood at the time of
writing his letter:
A week ago the chances were all in
his (the president's) favor. That was
before the breach on the democratic
side of the senate had be-
gun to widen. Now it seems almost
certain that if a vote on the main
|aADoAA ~ - NONNy 49,
least five democratic senators would
vote with the forty or forty-two repub-
lican senators who are opposed to the
presidents contention for a limited
court review.
1t has been pointed out in this news
paper often that without a virtually
unanimous democratic vote the house
bill, amended SO as to strengthen it
in accordance with President Roose-
Velt's views, could not get through the
senate. At no time has there been a
maximum of republican vote for it of
more than fifteen. With thirty of the
thirty-three democratic votes in the
senate, this would give just the num-
Der of votes needed to carry the
amended measure through the senate.
Al! along it has been known that at
least three democratic senator's
Messrs. Morgan, Pettus n McEnery
were opposed to the proposition Of
a limited court review. In point of
fact. these three veteran democrats are
more nearly in accord with Senator
FOraker's ~outspoken antagonis:n 10 the
entire policy of empowering the inter-
state commission to fix rail-
o rates than they are with the con-
tentiOn of the overWh Ginning T0a7Lrlty
on their side of the Mat the
relief sought from The ac-ual or the
imaginary exactiOns Oc the railroads.
an nc ofIS - nv 'a'N-a 80 49,
dictated by the presidents plog's NINE.
Commenting on the above the Char
1otte Observer has the following to say.
which holds out no greater hopes for
the presidents success that does the
article by Dickinson:
1t is further stated hat the names Of
two other democratic senators who
have Joined the ranks of the so-called
conservatives have not been given
out, and the fact that Wall street is
satisfied that no drastic legislation
will be enacted is also cited as evidence
of the real situation. The defeat of
the rate bill would indeed be a severe
blow to the president, who has appa-
rently staked nearly everything on
that issue, letting the Philippine tariff
measure and the statehood bill, which
were evidently dear to his heart, go by
the board in an effort to get the par
amount issue" through, and complete
defeat would come near placing some
thing in the nature of a gulf between
the White house and the capitol.
The situation, with its Kaleidoscope
changes and peculiar aspects, is an in
teresting one. and there is no predict
ing the final outcome with any. sort
Of certainty. The rate bill has hardly
started on its voyage through the
enate and before the end it may en-
counter smooth sailing where only
storm and disaster now seem to await
IL.
The turn affairs have taken in the
senate in the last day or two do not
by any means indicate that the balance
has yet begun to swing back toward
the presidents side or that plain sail
ing for the bill is in sight. On the
contrary, matters seem to be getting
more complicated. the waters rougher
and the pendulum moving with in
creased speed to the other side. 1t
seems the success of the bill depends
on thirty of the thirty-three demo
cratic senator's voting for it and hat
at least three are known to oppose
the feature most urgently supported
by the president. This shows how
slim are the chances of success for
the bill. 1t looks like the president
is destined to another defeat at The
hands of his own party though sup
ported by such a large proportion Of
the democratic senator's.
With fyo %p,iI1iop toms of cOo1 StaroH