Evening star., 1906-02-24
| WILL TRY To
AMEND THE BILL
Coming Fight in the Senate on
Railway Rates.
SENATOR BAILEY'S VIEW
Republicans and Democrats to Hold
Conferences.
TASK OF SENATOR TILLMAN
Action of the Committee Yesterday
Regarded as Democratic Strategy
Comment at the Capitol.
Republicans and Democrats to Hold
Conferences.
TASK OF SENATOR TILLMAN

Nothing was talked about in congress
sional circles today but the remarkable po-
litical situation which has arisen IN the
Senate resultant from yesterdays action OF
the Senate committee on interstate com
merce on the Hepburn railway rate bill. 1t
is a political coil the end Of which is not
In sight.
Senators say that at this stage the ad-
vantages of the situation are clearly with
the democrats How long they can retain
that position depends entirely upon demo-
cratic harmony and concert OF future ac-
tlon. Upon that score IL is only frank to
say that there is not an overwhelming
amount Of optimism among the leading
democrats.
Senator Bailey. the acting democratic
leader, is given fun credit for the unsni-
nous action of the democrats Of the COM
mittee yesterday The democratic position
all along has been that radical raiiwate rate
regulation was democratic medicine pre-
scribed by the republican majority SEN
| ator Bailey desired TO demonstrate that the
patient could not be made to take it With
out democratic assistance.
Selection of Tillman.
AS long as the bill remains I'm the Senate
| ii VIII be a democrat who will hold the
spoon. 1t is regarded by politicians as the
irony of politics that Senator Tnlman
should be selected to act in that capacity.
1t viii be recalled that Senator Tillman
in his latest attack in the Senate on Presi-
dent Roosevelt Ikened the President to a
doctor mot of the conventional character,
either who was prescribing Roosevelt
nostrums." among which were mentioned
Roosevelt railway rate pills" presumably
| the Hepburn bill. which Senator Tilman
did not think was perfected measure.
1t now falls out that Senator Tlman viii
| administer the pills. He viii te IN charge
of the Hepburn bill on the floor OF the
Senate. Henceforth 1t VIII probably be
known as the ''Tillman-Hepburn BIN" It
was Senator Aldrich who arranged that
little detail, in the most innocent way in
the world, Of course. and solely with the
| desire to crafty and honor the senator from
You can see them now in committee The
resolution to report the bill without amend
ment has been adopted and the question
is, who shall make the report. Senator
Aldrich suggests the chairman OF the com
mittee, Senator Eikins Not at all. con
tends Senator Tilman. It should be made
by a friend OF the bill
Beaming upon him with that soft per-
suasive brown eye. Senator Adrtch admits
the peTtinency Of the suggesto and rec
omme ends the senator from South Carolina.
Whereupon the wicked republicans tumult-
uously put Il TO vote and carry it. Senator
Dolltver chatting in somber Silence and
Withholding his vote, as does Senator Till-
man.
Senator Tillman has already made It plain
that he does not propose. as he puts 10,
ito be made a clown IN this circus He
intends to shoulder with earnestness the
responsibility placed upon him partly in
spirit of fine irony. His admirers In the
Senate say that the bill could not be placed
in more honest or courageous keeping.
Neat Work of Democrats.
nj l..
the democrats of the committee was found
also In the fact that 1t relieved two and
perhaps three democrats of the committee
who conscientiously favor judicial review
from the embarrassment of voting against
their colleag CUES and with the ultrs-conser-
vative faction of the republicans. The main
thing. however, was TO get the bill into the
Senate under democratic auspices, and that
was accomplished. Republicans admit it
was a neat and workmanlil1e jobe, rejecting
credit upon Senator Bailey, who engi-
neered IL.
Although the situation, as stated at the
outset is mainly to the advantage Of the
democrats ii is not without compensating
features to the ultra-conservatiYe senator's
Ii is somewhat difilcult to denominate these
senators. Senators Dollfver and Clapp, In
communion with each other, would prob
ably term them railroad senator's, but
that is hardly parliamentary. The group
includes republicans and democrats alike
who contend for the principle that there
should be a specific and practically effec-
tive right of appeal TO the courts from the
decision of the interstate commerce COM
mission.
Now that the bill is in the Senate there
will be opportunity to align the senators
who adhere TO that principle 1t IS deemed
highly improbable that the democrats can
solidify their ranks absolutely against
amendment Of the bill as IT comes from
the House. The party advantage OF that
is of doubtful utility.
Prospect of Amendn'ent
1t is said that if the Senate should pass
the bin unamended the demccratic
sistance would be overlooked. II would
be Rooseyelts victory, Rooseyelt's bill.
Roosevelt who had dominated Congress.
This Is the argument of democrats against
unanimous action. But beyond that Is the
fact that great many democrats sturdily
contend that the bill, In justice to all in
terests must be amended. 1t is too grest
a question, this railway rate regulation,
these democrats say. to be entirely SUBJ
ordinated to partisan considerations
SO amendment can be expected, and II Is
only amendment that interests the con-
servatives. 1t was authoritstiveiy announc-
ed that Senators Elkins, Kean, Crane and
Aldrich would have voted to report the
Hepburn bill with which they considered
the right sort of a review amendment
adopted Now the field is wide open for
amendments. There will be combining and
comforting of democrats and republicans.
1t is violating confidence to say that
Senator Bailey himself would amend the
bill in the Senate. To his legal mind, ad-
mittcd to be one OF the greatest In the
Senate the bill Is not perfect The point
Is that once the amending process is start
ed the conservatives may be depended
upon to get their whack."
Aimed at the Coal Roads.
When Senator Tiilman reports the bin
to the Senate Monday he will ask that 1t be
made the unfinished business as soon as the
statehood bill Is disposed Of. There viii be
speeches on the measure before 1t becomes
the order Of hasiness. as many senators